Venezuela Port Entry Procedures

Many Captains and crews have asked us to summarize the procedures required to enter Venezuelan waters legally, and with the least amount of hassle for those of us whose Spanish is "only fair".... So here are the current rules as best we understand them:

All vessels entering Venezuelan waters from foreign ports are required to present themselves directly to the Captain of the Port closest to their intended first "port of call."

Therefore, yachts wishing to visit Marina Portofino this fall, or at any other time, must first present themselves to the Captain of the Port of La Guaira, at the Port of La Guaira, and complete the required Customs and Immigration procedures there. The Captain’s staff has informed us that there will be no exceptions to this rule.

Please be advised that the offices of the Captain of the Port are open from 7:00 AM to Noon, and from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM Monday-Friday. Therefore we suggest that you schedule your arrival here during weekday daylight hours. We are informed that vessels entering the jurisdiction of the Captain of the Port of La Guaira outside of normal business hours must anchor offshore, display a "Q" flag, and wait for further instructions. You may contact the Captain’s office on VHF Channel 16 during the normal business hours stated above, or, if you arrive outside of normal business hours, you may incur extra charges (and some delay, since this is Venezuela) for your legal entry.

Our experience has shown that the whole clearing-in procedure will be simplified if you would get a piece of paper from Customs and Immigration (in your last US port-of-call) which would demonstrate you had cleared out of the US bound for Venezuela. This document (which is called a "Zarpe" here) is vital to show the local authorities that you have properly cleared out of the US with La Guaira/Caraballeda as your intended destination. It seems, if I understand the Spanish correctly, that the local Customs people do not believe that the US Customs people will let a vessel leave the US bound for a foreign port without a Zarpe. Indeed, when you arrive here without one, they sort-of-automatically believe that there’s something funny going on, and to they scrutinize everything more carefully. We have had this problem repeatedly with the Courtesan’s frequent comings-and-goings, and only now do I understand why our lack of a Zarpe has had them so upset. So get a clearance out of the US if you possibly can; it will make things a lot easier.

There are several "agents" standing by to help you with your paperwork, if you would like assistance, although there is no reason why you cannot clear yourself in if you can handle the language requirements:

Arturo Vasquez can be reached at 011-58-414-927-6004 (cellular).

Ibrahim Rodriguez (everyone calls him "Popeye.") can be reached at 011-58-414-934-7386 (cellular).

We are sorry if this procedure causes you any inconvenience, but "the law is the law", even here in Venezuela. Please call us on the land-line or radio (we monitor VHF 68 and USB Channel 12A– 12353.0 MHz –Necode Ringer # 8733) when you can ascertain your estimated ETA here at the Port. We are looking forward to your visit, and to a great season.

PS- If you arrive during the weekend you may still arrange to clear Customs and Immigration either Saturday or Sunday. But you must call them on the radio (VHF 16) and lie offshore until they can arrange to clear you in. We do not know how long this will take, or what extra charges (if any) this will entail, but we do know it is possible to clear in on Saturday or Sunday. So come whenever you want, but be prepared for some delays.

PPS- The cost of your entry will be significantly reduced if you can obtain "transeunte" visas for each member of the crew before you enter Venezuela. To do this, please go to the nearest Venezuelan consulate with the following in hand:

a valid US passport with at least 6 months remaining life

two (2) passport-sized photos

a US postal money order (cash and checks are not accepted) for $60.00

an original letter from the owner of the boat, stating that he (or she) will be financially responsible for you while you are in Venezuela

Ask the Consul to give you the forms to request a Transient Visa, which will permit multiple entries for one year. Or you can get the forms here (167K PDF).

With a Transient Visa, you will not have to pay the egregious fees demanded by the local immigration people (sometimes up to $50/month per person, depending on their mood.)

Back to the links:

• An overview of Marina Portofino
• A description of our Accomodations
• Our current Flash Report with the most recent fishing report
• A brief "How-To" for Owners and Captains regarding Legal Charters in Venezuela
• Read or Download our Dockage Contract and Yacht Registration Form
• QCA (Questions Captains Ask) (A list of FAQs by and for Captains)
• FAQs of General Interest about fishing conditions, accommodations, travel, etc.