smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
Venezuela
| Venezuela overall | This Advice is current for Saturday, 22 November 2008. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
| Border areas with Colombia (within 80kms) | ||||
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information under Safety and Security: Natural Disasters, Severe Weather and Climate (update). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
Border areas: We strongly advise you not to travel within 80kms of Venezuela's border areas with Colombia, in particular the border states of Bolivar, Amazonas, Apure, Tachira, Zulia and Barinas, because of risks from terrorist groups and cross-border political tension.
In early March 2008, following tensions between the Governments of Venezuela and Colombia, the Venezuelan Government deployed troops on the Colombian border.
Colombian terrorist groups, such as the FARC and ELN, and narcotic gangs are active along Venezuela's border with Colombia. Kidnapping for ransom in these areas has resulted in the death of victims, including foreigners. The Venezuelan military conduct search and arrest operations to maintain law and order in border regions.
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Venezuela because of high levels of serious crime and ongoing political tensions. Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Social and political tensions continue throughout Venezuela and could prompt unpredictable violent incidents. You should avoid protests and demonstrations in Caracas and other cities as they may turn violent. Prior notice of demonstrations is often included in the local English language newspaper 'Daily Journal'. National strikes can be called at short notice, causing disruptions to air travel, public transport and banking facilities.
Violent crime, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and carjacking, occurs throughout Venezuela and has increased over the past year. If possible, you should avoid city streets in central Caracas and the Sabana Grande area. You should also avoid walking or driving in isolated areas, especially at night.
Crime rates are higher in 'barrios' or 'ranchitos' (slum areas) after dark. Tourist and resort areas may be targeted by criminal groups.
There have been incidents of 'express kidnappings', where people are forced to withdraw funds from ATMs to secure their release. Victims have been killed or injured while resisting perpetrators' demands.
We have received reports of harassment and extortion by criminals posing as officials. Australians should exercise care when dealing with those in official uniform or carrying official identification.
Travellers have been robbed and assaulted (including sexually assaulted) after accepting spiked food and drink.
Petty crime such as pickpocketing is prevalent, particularly on public transport in Caracas. Thieves, sometimes armed, are known to target hotel rooms, safe deposit boxes and rental cars.
Criminals are known to pose as taxi operators at the airport. Foreigners, including Australians, have been attacked and robbed. Licensed, radio-despatched taxis can be organised in advance by hotels or by telephone at the airport. If possible, arrange to arrive in Caracas during the day and organise transport to your hotel before you arrive.
Motorists have been robbed after stopping to assess damage caused by objects thrown from a bridge or overpass. Drive with doors locked and windows closed at all times.
When travelling by road outside major cities, there is a risk of extortion and being caught in road blocks set up by illegal armed groups, including some who appear to be police.
Driving in Venezuela can be dangerous due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles and local driving habits, including driving while intoxicated and ignoring red lights at night. Rural roads are often unmarked with little or no street lighting.
Travellers may experience significant delays on the highway linking Caracas with the country's main international airport due to the indefinite closure of a major bridge on the route and the use of a relief road.
Piracy occurs in the coastal areas of Venezuela. See our travel advice on shipping and ports for more information. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
Venezuela is in an active earthquake zone.
The rainy season extends from May to December when hurricanes, flooding and landslides can occur. However, tropical storms and hurricanes may occur in other months. We encourage Australians in affected areas to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the media for the latest developments.
If you are travelling during hurricane season, you should contact your tour operator to check whether tourist services at your planned destination have been affected.
The direction and strength of hurricanes can change with little warning. Information on hurricanes or other severe weather conditions can be obtained from U.S. National Hurricane Center and Tropical Prediction Center or the Humanitarian Early Warning Service.
In the event of an approaching hurricane, you should identify your local shelter. Flights in and out of affected areas could be delayed or suspended. Available flights may fill quickly. The hurricane could also affect access to sea ports in the region. In some areas, adequate shelter from a severe hurricane may not be available to all who may choose to stay. You should familiarise yourself with your hotel or cruise ship evacuation plans. You should carry your travel documents at all times (i.e. passport, photo identification) or secure them in a safe, waterproof location. We also suggest that you contact friends and family in Australia with updates about your welfare and whereabouts. For further information, see our Travel Bulletin: Severe Weather – Cyclones, Hurricanes and Typhoons.
