Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago requires a valid passport from Venezuela to issue a birth certificate to Venezuelan migrant parents, a document which is impossible to obtain for the majority. One work-around is that the civil registrar’s office will accept an ad hoc “reconocido de identidad” document issued by the Venezuelan consulate as an attestation of legal identity for the parent(s). However, obstacles include costs and contact with the embassy for those who fear state repression or jeopardizing their asylum claim. Obtaining Venezuelan citizenship for these children is also a challenge. It involves two apostilles, an official translation, navigating a foreign bureaucracy in English, and transportation costs prior to submitting the documents to the Venezuelan consulate for recognition of the child as a national. UNICEF highlighted that these issues have persisted in 2025.