On November 19, 2024, the Spanish government repealed the joint instruction issued on March 15, 2019, which permitted Venezuelan citizens to use expired passports for immigration procedures in the country. This measure, originally introduced as an exceptional solution, is no longer in effect due to the normalization of passport renewals by Venezuelan consulates.
A Context Marked by the Venezuelan Crisis
In 2019, Venezuela’s severe political, economic, and social crisis created numerous challenges for Venezuelan citizens both within and outside their country. Among these challenges was the inability to renew passports due to administrative collapse in Venezuelan consulates. Faced with this situation, Spain adopted the extraordinary measure of allowing expired passports to serve as valid documents for Venezuelans to regularize their immigration status within Spanish territory.
The regulation, outlined in a joint instruction dated March 15, 2019, provided relief to thousands of Venezuelan citizens seeking to formalize their stay in Spain despite lacking a valid passport. Over the years, this measure enabled many to obtain residence and work permits, secure access to healthcare, and carry out other essential procedures for integration into the country.
End of the Exceptional Measure
With the decision made on November 19, 2024, this instruction has been repealed. According to official sources, the decision is based on the fact that Venezuelan authorities have now normalized the process of passport renewals at their consulates. As a result, Venezuelan citizens wishing to initiate immigration procedures in Spain will be required to present a valid passport.
It is important to highlight that this repeal applies only to procedures initiated after the date of its implementation. Ongoing procedures that were initiated beforehand will continue to be governed by the previous regulation and will not be affected by this change.
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