The full 6-step e-visa playbook for tourist and business visas.
The TR-N business visa is the right category for executives, investors, and consultants traveling to Venezuela for meetings, market research, contract negotiation, or due diligence. Filing runs through the same Cancillería Digital e-visa portal as the tourist (TR-V) visa, but the TR-N additionally requires a corporate invitation letter from a Venezuelan entity registered with SENIAT — the documentation that most often delays first-time applicants.
Yes — every US, Chinese, and most non-Western Hemisphere passport holder needs a TR-N visa in advance for business travel. Even nationalities that enter visa-free for tourism (UK, Canada, EU, Brazil, Colombia, Russia, UAE) should apply for a TR-N if they plan to conduct meetings, sign contracts, or earn income while in country, to avoid an immigration enforcement issue on exit.
The TR-N flow is identical to the tourist visa with one critical addition: the corporate invitation letter from a SENIAT-registered Venezuelan entity. Start that workflow with your host first, then open the Cancillería Digital portal once the letter is in hand.
Begin with your Venezuelan counterparty. The letter must be on host-entity letterhead, signed by an authorized officer, addressed to the Venezuelan consul, and reference the host's SENIAT RIF number, the purpose of the visit, and the dates of travel.
The MPPRE screen recording walks through the same request flow you will use for a TR-N filing. Watch it before you register so you know where business documents attach in the portal.
Create an account on Venezuela's official MPPRE e-visa portal. The interface is in Spanish only — use a translator. Click "regístrate" on the login screen.
Choose the business visa class, not the tourist class. Fill in personal, passport, travel, and financial information. The form will reference the host entity's details from your invitation letter.
Upload digital scans of your passport (6+ months validity, 2 blank pages), passport photo, hotel reservation or host-arranged accommodation, return-itinerary, proof of funds, employer letter, and the corporate invitation letter from your Venezuelan host.
Same fee as the tourist visa. Paid digitally inside the portal. Pre-clear the transaction with your card issuer if it is US-issued.
Approval typically arrives in around 15 days through the portal. Print the approved e-visa, present it with your passport at SVMI airport on arrival, and carry the corporate invitation letter as a paper backup in case secondary inspection asks about the purpose of the visit.
Gather these documents before you open the application portal. Missing or low-quality scans are the most common cause of approval delays.
These are the two documents travelers upload most often with the e-visa file. Both tools use English on screen (labels and tips) and produce a Spanish-labelled PDF for the portal. Use your browser’s Print dialog and choose Save as PDF — the same flow as the Caracas Emergency Card.
First time seeing these names? Read our short guides: Fill In Your Planilla De Solicitud De Visa Venezuella · declaración jurada (visa venezolana).
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| E-visa fee (TR-N business) | USD 180 | Raised from USD 60 in 2025. Paid digitally inside the portal. |
| Corporate invitation letter | No fee | Issued by the Venezuelan host. Notarization is sometimes requested by the host's legal team. |
| Document translation | Variable | Some hosts ask for a Spanish translation of the employer letter. Budget USD 50–150 if you do not have in-house Spanish. |
| Invitation letter | 1–3 weeks (host-dependent) |
| Recommended buffer | 6–8 weeks before departure |
| Typical approval | ≈ 15 days from submission |
| Real-world range | 7–30 days (Fragomen / US Embassy) |
TR-N is Venezuela's business-visitor visa class. It authorizes activities like commercial meetings, market research, contract negotiation, due diligence, and signing — but not local employment. Issued for up to 1 year multiple-entry with stays of up to 90 days per entry. Application is filed online through Cancillería Digital.
The two visas share the same headline fee (USD 180), the same validity window (up to 1 year multiple-entry), and the same maximum stay (90 days per entry). The TR-N additionally requires a corporate invitation letter from a Venezuelan entity registered with SENIAT, plus a letter from your employer confirming the business purpose. The TR-V does not require either.
No. Attending meetings, conducting due diligence, and negotiating contracts are squarely within the TR-N business-visitor scope. A separate work visa (laboral) is only required if you intend to take up local Venezuelan employment or be paid by a Venezuelan entity.
It should be on the Venezuelan host entity's letterhead, signed by an authorized officer, and addressed to the Venezuelan consul. The letter must reference the host's SENIAT (RIF) registration number, describe the purpose of your visit, list the dates of travel, and confirm that the host either covers or shares trip costs.
No — the SENIAT (RIF) number is a hard requirement. If your counterparty cannot produce active SENIAT registration, treat that as a red flag for both the visa application and the underlying commercial relationship. SENIAT registration is the most basic indicator that a Venezuelan entity is operating in good standing.
No — the Venezuelan visa process is independent of US sanctions enforcement. If you are a US person (or a non-US person dealing with US-origin goods, services, or USD payments), screen your Venezuelan counterparty against OFAC's SDN list independently before signing any contract. The TR-N visa does not pre-clear sanctions exposure in either direction.
Sophisticated investors usually keep primary commercial discussions in third-country jurisdictions — Bogotá, Panama City, Madrid, and Dubai are the most-used venues — and reserve the TR-N for in-country execution, site visits, and signing. This pattern reduces both legal-process and physical-security exposure.
The full 6-step e-visa playbook for tourist and business visas.
US-specific application route — closed DC embassy, e-visa portal, payment snags.
Screen your counterparty against the current SDN list before signing.