For US tourists, Brazil re-introduces visa requirement

Friday, March 17, 2023

Brazil is introducing once again the prerequisite to get hold of tourist visas for citizens from countries like Australia, USA, Canada, and Japan. It would start from Oct. 1st, the foreign ministry confirmed.

Jair Bolsonaro, the former president, had scrapped the requirements for visa in 2019 to encourage the tourism industry of the country, however, the four countries carried on demanding visas from Brazilians.

The decision to grant exemptions in visa had actually initiated a break with the prototype of the migration policy of Brazil, traditionally based on the reciprocity and equal treatment, on Monday, the foreign ministry stated in a statement release.

Brazil does not award unilateral exclusion from visiting visas, with no reciprocity, to other countries, the ministry stated, while communicating that the government is all prepared to bargain on visa waiver agreements on a reciprocal basis.

Last week, Bolsonaro disapproved the decision after the news outlet G1 reported the upcoming change for the first time. Another revocation by Lula. Less number of jobs and less incentive of the hotel sector, he said on Twitter.

In diplomacy, unilateral decisions like the one made by Bolsonaro are quite uncommon, as per Leonardo Paz, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university and think tank. Its turnaround is part of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s goal to repeat its international policy, an area ignored under Bolsonaro, Paz said.

« Back to Page

• Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico Reach New Heights in Air Passenger Traffic in February 2024

• Azul Linhas Aéreas Renews Airbus Service Agreements for Over 100 Aircraft

• Brazil flood kills at least 27, rainfall continues to ravage

• Copa Airlines introduces new flight links to Florianópolis

• New U.S. Travel Alert for Brazil: What Tourists Need to Know