Brazil to require visas from Americans starting next month
After dropping visa requirements for Americans in 2019, Brazil will resume such for Americans, Australians and Canadians wishing to visit the country starting next month.
As of Jan. 10, 2024, passport holders from the aforementioned countries must apply online for an electronic visa to enter the country for travelers whose stay in Brazil will not exceed 90 days or three months.
“If you’re arriving on January 9th, we strongly advise applying for your eVisa to avoid travel disruptions due to delays or missed connections,” VFS Global, the organization outsourcing the eVisa process for Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said. It noted that the average processing times for visas is five business days.
Electronic Brazilian visas cost roughly $81 and permit multiple entries by holders across a specific time period — five years for Canadians and Australians and 10 years for Americans.
“The validity period of your eVisa is different than the duration of your stay. You may enter in Brazil at any time within the validity period of the eVisa issued,” per VFS Global. “If you want to enter in Brazil before the date specified on your eVisa, you must create a new application. If you need to stay more than 90 days inside the country, you must apply for a regular visa at the nearest Brazilian Consulate.”
The application process is done entirely online.
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Note that travelers with existing visas do not need to apply for a new visa; applying involves a three-step process, after which you should be able to download your visa for travel. To complete the application, travelers need their passports with at least two visa pages free, flight reservation confirmation showing entry and exit to and from Brazil, a printed bank statement showing the last 30 days of transactions and at least $2,000 for travel.
Additional requirements for business-related and minor applicants under age 18 are outlined here.
Although the Brazilian government has not specified the reasoning behind rolling back the visa waiver for Americans, it’s likely a result of the U.S. failing to act reciprocally to remove visa requirements for Brazilians visiting the U.S.
In March 2019, the move was seen as a gesture of good faith to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries, ahead of then-Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s first visit to America. The U.S. has long required Brazilians to have a visa to travel to the U.S., including transit passengers making an international connection, per the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil.
Of note is the bilateral agreement between Brazil and Japan; since Sept. 30, this has released visa requirements for trips for citizens to each country for trips up to 90 days.
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