The Administrative Service for Identification, Migration and Foreigners, known as SAIME, recently began accepting Bitcoin (BTC) for passport applications from Venezuelan citizens living abroad. As of today, however, officials have deactivated the new payment method without explanation.

People have reported through social networks that the SAIME website now indicates that this type of payment is „temporarily out of order.

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There is still no official response from the SAIME
Cointelegraph en Español sent a query to local authorities via Twitter asking why, until the close of this issue, the payment type remains offline.

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SAIME officials never officially announced the addition of Bitcoin payments for Venezuelans living abroad, nor did they confirm that the payment method was permanently eliminated.

The authorities issued a vague statement via Twitter stating that citizens „living abroad have access to the means of payment offered on the page. Venezuelans living in the country can still pay for passport applications with the Blockchain Petro-based currency.

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Credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and American Cryptosoft initially appeared as alternative payment options as well. U.S. sanctions against the Nicolas Maduro regime have prevented companies like Visa from doing business in Venezuela.