Many Venezuelans Want to Go Home. But They Can’t Get Passports.

Venezuelan migrants in the United States face a bureaucratic impasse that traps them between two governments, as reported in late 2024. While the U.S. government has made it increasingly difficult for them to obtain legal status or asylum, the Venezuelan administration of Nicolás Maduro simultaneously makes it nearly impossible for them to secure passports, effectively blocking their voluntary return home. This dual policy creates a state of indefinite limbo for thousands of individuals who initially fled economic collapse and political turmoil in Venezuela, only to find themselves stranded in a foreign country with no clear path forward. The core of the crisis lies in the passport issuance process within Venezuela. Applicants face exorbitant fees, severe delays that can stretch for years, and a requirement to appear in person at government offices—a near-impossible task for those already abroad. This administrative bottleneck is widely viewed as a political tool by the Maduro government, which has historically used control over identity documents to manage dissent and migration flows. For migrants in the U.S., the inability to procure this single document renders the idea of a planned, orderly repatriation a fantasy. Concurrently, U.S. immigration policy has tightened significantly regarding Venezuelans. Following the expiration of temporary protected status designations and a challenging asylum process, many find themselves without work authorization or protection from deportation. This leaves them in a precarious legal and economic situation. The result is a growing population caught in a policy crossfire: unable to regularize their stay in the U.S. and unable to facilitate their own return to Venezuela, they are forced into a shadow existence, often reliant on informal work and community support while hoping for a political solution that may never come.