The United States will suspend the issuance of all immigrant-class visas to citizens of Brazil as of 21 January 2026. A confidential cable released late on 14 January instructs consulates worldwide to cancel appointments and refuse new cases from 75 “high-risk public-charge” countries, Brazil among them. The pause follows President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to tighten welfare-related screening and comes on the heels of more than 100,000 visa revocations in 2025.
What the measure covers. The freeze hits the full spectrum of green-card pathways—family reunion, fiancé(e), diversity-lottery and employment-based petitions (EB-1 through EB-5). Non-immigrant categories such as B-1/B-2 business-tourist, H-1B professionals and L-1 intracompany transferees remain open for now, although practitioners expect closer financial scrutiny at interview. Fees already paid can be held on file or refunded; applicants must await further guidance.
Business-mobility impact. Multinationals planning long-term assignments to U.S. operations will need to pivot quickly. Where possible, companies are moving Brazilian staff onto temporary solutions—L-1, E-2 or TN (for dual-citizen Canadians/Mexicans)—and instructing travellers already in the U.S. to avoid trips abroad that could jeopardise re-entry. Human-resources teams are also beefing up “public-charge” evidence files, gathering tax returns, payroll records and proof of employer-provided health insurance in anticipation of tougher adjudication once processing restarts.
![U.S. freezes immigrant-visa processing for Brazilians]()
Amid this pivot, VisaHQ’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) can streamline contingency planning by quickly matching affected employees and families to viable non-immigrant categories, flagging live consular updates, and providing on-demand specialists who compile the enhanced financial documentation now demanded by adjudicators.
Political and market reaction. Brazil’s Foreign Ministry said it is “monitoring the situation closely” but has not announced reciprocity. Trade bodies warn the decision could delay Brazilian investment projects in Florida, Texas and California, while migration-advocacy groups denounced the policy as discriminatory. Analysts predict the chill will weigh on Brazilian demand for U.S. real estate and start-up stakes if it lasts beyond one quarter.
Practical advice. Employers should: 1) audit active green-card pipelines and freeze spend on new PERM filings; 2) explore short-term visas or remote-work structures; 3) counsel affected staff on maintaining lawful status; and 4) set traveller alerts for possible extension of the suspension to non-immigrant renewals. Visa-consulting platforms such as VisaHQ have launched real-time trackers and concierge hotlines for Brazilian clients caught mid-process.
What the measure covers. The freeze hits the full spectrum of green-card pathways—family reunion, fiancé(e), diversity-lottery and employment-based petitions (EB-1 through EB-5). Non-immigrant categories such as B-1/B-2 business-tourist, H-1B professionals and L-1 intracompany transferees remain open for now, although practitioners expect closer financial scrutiny at interview. Fees already paid can be held on file or refunded; applicants must await further guidance.
Business-mobility impact. Multinationals planning long-term assignments to U.S. operations will need to pivot quickly. Where possible, companies are moving Brazilian staff onto temporary solutions—L-1, E-2 or TN (for dual-citizen Canadians/Mexicans)—and instructing travellers already in the U.S. to avoid trips abroad that could jeopardise re-entry. Human-resources teams are also beefing up “public-charge” evidence files, gathering tax returns, payroll records and proof of employer-provided health insurance in anticipation of tougher adjudication once processing restarts.
Amid this pivot, VisaHQ’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) can streamline contingency planning by quickly matching affected employees and families to viable non-immigrant categories, flagging live consular updates, and providing on-demand specialists who compile the enhanced financial documentation now demanded by adjudicators.
Political and market reaction. Brazil’s Foreign Ministry said it is “monitoring the situation closely” but has not announced reciprocity. Trade bodies warn the decision could delay Brazilian investment projects in Florida, Texas and California, while migration-advocacy groups denounced the policy as discriminatory. Analysts predict the chill will weigh on Brazilian demand for U.S. real estate and start-up stakes if it lasts beyond one quarter.
Practical advice. Employers should: 1) audit active green-card pipelines and freeze spend on new PERM filings; 2) explore short-term visas or remote-work structures; 3) counsel affected staff on maintaining lawful status; and 4) set traveller alerts for possible extension of the suspension to non-immigrant renewals. Visa-consulting platforms such as VisaHQ have launched real-time trackers and concierge hotlines for Brazilian clients caught mid-process.
