Mexico to impose visa requirements on visitors from Venezuela

Setting out its reasons, the Mexican ministry said in a document published online that it had detected a "substantial increase" in Venezuelans entering Mexico for reasons other than tourism, pointing to "irregular transit to a third country."

Mexico will impose visa requirements on Venezuelan visitors, the interior ministry said on Friday, as the country attempts to stem a jump in the number of people from the South American nation trying to enter the United States illegally.

In this file photo taken on September 23, 2021 Venezuelan migrants walk towards Iquique from Colchane, Chile, after crossing from bordering Bolivia. - Mexico will impose visas on Venezuelans after detecting that a growing number are travelling to its territory to then try to reach a third country, mainly the United States, the Interior Ministry announced  (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP)

Setting out its reasons, the ministry said in a document published online it had detected a "substantial increase" in Venezuelans entering Mexico for reasons other than tourism, pointing to "irregular transit to a third country."

Reuters last month reported Mexico was considering steps to impose tougher entry requirements on Venezuelans, partly in response to requests from the United States, which is dealing with record numbers of migrants at its southern border.

The ministry said that the visa requirements would take effect 15 days after the notification was published in the government's official gazette, a step which is still pending.

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