Tourist Visa for Brazil for US, Canadian, and Australian Citizens

American, Canadian, and Australian citizens were visa-free to enter Brazil as tourists for many years. However, with a recent change, citizens of these countries will again need visas to enter Brazil.

In this article, we will analyze this change and check the general requirements for citizens of each of these visas.

Author: Lucas Velozo de Mello Marchiori

What is the purpose of the tourist visa?

The tourist, or visit, visa encompasses several activities that the foreign citizen intends to do in Brazil within 90 days. In this way, this visa does not only serve those who want to enter Brazilian territory for tourist purposes.

One of the main purposes of this visa is business matters. These matters involve business meetings, events, fairs, contract signings, audits, and consulting.

In addition, this visa also includes artistic and sports activities, health care, volunteer work, and the adoption of a Brazilian minor. These are also included: Aircraft and ship crews, news coverage, and footage.

Other important aspect is studies, research, teaching, academic extension, and supervised academic internship. Respecting, of course, the deadline of 90 days.

If the foreign citizen is married to a Brazilian or has Brazilian relatives and frequently travels to Brazil, consider applying for a family reunion visa.

What was the visa waiver change?

Since 2019, Brazil waived the visa requirement for citizens of the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, this was a unilateral measure. Brazilians still needed a visa to enter these countries that benefited from the exemption.

The current government understands that this exemption violates the principle of reciprocity, since these countries have not made efforts to facilitate the entry of Brazilians into their territories.

For this reason, the Brazilian government announced in 2023 that it would end this exemption. Initially, from October 1, 2023, American, Canadian, and Australian citizens would need visas to enter Brazil, even if just as tourists.

However, the Brazilian government changed the date. From January 10, 2024, American, Canadian, and Australian citizens will need a visa to enter Brazil.

Another change was that initially there would also be a return to visa requirements for Japanese citizens to come to Brazil. However, in May 2023, the Brazilian government reached an agreement with Japan. This agreement provided visa release for Brazilians entering Japan and Japanese arriving in Brazil. 

The visa process for Brazil directly involves the Brazilian consulates in the respective countries. Each consulate has its specific list of required documents. However, it is possible to establish a common relationship for the Brazilian consulates in each country.

How will the tourist visa issuance process work for American, Australian, and Canadian citizens?

Traditionally, the issuance of visas for Brazil, regardless of whether tourism or not, involves the comparison of the foreign citizens in Brazil’s consular representation abroad. It is generally necessary to schedule a date and appear at the Brazilian embassy or consulate with the necessary documents.

However, in the case of specific American, Australian, and Canadian citizens on a tourist visa to Brazil, there will be an exception. It will be possible to apply for the visa completely online. This way, it will not be necessary to appear in person at the Brazilian consulate.

This new procedure for applying for a tourist visa to Brazil came into effect on December 1, 2023. The online visa is also known as eVisa (electronic visa).

Remember that temporary visas must still be requested at a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate General abroad. The electronic visa is issued exclusively for tourism or business trips, without the intention of establishing residence in the country and for American, Australian, and Canadian citizens.

What is the process for applying for the eVisa?

The company VFS Global is responsible for analysing the electronic visa application process for Brazil. VFS is a private company outsourced that represents governments of several countries to handle their visa applications.

The electronic visa analysis takes around 5 working days. However, if the electronic visa request is denied, the applicant must apply for the visa in person at the Brazilian consulate in their jurisdiction.

Applying for a visa involves filling out an online form. In addition, it is necessary to attach personal documents in digital format.

What documents will you need to apply for the electronic tourist visa?

These are the basic documents to apply for an electronic visa for American, Australian, or Canadian tourists to Brazil:

• Passport (signed, valid up to end of Brazil trip, 2 visa pages free);
• Visa application form (completed online);
• Passport-style photo (2” x 2”, white background);
• E-visa fee payment (US$ 80.90);
• Confirmation of flight reservation (showing entrance into and exit from Brazil);
• Printed bank statement showing transactions for the last 30 days and showing at least US$ 2,000.00 for travel.

Applicants who travel to Brazil for business (company meetings, consultancy, auditing, on-site visits, signing of contracts, journalistic activities, cruise or airline crew, etc.) must also present a letter from their country of origin or Brazilian company.

The letter must be on company letterhead and signed by a manager/director/supervisor, containing the following information:

• Nature of company’s/organization’s business or activities in Brazil;
• Applicant’s title, job description, and monthly salary;
• The nature of business and activities of the applicant in Brazil;
• Name(s) and address(s) of Brazilian company(ies) with which the applicant will conduct business;
• Contact(s) in Brazil: name(s), phone number(s), and corresponding position(s);
• Expected travel dates;
• Affirmation of the company’s financial support of the applicant while in Brazil;
• Affirmation that the applicant will not provide any technical assistance or perform any salaried work while in Brazil (such activities require a temporary work visa).

In addition to the visa application requirements stated above, applicants who are younger than 18 years of age at the time of application must present the following additional materials:

• Original birth certificate and one copy;
• Authorization for Issuance of Brazilian Visa for a Minor, signed by both parents;
• For children of Brazilian parent(s): Declaração de Não-Cidadania declaring that the applicant is not a Brazilian citizen (does not hold a Brazilian Birth Certificate), signed by Brazilian parent(s);
• If only one parent is listed on the birth certificate, only that parent’s signature is required;
• If one parent has sole custody of the applicant, a notarized copy of the court order awarding sole custody and exclusive parental rights must be presented;
• You must present a death certificate if one parent is deceased;
• Copy of passports or other form of photo ID for both parents.

The name on the parent’s photo ID must match the parent’s name on the child’s birth certificate. If said parent has changed his or her name since the issuance of the birth certificate, the parent must present documentation showing proof of the name change (e.g. marriage certificate or court order).