Starting October 1, 2023, Brazil will reintroduce visa requirements for tourists from the US, Canada, Australia and Japan. The change ends the 2019 visa waiver program that was created during the Bolsonaro administration to boost foreign tourism. Now, if you're an American traveler with Brazil on your bucket list, prepare yourself before you travel.

In the past, Brazil has required that American tourists apply for a visa before traveling to Brazil. Why? It’s all about reciprocity. The US government requires that Brazilians get a visa before traveling to the US, so it only makes sense that Brazil would require the same thing for American visitors.

However, this policy changed a few years ago when Brazil got hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. With coronavirus cases soaring, tourism plummeted. It was difficult to entice people to visit Brazil or any other destination for that matter. By waiving the visa requirement, Brazil hoped that foreign tourism would increase. Unfortunately, the impact was minimal.

With the visa requirements set to return, the Brazilian government is now considering at least one way to make the process easier: electronic visas. E-visas have been successful in simplifying visa applications in other countries. Brazil hopes that by making it easy for foreigners to apply for tourist visas, they can avoid a decline in visitor numbers.

If you're planning a trip to Brazil later this year, stay informed about the latest visa requirements and application procedures. You don’t want to get caught at the last minute without a visa.