GENEVA - A significant minority of Venezuelans living outside their country in Latin America would consider returning home if socioeconomic and other conditions there improved, according to a survey from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

The survey shows that Venezuelans in the region are starting to focus on the question of whether to return, but it also highlights the complex factors influencing return intentions amid ongoing regional displacement challenges.

Just over one third surveyed indicated a possible intention to return home, with 9 per cent considering it within a year. The primary motivation cited was family reunification.

Still, almost two thirds do not currently intend to return. The desire to reconnect with relatives in Venezuela is offset by socioeconomic and political factors, including recovery of the labour market, security and the availability of reliable services.

Millions of Venezuelans are rebuilding their lives and contributing to host communities. Some of those surveyed reported improved security, employment and essential services in their host country as they shape decisions about return. However, national services there remain under pressure, and some cited ongoing socioeconomic challenges in host countries as reasons to consider return.

Nearly 60 per cent of respondents identified insufficient reliable information about what to expect upon return as a barrier, alongside uncertainty about how returning could affect their legal status in host countries.

UNHCR emphasizes that return must always be voluntary, safe and dignified, accompanied by as much information as possible about the implications of any move. We are committed to continue supporting socioeconomic inclusion in host countries, as well as voluntary returns to Venezuela, as funding allows.

As of November 2025, 6.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants were hosted in Latin America and the Caribbean, including 4 million in need of assistance. For 2026, UNHCR requires a total of $328.2 million to continue supporting the needs of Venezuelans in the region and in Venezuela. As of the end of March, that was 12 per cent funded.

Between January and March 2026, UNHCR interviewed 1,288 Venezuelans in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, and Guatemala about their intentions to return to their home country within the next 12 months to five years.

UNHCR protection monitoring had already indicated an increase in intentions to return prior to 2026, with monitoring inside Venezuela showing the majority (80 per cent) of those who had returned were planning to stay.

Against this backdrop, the survey is critical to better understand evolving intentions and to inform UNHCR's engagement with partners and Governments.

Depending on resources, UNHCR plans to keep regularly monitoring return intentions among Venezuelans to anticipate emerging population trends and inform our response.

For more information, please contact:

• In Geneva, Matthew Saltmarsh: [email protected], +41 79 967 99 36;
• In Panama City: Melanie Gallant, [email protected], +507 6585-2656

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