Good news for Venezuelans in Spain! Now you can do immigration formalities with your expired passport

In an important legal development, Spain has decided to reinstate Venezuelan passports that have expired in order to carry out immigration procedures. This measure, announced recently, represents a significant relief for thousands of Venezuelans residing in the country who face difficulties in renewing their documents due to consular limitations and the socioeconomic crisis in Venezuela.

On January 13, 2025, the Directorate General for Migratory Management and the General Commissariat for Foreigners and Borders announced the entry into force of a new instruction that restores the validity of expired Venezuelan passports for carrying out administrative procedures for foreigners in Spain. This decision seeks to guarantee the access of Venezuelan citizens to legal procedures, recognizing the difficulties that persist in the renewal of passports in the Venezuelan consular services in Spain.

What does this new instruction allow?

Since its implementation, expired Venezuelan passports are accepted for:

• The processing and continuity of residence permits y permits regulated by the immigration regulations.
• The issuance and delivery of the alien identity card (TIE).

The main objective of this measure is to reduce the bureaucratic barriers faced by Venezuelan citizens due to the lack of renewal of their passports, thus providing greater stability and legal security.

Context of the decision

In November 2024, an instruction had been issued requiring valid passports for all immigration procedures, based on a supposed improvement in Venezuelan consular services in Spain. However, the Spanish administration found that this improvement was not enough, as thousands of citizens still failed to renew their documents.

Given this reality, and following the recommendations of agencies such as UNHCR, it was decided to recover the criterion established in 2019, which already recognized the validity of expired passports to protect the rights of Venezuelan migrants.

Download the official instruction

For greater transparency, you can consult and download the complete instruction issued by the General Directorate of Migration Management and the General Commissariat of Immigration and Borders through the following link:

The recovery of the validity of expired Venezuelan passports is a measure that reflects sensitivity towards the needs of migrants and an effective solution to guarantee their legal stability in Spain. If you are Venezuelan and need to regularize your situation, this is an opportunity you should not miss.

If you are Venezuelan and need support to regularize your situation, do not hesitate in contact us. Our team of experts is here to help you solve your doubts and accompany you through every step of the process.