The European Commission’s eighth Visa Suspension Mechanism (VSM) report, released on 19 December, places Brazil in the “medium-risk” category for the first time, citing a rise in asylum claims by Brazilians in Spain and Portugal and slow progress on readmission agreements. Brussels praised Brazil’s rollout of digital criminal-record certificates but cautioned that visa-free travel could be suspended unless corrective measures are implemented.
Key recommendations include submitting, by March 2026, a detailed plan to curb irregular stays and to link Brazil’s Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data to EU databases. Although an actual suspension is considered unlikely in the short term, EU consulates are expected to intensify document checks and conduct more rigorous interviews for short-stay business travellers.
![EU warns Brazil over visa-free travel, demands action plan by March 2026]()
Amid these uncertainties, travellers and HR managers can turn to VisaHQ’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) for up-to-date guidance, personalized document checklists, and end-to-end application support, helping applicants assemble flawless invitation letters, criminal-record certificates, and itinerary proofs before facing tougher Schengen scrutiny.
For multinational employers the warning is a red flag: rejection rates for Schengen C-visas issued in Brazil may rise in 2026, extending lead times and complicating meeting schedules. HR teams should audit employees’ Schengen entry stamps, ensure invitation letters are carried, and monitor ETIAS roll-out pilots that could require pre-travel authorisations sooner than planned.
Brazil’s National Immigration Council meets in January to prepare a compliance roadmap, which may include closer cooperation with Europol and public-awareness campaigns to deter unfounded asylum applications.
Key recommendations include submitting, by March 2026, a detailed plan to curb irregular stays and to link Brazil’s Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data to EU databases. Although an actual suspension is considered unlikely in the short term, EU consulates are expected to intensify document checks and conduct more rigorous interviews for short-stay business travellers.
Amid these uncertainties, travellers and HR managers can turn to VisaHQ’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) for up-to-date guidance, personalized document checklists, and end-to-end application support, helping applicants assemble flawless invitation letters, criminal-record certificates, and itinerary proofs before facing tougher Schengen scrutiny.
For multinational employers the warning is a red flag: rejection rates for Schengen C-visas issued in Brazil may rise in 2026, extending lead times and complicating meeting schedules. HR teams should audit employees’ Schengen entry stamps, ensure invitation letters are carried, and monitor ETIAS roll-out pilots that could require pre-travel authorisations sooner than planned.
Brazil’s National Immigration Council meets in January to prepare a compliance roadmap, which may include closer cooperation with Europol and public-awareness campaigns to deter unfounded asylum applications.