If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities and monitor local information sources.
Australians are advised to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas.
There are limitations on foreign exchange transactions throughout Venezuela and money exchange facilities may be difficult to locate on weekends. There are high levels of credit card fraud, whereby hand-held scanners are used to copy the card's electronic coding onto a false card.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or child care facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or child care facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select child care providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in Venezuela, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Penalties for drug offences, including possession, are severe and include lengthy jail sentences served in local jails. Possession of small quantities of marijuana may lead to imprisonment. Travellers are screened for drug possession on departure.
It is illegal to photograph military installations and establishments or sites of strategic importance such as the Presidential Palace and airports.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
Under Venezuelan Nationality and Citizenship Law, Australian/Venezuelan dual nationals are required to enter and leave Venezuela on a valid Venezuelan passport.
Australian/ Venezuelan male dual nationals over 18 may be required to complete national service obligations if they visit Venezuela.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Venezuela for the most up to date information.
For entry into and departure from Venezuela, Venezuelan or Australian/Venezuelan dual national children (i.e. under 18) travelling alone or with one parent require a letter of consent signed by both parents providing details of travel, and a copy of their birth certificate, translated into Spanish and certified by a Venezuelan Embassy or Consulate. Australians travelling with children are advised to contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Venezuela for further information.
Venezuela is listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as endemic for yellow fever. Airlines require passengers to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate before being allowed to board flights out of the country.
If you have visited Venezuela in the last six days prior to your date of return to Australia, Australian Customs officials will ask you to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate on entry into Australia.
You are required to pay an airport tax on departure from any international airport in Venezuela. These taxes must be paid in local currency and in cash. You should check if these taxes have been included in the price of your ticket.
If you are travelling to Venezuela through the United States of America (USA), including transiting Honolulu or other USA points of entry, you will need to meet USA entry/transit requirements. You should check your visa needs well in advance of travel with the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. See also our travel advice for the USA.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
The standard of public medical facilities in major cities is limited and is very limited in rural areas. Basic medical supplies and pharmaceuticals are often in short supply. Good private hospitals and clinics can be found in Caracas and other major cities. Such facilities are very expensive and will usually request up-front cash payment. Medical emergencies may require evacuation to Caracas or to a third country. Medical evacuation costs would be considerable.
Hyperbaric chambers are located at: Unidad de Buceo PDVSA in Lagunillas Norte; Hospital Naval Raul Perdomo in Ctia La Mar; Compania Oriente marine Group in Puerto La Cruz; and Venezuela Divers in Ciudad Ojeda.
Malaria occurs year-round in some areas of Venezuela, with the highest risk in rural areas of the States of Apure, Amazonas, Barinas, Bolivar (including the Angel Falls), Delta, Amacuro, Monagas, Sucre and Tachira. Chloroquine and sulfoxidine-resistant strains of malaria have been reported. Other insect-borne diseases (including dengue fever, yellow fever, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis) also occur with more serious outbreaks from time to time. We recommend you take the appropriate prophylaxis against malaria where necessary and take measures to avoid insect bites, including using insect repellent at all times.
Water-borne, food-borne and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, typhoid, hepatitis, tuberculosis, Venezuelan haemorrhagic fever, measles, mumps, rubella and rabies) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as bilharzia. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Venezuela. By agreement between the Canadian and Australian governments, the local Canadian Embassy provides consular assistance to Australians in Venezuela. This service does not include the issue of Australian passports. The address is:
Canadian Embassy
Avenida Francisco de Miranda con Avenida Sur
Altamira, Caracas, Venezuela
Telephone (58 212) 600 3000; 600 3042 or 600 3043
Facsimile (58 212) 263 4981
E-mail crcas@international.gc.ca
The Australian Embassy in Brazil should be contacted regarding all Australian passport matters. You can also obtain consular assistance from the Embassy. The address in Brazil is:
Australian Embassy
SES QD 801
Conjunto K, Lote 07
BSB DF 70200-010
Brasilia, Brazil
Telephone (55 61) 226 3111
Facsimile (55 61) 2261 112
E-mail embaustr@dfat.gov.au
Website www.brazil.embassy.gov.au
If you are travelling to Venezuela, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency – whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
If you are unable to contact the Embassy in a consular emergency, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
