On January 6, 2022, the Mexican Ministry of the Interior published in the Official Gazette of the Federation an agreement announcing a change in Mexican migration policy, requiring Venezuelan citizens to obtain a visa to enter national territory. This change will take effect on January 21, 2022, and will require all Venezuelan citizens wanting to enter Mexico to first obtain an ordinary visa from a Mexican consular representation abroad.

One of the main reasons for issuing this provision was because from January to September 2021, there was a substantial increase in the number of Venezuelans entering Mexico for a purpose other than those allowed, such as irregular transit to a third country, representing an increase of more than one thousand percent compared to the same period in the previous five years.

It is important to keep in mind that, as with other nationalities that require a visa, Venezuelan citizens may be exempt from applying for a Mexican visa if they prove any of the following conditions:

1. The individual is a permanent resident of Canada, the United States of America, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, any of the countries that make up the Schengen Area of Europe, or of a member country of the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, and Peru); or
2. Holds a valid visa from Canada, the United States of America, Japan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or any of the countries that make up the Schengen Area.

The Ministry of the Interior, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will carry out the necessary actions to update the procedures, systems, and information bases on the entry of Venezuelan nationals into the country. It is therefore important for employers to adjust the travel itineraries of their employees, taking into consideration the day this provision will take effect.

Our attorneys are available for consultation on this development or any employment-related topic.