Brazil Just Made it More Difficult For Americans to Visit

Brazil is delaying its visa requirements for American tourists. They will now go into effect April 10, 2025, according to a message from the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Brazil.  But, there are some documents you’ll have to fork over if you want to visit the South American country. 

Visa Requirements

Starting April 10, 2025, citizens of the United States, Australia, and Canada must obtain a special visa to travel to Brazil. To get the visa, most tourists will not have to visit a consulate, but rather go online to apply for an e-visa.

This includes visitors planning to stay less than 90 days, cruise ship travelers, and anyone passing through the country. Any visit outside of those parameters will require a trip to a Brazilian consulate for special consideration. 

To apply, tourists will need to provide their passport. It must be valid until the end of their trip to Brazil plus have two blank pages. Tourists also need a passport-type photo. A new addition to the visa requirements is copies of the tourists’ bank statements.

According to Connect Brazil, American tourists will need to submit two consecutive months of bank statements with a minimum balance of $2,000. Brazil is not commenting on exactly why it’s requiring this, but it may not sit well with some travelers. 

The fee for a Brazilian visa is $80.90 and it’s good for 10 years. The turnaround time for obtaining a visa is supposedly only five business days, but the company in charge of handling the visa processing recommends applying for the visa as soon as possible to ensure no delay in your travel plans. For instructions on how to apply, click here. 

Why Does Brazil Require a Visa?

Brazil used to require a visa to enter the country, but did away with that requirement in 2019. The  move was aimed at boosting tourism to the country. And it worked; the dropped visa requirement boosted tourism by 35%, according to Connect Brazil.

At the time, the Minister of Tourism, Marvelo Alvaro Antonio praised the move. “This is one of the most important achievements of the Brazilian tourism industry in the last 15 years and we are confident that it will be extremely beneficial to the country. This is the first step; we still have much to celebrate,” he told Connect Brazil. The number of American tourists visiting Brazil is second only to neighboring country Argentina. 

However, the prerequisite is back thanks to what Brazil is calling “reciprocity.” The United States requires travelers from Brazil to hold a visa to enter the U.S., so Brazil reinstated its visa requirement. Further during the last three years that Americans have been exempt from visa requirements to enter Brazil, the United States still required Brazilians to have a visa to enter the U.S.

This is the third time Brazil has postponed reinstating the visa requirement under the current Brazilian president. The government is not saying why it chose to postpone the new visa system. In the past, the government said postponements were necessary to make sure the system was running smoothly before launching. 

Other Countries with Visa Requirements

A handful of other countries require visas for United States citizens to enter. These include Chad, Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Russia, and China.

Anyone traveling to China needs to have at least six months left on their passport, two blank pages, and pay a fee to get a visa. The visa lasts for ten years and is good for multiple entries into the country. Russia has stricter visa rules.

It must come from the Russian Embassy or Consulate prior to travel; there is no way to obtain a Russian visa once you have arrived in the country. And the visa is only good for specific dates.

If your trip is five days long, then your visa will be good only for those five days. You are not allowed to extend your visa once you are in the country. Russia, however, does all 72 hours of visa-free travel. This pertains mainly to passengers traveling on cruise ships. Those passengers are allowed to disembark in Russia provided they are with an organized tour. 

If you plan to travel internationally, it’s always best to do some quick research on entry requirements, including visas, passports, immunization, etc. This will ensure there are no travel delays or disruptions.