Brazil now requires visas for tourists from Australia, Canada, USA
Citizens of Australia, Canada, and the United States holding ordinary passports will be required to present a visa to enter Brazil starting next Wednesday (Apr. 10). The visa will be mandatory at ports, airports, and land borders.
The initial deadline for the requirement was January 10, but it was postponed until April. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs justified the new deadline as necessary to complete the implementation process of the system and to avoid negative consequences for Brazilian tourism during the high travel season at the beginning of the year.
The visa requirement reverses the decision of former President Jair Bolsonaro's government in March 2019, which had waived the visa requirement for US, Canadian, Australian, and Japanese tourists visiting Brazil. The measure was unilateral, as Brazilians still needed a visa to travel to those countries, in accordance with the rules in force in each of them. However, the ministry explains that Brazilian diplomacy is based on reciprocal actions, such as visa requirements.
Japan was removed from this list in May 2023, when Brazil and the island nation signed an agreement to waive reciprocal visa requirements. The exemption came into force in September of the same year and applies to trips of up to 90 days.
Brazil’s international tourism authority Embratur, in partnership with tour operators and airlines in these three countries, has been promoting the visa requirement for tourists as of April 10.
According to Embratur, the content produced is being distributed across multiple platforms, including video, social media posts, hotsites, email campaigns, and posters at Brazilian diplomatic representations abroad, as well as on the websites of Brazilian embassies.
Electronic visa
Starting April 10, tourists from these three countries must apply for an electronic visa, known as an e-Visa, through the platform: https://brazil.vfsevisa.com. The visa issuance fee amounts to $80.90.
The 100 percent electronic visa eliminates the need for applicants to visit a Brazilian consulate. Through the online process, applicants can submit the required documentation, such as uploading images and a recent photo, and will receive the visa electronically via email. To enter Brazil, they will only need to present their valid passport and a printed copy of the temporary visa.
The website also recommends applying for the e-Visa in advance to avoid travel disruptions caused by delays or missed connections.
The e-Visa will allow multiple entries and will have the same validity period as conventional visas: ten years for Americans and five years for Canadians and Australians.
The new rules will apply to those staying in Brazilian territory for up to 90 days, which can be extended for an additional 90 days, as long as they do not exceed 180 days within a 12-month period.
In case of any questions about the e-Visa, Canadian, Australian, or US citizens should send an email to brazilevisa@vfsglobal.com, including their full name, country of citizenship, and, if applicable, details of the issue, a screenshot or photo of any error message, and information about the device (cell phone, computer, tablet) used to access the site.
