Americans will no longer need to worry about getting a tourism visa to enter Brazil at least until April 10, 2025, according to a new decree enacted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Until 2019, Americans needed a visa to access the Brazilian territory. With the coming to power of the right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro it changed for Americans, but with the new left-wing president, it’ll change back again.
The reason behind this decision is that the United States doesn’t offer “reciprocity,” meaning they also require Brazilians to apply for American visas to enter the US, said the Brazilian government in a press release.
As of today, US nationals must fill out a form also known as Brazil e-Visa when traveling for tourism purposes. It costs $80.90, has a 10-year validity, and allows Americans to stay in the country for up to 90 days a year.
New Visa Requirements in 2025
The new visa rules not only affect Americans but also Canadian and Australian passport holders.
Once it is available, it’ll grant Americans access to Brazil for 10 years and Canadians and Australians for 5 years for 90 days per year. The cost will remain at $80.90 and “qualified applicants” will also have the opportunity to apply for an e-visa.
Only those arriving in Brazil via cruise vessels will be able to apply for e-visas.
The processing time shouldn’t take longer than five business days but the company in charge of the applications highly recommends starting the process with two months of anticipation.
Probably the most controversial aspect of the new requirements is that applicants will need to share their bank statements with the Brazilian government in order to get this new visa.
As reported by CNN, travelers will need to present proof of their last three bank statements or their last six payslips, showing they possess at least $2,000. If you don’t have such an amount you can get a “sponsor” who can present their bank statements and money instead of you.
Other requirements include a letter of intent in which you explain to the Brazilian government in detail when you are visiting, why you are visiting, and for how many days. You’ll also be requested to present proof of your return tickets and a document that shows that you reside in the United States.
It may sound hard but for Brazilians, it’s even harder.