Date of publication:

09/01/2026

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

Do domestic laws and policies provide for fair asylum procedures on appeal?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

Article 20 indicates that a person whose application has been denied by the Commission may file an appeal for reconsideration before the Commission. Article 21 establishes that if an asylum claim is denied and the applicant introduces an appeal, the temporary asylum-seeker ID is valid until the new decision is reached, either if the appeal is at first stage (National Commission) or second stage (Contentious Administrative Jurisdiction).

Under Article 85 of the Organic Law on Administrative Procedures, all persons have the right to file appeals against administrative acts that affect their rights and interests. Likewise, Article 29 of the Organic Law on Contentious Administrative Jurisdiction provides that all persons may appear before the courts to exercise control over all administrative activity in which they have a current legal interest. These rights apply equally to nationals and to asylum-seekers or refugees.

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    Organic Law on Refugees and Asylees
    • Year: 2001
    • Type: Domestic law
    • Rights Category: Asylum, Education, Freedom of movement, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality, Integration & Public Affairs, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Family life, Documentation
    • Link to external source: https://www.refworld.org/node/18314

    Legal provision

    Article 3 - Procedural principles

    "(Unofficial translation) All procedures established in this Law for determining refugee and asylum status shall be subject to the principles of accessibility, oral proceedings, expediency, and free access." Todos los procedimientos establecidos en esta Ley, para la determinación de la condición de refugiado o refugiada y asilado o asilada, estarán sujetos a los principios de accesibilidad, oralidad, celeridad y gratuidad.

    Right to appeal

    Articulo 20: La persona cuya solicitud le fuera negada por la Comisión, podrá recurrir ante ésta, para su reconsideración dentro de un término de quince (15) días hábiles posteriores a la notificación. La Comisión deberá decidir en el lapso de noventa (90) días continuos Unofficial translation: Article 20.- Any person whose application has been denied by the Commission may appeal before it for reconsideration within a period of fifteen (15) business days following notification. The Commission must issue its decision within a period of ninety (90) consecutive days

    Organic Law on Administrative Procedures

    Legal provision

    Article 85 - Right to Appeal

    (Unofficial translation) Interested parties may file the appeals referred to in this chapter against any administrative act that terminates a procedure, prevents its continuation, causes defenselessness, or prejudges it as definitive, when said act infringes their subjective rights or legitimate, personal, and direct interests. "Los interesados podrán interponer los recursos a que se refiere este capítulo contra todo acto administrativo que ponga fin a un procedimiento, imposibilite su continuación, cause indefensión o lo prejuzgue como definitivo, cuando dicho acto lesione sus derechos subjetivos o intereses legítimos, personales y directos."