Isn't that pretty much the same as for Brazil where (Australians at least, and I thought Americans too) have to get a visa at a Brazilian Consulate/Embassy before the border.
What are the differences?

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Traveling with an Irish passport I was able to get a visa for Brazil at the border of Venezuela, then later I was stamped back in by the national police in Oiapoque. Basically, no muss, no fuss. Can't say what the requirements are to get a Brazil visa at an embassy or consulate. In Georgetown, Guyana, to get a visa for Suriname I had to stop by the embassy in the morning, fill out a two page questionnaire, leave a passport photo and $45 USD, then came back after lunch. On my return I was interviewed by an embassy official and granted a visa for 3 months.

The questionnaire is longer than I recalled and is both more detailed and varied in the types of questions. Check it out:

http://www.surinameembassy.org/transit.pdf

Importation of the motorcycle is done at the border. Apparently the official that prepared my TIP wrote 10 instead of 11 (for November.) It cause a bit of a ruckus when I was leaving Suriname. My visa was for 90 days, but if my foggy memory is correct the TIP was for less than a month. While I was stamped in and leaving within the visa range, my motorcycle had on paper overstayed its allowance. When the discrepancy was raised, I calmly held my ground stating that it was obviously a typo. And a typo made by a Suriname official. I added that the problem was not mine, but the border official's. After a moment he agreed and stamped me out of Suriname. The ka-chuck, ka-chunk, sound of an official stamp processing your paperwork is sweet music.

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Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride

I've been to Venezuela some 5 months ago (in Brazil now) and loved the country. Entered above Maracaibo (forgot the name of border crossing) and had no problems. In my whole month there, I was pulled over once for 2 minute check up. Can't recommend this country enough. Beautiful, great people, cheap as hell, no damn tourist anywhere, great roads and sights, very diverse. Bring cash and change at black market, dollar is worth triple now compared to 5 months ago. Gas is essentially free. $1 will get you some 400 gallons of gas!!! Don't worry if you run out of cash. There's plenty hotels and posadas who's owners have foreign account and you can simply transfer your dollars/euros to their account and they'll give you bolivars at black market rate. As mentioned before, just use common sense and do everything with friendly smile and you'll be just fine.

I just spent a couple of weeks riding through Venezuela ('07 GSA). I entered from the south (Boa Vista/Santa Elena). No border issues, as I have a Canadian passport. Insurance required, and available for a few dollars in town. Beautiful ride through the Gran Sabana, up to Ciudad Guayana, then west to Ciudad Bolivar. A few days in Canaima/Angel Falls. A couple of nights in Puerto Cruz, then over to Caracas, from where I did a few day rides to the local beaches. Great country. I've been to every single country in South America, and despite what one hears/reads, Venezuela felt no different to me than many other Latin American countries. The people were great, things are VERY cheap, great landscapes and beaches, good food and . Zero issues with police. Shipped my bike from Caracas to Panama, since the borders into Colombia were apparently closed.

Great news! We hear a lot of negatives about crime in Caracas.

When you looked into shipping did you ever get a price to Miami or somewhere in the USA? Just curious of cost.

Did you go air or sea to Panama? Cost?

Thanks so much for sharing this info. Recent info is a bit thin here.