Brazil Reinstitutes Visa Requirements for US, Canadian, and Australian Citizens

Brazil is reintroducing visa requirements for American, Canadian, and Australian citizens, ending six years of visa-free travel. Initially waived by former President Jair Bolsonaro to boost tourism, current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reinstated them based on reciprocity. Negotiations failed to secure reciprocal free entry for Brazilians.

Brazil is set to reintroduce visa requirements for citizens of the United States, Canada, and Australia starting Thursday, concluding a six-year period of open entry for individuals from these countries.

The U.S. Embassy in Brasilia announced that Americans visiting Brazil from April 10 will need to apply for electronic visas. The change reverses a 2019 decision by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who had waived visa requirements as part of a strategy to encourage tourism, breaking from Brazil's tradition of reciprocity.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva suspended the visa-free entry for these nationals in March 2023, shortly after taking office. Lula emphasized that Brazil adheres to reciprocal principles, noting that Brazilians still require visas to enter the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Although Brazil's Senate approved a bill to maintain the visa exemption, recent tariffs imposed by Trump on Brazilian goods shifted sentiments. Last week, Congress passed a reciprocity bill allowing Brazil to impose retaliatory tariffs on countries that restrict Brazilian trade, pending Lula's sanction.

(With inputs from agencies.)