Getting clients to Carnival in Brazil this year is going to involve more paperwork, fees and financial disclosures.
As of Jan. 10, 2024, U.S and Canadian citizens need to get a visa to travel to Brazil for tourism, transit or business, according to the Brazilian government.
Previously, no short-stay visa was required for Americans and Canadians visiting Brazil. The change comes amid a cooling of relations between the governments of these countries, and pique from the Brazilian government over visa requirements for Brazilian travelers headed for the U.S. and Canada.
“To protect the interests of Brazilian citizens, the Brazilian government is open to negotiating visa exemption agreements with these … countries, based on principles of reciprocity and equality between states,” the announcement of the new policy by Brazil’s Ministry of Exterior Relations stated.
U.S. and Canadian citizens had been exempt from having to obtain a visa to visit Brazil since 2019. “Brazil does not grant unilateral visitor visa exemption to other countries without reciprocity,” the ministry noted.
Brazilian tourist visas can be applied for online; the cost of a visa will be about US$80.
In addition to the application form, valid passport, photo and confirmation of return travel, travelers will be required to provide proof that they have at least $2,000 in available funds at the time of their visa interview at a Brazilian consulate.
According to the Brazilian government, this is to ensure that visitors have access to at least $150 per day during their stay to cover expenses.
Proof of financial assets can include:
- Bank statements containing the account holder’s name, current balance and transactions from the last 3 months;
- international credit card statements containing the card holder’s name, available credit limit and transactions from the last 3 months; and/or
- their last three pay slips
The new visa requirement also applies to citizens of Australia; Japanese citizens were initially included as well, but the governments of Japan and Brazil subsequently worked out a visa reciprocity agreement.
