Traveling to Brazil has become more expensive as of today, for those from selection countries (including the United States). This policy was first supposed to be implemented over a year ago, but it’s now finally happening.
Brazil adds e-visa requirement for US citizens & others
As of today (April 10, 2025), Brazil has added a new e-visa requirement for citizens of the United States, Canada, and Australia. Specifically, an e-visa costs $80.90 per person, and is valid for multiple entries. For those from the United States, it’s valid for 10 years, while for those from Canada or Australia, it’s valid for five years.
You can apply for an e-visa directly through this website, and processing times for an e-visa are up to five business days, though it’s recommended that you apply long before that if possible.
Application requirements for the e-visa include filling out an application form, submitting a passport-style photo, providing proof of roundtrip flights, and sharing printed bank statements showing transactions for the last 30 days, with at least $2,000 available for travel. I think that bank statement requirement will probably make some travelers pretty uncomfortable.
Unfortunately this is quite a step backwards for Brazil in terms of ease of travel. Just for some context:
- Up until early 2018, it was complicated for Americans to get a visa for Brazil, as it required going to a consulate
- Then in 2018, Brazil introduced the option of e-visas for eligible travelers
- Then in 2019, Brazil completely eliminated visa requirements for Americans, in an effort to boost tourism
Now we’re going back to the 2018 policy, though fortunately we at least don’t have to go to consulates to get visas, as was the case prior to that.
The implementation of this policy was delayed twice — the policy was first supposed to apply as of January 2024, then as of April 2024, and then as of April 2025. However, this time around it has actually been implemented.
How Brazil justifies this new e-visa requirement
The Brazilian government is justifying this new visa requirement by explaining that it’s a reciprocal policy, and is being added because other countries have the same travel requirements for Brazilians.
One of the reasons that the implementation of this was delayed is because the Brazilian government was trying to negotiate a reciprocal agreement with other countries, to eliminate visa requirements. However, that wasn’t successful, so now Brazil has moved forward with this requirement. A few thoughts:
- I absolutely think the US largely has too much red tape when it comes to issuing tourist visas, so I by no means think the United States is right and Brazil is wrong
- However, no matter how you slice it, needing to apply for an e-visa is a minor headache and adds further expenses to a trip, and has some impact on tourism demand
- It seems pretty clear to me that this is simply a technique for the government to generate revenue, more than anything else
So I guess we’re still better off than we were up until early 2018, where you had to go to a consulate to get a visa. However, it’s unfortunate to see the country adding barriers to travel.
Bottom line
As of April 2025, Brazil has added a new e-visa requirement for citizens of the United States, Canada, and Australia. This is being justified as a reciprocal policy, and represents the reversal of a policy that was intended to promote tourism in the country.
Ultimately if you want to visit Brazil, it’s not that big of a hurdle to overcome. But I still find it frustrating how many countries (including the United States) require these kinds of e-visas, which just add cost and frustration for travelers.
What do you make of Brazil adding back a visa requirement for some foreigners?
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