In the early hours of 12 November 2025, the Foreign Affairs Committee of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that would once again exempt nationals of the United States, Canada and Australia from needing a visitor visa to enter Brazil.
Background – Brazil had granted unilateral visa-free entry to travellers from the three countries in 2019, arguing that easier access would boost tourism receipts and corporate travel. The Lula administration reversed the measure in April 2025 on reciprocity grounds, re-imposing a requirement for an e-visa (US $80) that was due to become mandatory from 10 April 2025. Airlines, hotel chains and state tourism boards warned that advance bookings from North America and Oceania slumped by as much as 27 % after the announcement.
![Brazilian Congress Committee Votes to Restore Visa-Waiver for U.S., Canadian and Australian Tourists]()
What the new bill does – The draft law simply revokes the presidential decree that reinstated the visa requirement and re-establishes visa-free stays of up to 90 days (renewable once) for tourism or business meetings. Rapporteur Marcel van Hattem (Novo-RS) told deputies the previous waiver had generated an extra 80 000 visitors and R$ 328 million in local spending. The bill now proceeds to the Constitution & Justice Committee before heading to the full Chamber and Senate, where proponents hope to fast-track a vote before the high summer season.
Business implications – Multinationals with operations in Brazil welcomed the move: global-mobility teams would again be able to dispatch staff from U.S./Canadian headquarters to São Paulo or Rio on short notice without the administrative friction of an e-visa. The travel-management company CWT estimates corporations saved an average of US $200 per trip during the previous waiver period once courier fees and processing time were factored in. Airlines serving Brazil from Miami, Houston, Toronto and Sydney are already preparing marketing campaigns tied to a potential “visa-free summer”.
What’s next – Even if the bill passes both houses, it still requires presidential sanction. The Lula administration has not stated whether it will veto, but industry observers note that Congress could override with an absolute majority. Companies planning first-quarter travel should therefore maintain dual plans—applying for e-visas where lead-times allow, while monitoring legislative developments that could render those applications unnecessary.
Background – Brazil had granted unilateral visa-free entry to travellers from the three countries in 2019, arguing that easier access would boost tourism receipts and corporate travel. The Lula administration reversed the measure in April 2025 on reciprocity grounds, re-imposing a requirement for an e-visa (US $80) that was due to become mandatory from 10 April 2025. Airlines, hotel chains and state tourism boards warned that advance bookings from North America and Oceania slumped by as much as 27 % after the announcement.
What the new bill does – The draft law simply revokes the presidential decree that reinstated the visa requirement and re-establishes visa-free stays of up to 90 days (renewable once) for tourism or business meetings. Rapporteur Marcel van Hattem (Novo-RS) told deputies the previous waiver had generated an extra 80 000 visitors and R$ 328 million in local spending. The bill now proceeds to the Constitution & Justice Committee before heading to the full Chamber and Senate, where proponents hope to fast-track a vote before the high summer season.
Business implications – Multinationals with operations in Brazil welcomed the move: global-mobility teams would again be able to dispatch staff from U.S./Canadian headquarters to São Paulo or Rio on short notice without the administrative friction of an e-visa. The travel-management company CWT estimates corporations saved an average of US $200 per trip during the previous waiver period once courier fees and processing time were factored in. Airlines serving Brazil from Miami, Houston, Toronto and Sydney are already preparing marketing campaigns tied to a potential “visa-free summer”.
What’s next – Even if the bill passes both houses, it still requires presidential sanction. The Lula administration has not stated whether it will veto, but industry observers note that Congress could override with an absolute majority. Companies planning first-quarter travel should therefore maintain dual plans—applying for e-visas where lead-times allow, while monitoring legislative developments that could render those applications unnecessary.
