Entry requirements
US and Canadian passport holders need a visa for Brazil. Check the official process early, then review the details for your passport, purpose, family and onward journey.
Check your passport and visaBefore the travel bookings settle
Nationality, passport type and purpose determine the process. This guide focuses on US and Canadian visitors, with questions for dual nationals, families and more complex journeys. Use the current Brazilian consular instructions for your application and the Federal Police for immigration matters during the stay. Keep the practical itinerary flexible until you know the documents and timing work.
Check the passport’s condition, validity and details before submitting a visa application or finalising bookings that use its number.
Identify the appropriate visa or other status for the actual purpose and length of the visit. Do not confuse applying with receiving approval.
Include children’s documents, transit requirements and any return to Brazil after a side trip. Each can require a separate check.
01 · Passport and nationality
US and Canadian ordinary-passport visitors need a visa for Brazil; the requirement resumed on April 10, 2025. Eligible travelers can use the electronic visitor-visa process linked by Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you already hold a Brazilian visa, check its validity and applicability before assuming you need another. The relevant rules follow your nationality, travel document and purpose, not the country where your flight begins. A US or Canadian residence permit does not make a holder of another country’s passport eligible for that passport’s visa arrangements.
The Brazilian consular eVisa checklist calls for a signed passport valid throughout the stay and two blank visa pages. Verify the current checklist for your document and any separate transit-country or airline conditions. Deal with a passport renewal before using its number for a new application.
Emergency or temporary passports, official travel documents and other nationalities can have different procedures. If you are also Brazilian, use the Brazilian consulate’s guidance for Brazilian nationals rather than the foreign-visitor visa process. Explain your exact documents when asking for advice.
02 · The application
Begin at the Brazilian consulate or Ministry of Foreign Affairs page and follow its link to the authorised eVisa service. The currently linked portal is brazil.vfsevisa.com. Read the full current checklist before filling in the form, including the photo and supporting-document requirements. Prepare clear files that meet the stated format and provide accurate information matching the passport and travel plan. Application instructions can change; a saved blog checklist or a friend’s earlier experience should not replace the current official one.
Apply well ahead of travel and monitor the official account and email for requests for more information. A stated processing estimate is not a guaranteed approval date. Do not treat a payment receipt or application reference as the issued visa needed for travel.
When the visa is issued, compare the name, passport number and relevant dates with the travel document. Resolve an error through the official service before departure. Keep the issued file available offline and bring a print copy if the current instructions or carrier require it.
03 · A clear travel record
Prepare a small travel folder with the documents relevant to your visit: passport, issued visa where required, first accommodation address, itinerary and evidence requested by the official application or border process. The consular checklist includes onward travel and financial evidence; follow the current requirements for your application. Keep sensitive documents securely stored and share them only through the appropriate official channel. You should be able to explain the purpose and intended length of the visit consistently with the permission you have requested.
Review the passport details on the visa application, international flight and any booking that depends on them. If a surname, passport or travel date changes, ask the responsible authority or carrier what needs updating. Avoid discovering a mismatch at the departure counter.
Keep the arrival address and contact details accessible without mobile data. Store a secure backup of important documents separately from the originals, and know how to retrieve it. A document image can help with replacement or verification, but does not generally replace the original travel document.
04 · Children and dual nationals
Families should review the child’s own nationality, passport and accompanying adults, including how the family will leave Brazil. Brazilian children traveling abroad from Brazil with only one parent, with a third party or alone may need the specific travel authorisation described by Brazilian authorities. Permission to issue a passport and permission for a child to travel are distinct matters. Contact the Brazilian consulate early when a child is Brazilian or has dual nationality, or when custody, guardianship or parental names require clarification.
Tell the consulate who will accompany the child on each leg and which passports the child holds. Ask which original documents, signatures, certifications or passport annotations are required for that situation. A general consent letter copied from another country may not meet the Brazilian requirement.
