Brazil is set to reintroduce visa requirements for travellers from the United States, Canada, and Australia from 10 April 2025, according to AP News.
The move marks the end of a six-year visa exemption period initiated under former President Jair Bolsonaro. The policy reversal, driven by principles of reciprocity and recent trade tensions with the US, signals a hardening stance under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration.
The new rules require citizens of the three nations to obtain an electronic visa (eVisa) before arrival, with applications processed through Brazil’s online portal at a cost of $80.90 per person. While tourists can still enter visa-free until 9 April, the US Embassy confirmed the system will go live for applications from 10 April onward.
The move reverses Bolsonaro’s 2019 decision to waive visas unilaterally, a policy aimed at boosting tourism but criticised for ignoring Brazil’s long-standing reciprocity principle, as Brazilians still needed visas to visit the US, Canada, and Australia.
President Lula initially announced the reinstatement in March 2023 but delayed implementation three times, hoping to negotiate reciprocal visa waivers. However, talks stalled, and the final push came after US President Donald Trump imposed 10% tariffs on Brazilian goods last week. The tariffs galvanised Brazil’s lower house to shelve a Senate-approved bill that sought to extend the exemption.
In response, Brazil’s Congress fast-tracked a reciprocity bill, granting the government authority to retaliate against trade barriers, a measure awaiting Lula’s signature. The visa decision thus intertwines with broader trade tensions, reflecting Lula’s commitment to “equal treatment” in international relations.
