Brazil will require a visa for American travelers in 2025

The Brazilian government has again postponed the start date for visa requirements for tourists.

Over the past five years, Brazil has waived visa requirements for some travelers, including those from the United States, as a means to boost tourism to the country. However, in mid-2023, the South American country announced that it was changing course and would soon require nationals of the United States, Canada and Australia to be equipped with an e-visa to enter Brazil.

Originally, the newly reintroduced visa requirement was to come into effect on October 1, 2023, but it was postponed to January 10, 2024, then to April 10, 2024 and now again to April 10, 2025.

The Brazilian Tourist Board said that the reason for the postponement was due to the fact that additional time was needed to “complete the process of implementing the required system for e-visas and prevent the change from affecting the flow of tourists from these countries to Brazil during the high season. ”

When it comes into effect, the e-visa will cost $81 per person and will be available online at brazil.vfsevisa.com. Once obtained, the electronic visa is valid for 10 years for US citizens and 5 years for Canadian and Australian visitors, allowing multiple entries within that time frame.

According to Brazilian authorities, the processing time for the new e-visa will be a maximum of five working days. However, “we strongly recommend that you apply for your e-visa two months before your trip to Brazil,” authorities advise in the FAQ section of the e-visa website, noting that applying for two months of sufficient time in advance to complete the application. the application and correct it if necessary.

To obtain the e-visa, simply visit the website and register. You must provide the required personal information and passport details. For minors, an e-visa application must be completed by one or both parents. You will then be asked to pay the fee. An email will then be sent confirming whether your application has been approved, rejected or whether additional documents are required. If approved, a PDF file containing your e-visa will be emailed to you. Travelers must download and print their Brazil e-visa so they can present it to authorities during boarding and upon arrival in Brazil.

Brazilian authorities recommend printing two physical copies of your e-visa and also taking a screenshot of it on your mobile device.

Unlike a consular visa which requires an in-person visit to an embassy or consulate, the e-visa process will be entirely online and no in-person appointment is required.

In a press release, the government said the reason for introducing the visa requirement is because the United States, Canada and Australia currently do not offer reciprocity, meaning Brazilian citizens must apply for and pay for a visa to enter these three countries. In the United States, this means that Brazilian travelers must make an appointment at the nearest embassy, ​​prove they have the means to pay for their trip, and pay $185 for a U.S. visa, even if they are just passing through the country. country.

Since 2019, citizens of these three countries, as well as Japan, have been allowed to visit Brazil for business or pleasure without a visa, provided they stay for less than 90 days, with the possibility of an extension of up to 180 days. (In 2016, Brazil temporarily waived visa requirements to encourage travelers to visit around the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.) Between November 2017 and June 2019, travelers from those countries had to apply online for a tourist visa, which costs $40 plus $ 4 cost. service charge. (Before November 2017, the fee was $160, which required a visit to a Brazilian consulate or visa center.)

In a statement, Brazil’s government said it would continue to “negotiate visa waiver agreements with these three countries, based on the principles of reciprocity and equality between states.” So there is a possibility that the new visa requirement could be lifted if the United States, Australia and Canada were to drop their visa requirements for Brazilians.

Brazil and Japan have already reached an agreement: Japanese tourists can continue to travel to Brazil without a visa, and Brazilian visitors can travel to Japan visa-free.

Last year, the European Union also decided to postpone its pre-travel registration program, known as the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), after encountering several roadblocks. It is now scheduled for sometime in the first half of 2025, when any US citizen wishing to travel to the 27 member states of the European Schengen Area must register in advance with ETIAS or risk being turned away at the border.

This story was originally published in September 2023 and was updated on April 23, 2024 with current information.