Brazil again postpones visa requirements for three countries including US

BRASILIA – The authorities in Brazil have announced the postponement of the entry visa requirement for holders of ordinary passports from Australia, Canada, and the United States.

The government initially postponed the visa implementation on October 1 though President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva set a new deadline of January 10 to require the citizens from above mentioned countries to get visas before entering the country.

However, on Thursday night, Brazil’s presidency announced another postponement pushing the deadline to April 10, 2024.

The decision to delay the implementation of the visa requirement until April 10 is primarily driven by the Brazilian government’s desire to finalize the new visa system and continue welcoming tourists for the high season, especially during the New Year’s celebrations and Carnival festivities in February, which draws tens of thousands of tourists.

Brazil initially required visas from these countries but former president Jair Bolsonaro scrapped the visa requirements in 2019 to support the tourism industry.

Despite the relaxation, the three countries continued to demand visas from Brazilians, prompting Brazilian authorities to also demand visas from them.

The government had announced that citizens from these countries would need visas; however, the fresh directive confirms that by April at least, no visa is required by citizens from the countries to visit Brazil.

Traditionally when a country allows another country visa-free access, reciprocity is ensured but this was not the case for Brazil whose citizens continued to get visas before visiting the U.S, Canada, or Australia. Japan and Brazil have negotiated travel provisions so the new deadline would not affect citizens from Japan.

Brazil is the largest country in South America and boasts a diverse population of approximately 214 million people. Renowned for diverse culture, lush landscapes, and vibrant cities like Rio de Janeiro, it’s a nation of remarkable contrasts and attractions.