Brazil delays visa requirement for Americans once again
Editor's Note
After numerous proposed start dates, Brazil again delayed visa requirements for select tourists, including Americans.
American, Canadian and Australian tourists will not have to apply for a visa to visit until April 10, 2025, the Brazilian government said last week. The government previously dropped visa requirements in 2019 after slating a resumptive start date for January and April 2024.
Although the reasoning for the delay is unclear, the Brazilian Tourist Board previously cited needing additional time to "complete the process of implementing the requirement system eVisa and prevent the change from interfering with the flow of tourists from these countries to Brazil during the high season."
If the presumed visa requirement goes into effect as planned next year, passport holders from America, Australia and Canada must apply online for an electronic visa to enter the country; this includes travelers whose stay in Brazil will not exceed 90 days or three months. Eligible travelers can apply for a visa through VFS Global, a third-party site authorized by the Brazilian government to assist visa applicants.
Visa applications submitted through VFS Global take five business days to process on average and cost $80.90 per person. Each visa permits 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."
You can complete the application process online.
Travelers with existing visas do not need to apply for new visas; applying involves a three-step process, after which you should be able to download your visa for travel. To apply, you need a passport with two visa pages free, a flight reservation confirmation showing entry to and exit from Brazil, and a printed bank statement showing the last 30 days of transactions and at least $2,000 for travel.
Additional requirements for business-related travel and applicants under age 18 are outlined at brazil.vfsevisa.com.
The Brazilian government has not specified the reasoning behind rolling back the visa waiver for Americans; it could be due to the U.S. government's failure to act reciprocally to remove visa requirements for Brazilians visiting the U.S.
In March 2019, Brazil's move was seen as a gesture of good faith to strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries, ahead of then-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.
Brazil has maintained a bilateral agreement with Japan since Sept. 30, 2023, releasing visa requirements for citizens for trips of up to 90 days to each country.
U.S. citizens can find up-to-date information on Brazil's entry requirements on the U.S. Department of State's website.
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