The carrier’s rules for unaccompanied minors, identification and assistance are separate from immigration permission. Confirm both the outward and return bookings. Keep the relevant family documents with the adult who will actually accompany the child, rather than in another traveler’s checked bag.
05 · Time and purpose
A visa’s overall validity and the time you may stay on a particular visit are different things. Check the permitted stay and the conditions applicable to your nationality and visit. Keep a clear record of entry and planned departure, and ask Brazil’s Federal Police if you need clarification after arrival. A visitor permission should not be assumed to cover employment, study, residence or every remote-working arrangement. If the trip’s purpose is different from an ordinary visit, establish the correct category with the consulate before applying.
The Federal Police evaluates visitor-extension requests where the nationality and rules allow them. An extension is not automatic. If you may need one, check the current procedure and apply within the required period rather than relying on an exit-and-return journey to reset your status.
Count the travel days as well as the days in accommodation. If a cancellation threatens your authorised stay, contact the appropriate authority promptly and retain the carrier’s evidence. Do not assume an airline delay changes immigration conditions without any action from you.
06 · Connections and onward countries
Brazilian entry permission covers the Brazilian part of the journey. A connection through another country, a cruise itinerary or a side trip across a land border can introduce different document and visa rules. Review every country where you may need to enter, including a transfer that requires collecting baggage or changing airports. Health-document requirements can also differ on the onward journey. Keep the separate decisions together so the final transport booking matches the permissions you actually hold.
An excursion to a neighbouring country may require its own entry permission and a valid basis for returning to Brazil. Ask the operator about the route, but confirm immigration requirements with the relevant authorities. A tour ticket is not a substitute for a passport or visa.
Review the official guidance again when the route is settled and shortly before travel. Use the airline for its document-check process and the appropriate government for entry permission. If their answers appear inconsistent, resolve that specific issue before arriving at the airport.
Before departure
Set aside time to review the issued documents and the actual journey together. Correcting a small discrepancy early is easier than handling it at check-in.
Passport
Compare the passport number, names and dates across the application, issued visa and international booking. If the passport has been renewed or replaced, obtain official guidance on the visa’s use before travel. Do not assume the old and new documents can always be used interchangeably.
Application
Save the application reference, issued visa and relevant correspondence securely. Use the official portal’s support route for an outstanding request. Avoid sending passport scans or financial records to an unverified message claiming it can accelerate the process.
Timing
Submit the application with enough time to respond if a clearer photo or another document is requested. Check the account and the email address used. Build your expectations around an issued decision, rather than a generic estimate of the number of processing days.
Arrival
Keep the first accommodation’s full address and contact details available offline, along with onward arrangements relevant to the visit. An organised travel folder makes the arrival process easier to manage after a long flight or when your phone has not yet connected.
Families
Check the child’s passport, visa if applicable and any necessary family or travel-authorisation documents individually. Different surnames or different adults on the return leg can require explanation. Ask the appropriate consulate what evidence fits the family’s exact circumstances.
Connections
Check whether you remain airside or must enter the connecting country to collect bags, change airports or stay overnight. Confirm the relevant rules for your passport. A through-ticket may simplify a journey, but does not by itself establish immigration eligibility.
Longer visits
Keep entry evidence and the intended departure date. If you want to extend, consult the Federal Police’s current procedure while the existing permission is still valid. A multi-year visa is not permission to remain in Brazil continuously for that entire period.
Changes
A new passport, different purpose, additional border crossing or substantially longer stay may affect the documents needed. Explain the change clearly to the responsible authority. Keep the answer with the travel record rather than relying on a general social-media discussion.
Reviewed September 10, 2026. Entry decisions and requirements belong to the Brazilian authorities; confirm the current rules for your own passport and circumstances.
Official entry information
Begin with the Brazilian consulate’s visa guidance. Use the dedicated family or immigration service when your question concerns those arrangements.
Last editorial review: 2026-09-10
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