Brazil has decided to resume entry visa requirements for citizens of the U.S., Japan, Australia and Canada, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The country's Foreign Ministry, known as Itamaraty, is announced the decision on Thursday to the governments of the four countries.
The decision suspends a unilateral decision that former President Jair Bolsonaro's government made in June 2019 to facilitate tourism.
Brazilians still need visas to travel to the four countries.
A diplomatic source said the 2019 decision to lift visa requirements had weakened Brazil's ability to negotiate with those countries.
Brazilian government studies also showed the impact on tourism numbers was minimal, though the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic may have also limited a potential boost.
The number of tourist arrivals from the U.S. - who represent a small fraction of tourists in Brazil - in 2022 was still below 2018 figures.
Meanwhile, the number of Japanese tourists fell in 2019 by 4.5% and only 17,000 visited Brazil in 2022.
© Thomson Reuters 2023.
5 Comments
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Sanjinosebleed
Who wants to go to Brazil anyway? A little bit on the unsafe side for mine...
Strangerland
It was a huge tourism destination pre-pandemic. It's a very fun place to visit - the people are nice and friendly, the beaches are great. Just don't carry much money on you, or your credit cards, and stick to tourist areas, keep your wits about you, and you'll be pretty safe.
Mark
It's only fair, why offer a NO visa to anyone if your citizens are NOT treated in the same manner!? Getting a visa is simple and fast and many nations do it for several reasons, but mainly for security reasons.
Jordi Puentealto
Reciprocity, please!
TrevorPeace
As a Canadian who loves international travel, I appreciate the fact that my passport can get me into a lot of countries without the need for a visa. But really, if a visa is required it's a hardly a bother, even if it involves a pittance for a fee. Who cares?