Brazil’s Federal Police has confirmed that airlines must, from 31 January 2026, validate every departing passenger’s QR-code identity on the gov.br platform before issuing a boarding pass. The requirement applies to Brazilian nationals and foreign residents alike and follows pilot tests at São Paulo/Guarulhos where scan times averaged 25 seconds—less than half the manual passport-entry time.
Airlines welcome the efficiency gains but expect teething troubles. Corporate travel managers are rushing ‘activation kits’ to frequent flyers, while carriers plan extra staff at business-class counters for the first fortnight. The Police will allow a grace period until 15 February; after that, carriers face fines if passengers lack a valid QR code.
Amid these preparations, VisaHQ can simplify the process for both individual travelers and corporate mobility teams. Its Brazil-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers step-by-step guidance on syncing visas and residence permits with the gov.br system, real-time regulatory updates, and personalized assistance that helps passengers secure and store their digital credentials well before arriving at the airport.
![From 31 January, QR-code Digital ID becomes mandatory at all Brazilian airports]()
For global-mobility teams the change has two pressing implications. First, expatriates holding old RNM (residence) cards must migrate their identifiers into the gov.br app or risk secondary screening. Second, group departures after off-site events now need a pre-flight audit to confirm everyone can produce an offline QR code—crucial in regional airports with patchy mobile signals.
The measure is part of a broader digitisation push that will eventually integrate visa, tax and health databases into a single sign-on ecosystem. Observers say Brazil is positioning itself as a regional leader in seamless border technology, but warn that privacy safeguards and backup procedures—in case the platform goes down—remain under-documented.
Travel managers are advised to circulate step-by-step gov.br activation guides, schedule ‘ID-check days’ for assignees and store QR codes in mobile wallets before reaching the airport. (visahq.com)
Airlines welcome the efficiency gains but expect teething troubles. Corporate travel managers are rushing ‘activation kits’ to frequent flyers, while carriers plan extra staff at business-class counters for the first fortnight. The Police will allow a grace period until 15 February; after that, carriers face fines if passengers lack a valid QR code.
Amid these preparations, VisaHQ can simplify the process for both individual travelers and corporate mobility teams. Its Brazil-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers step-by-step guidance on syncing visas and residence permits with the gov.br system, real-time regulatory updates, and personalized assistance that helps passengers secure and store their digital credentials well before arriving at the airport.
For global-mobility teams the change has two pressing implications. First, expatriates holding old RNM (residence) cards must migrate their identifiers into the gov.br app or risk secondary screening. Second, group departures after off-site events now need a pre-flight audit to confirm everyone can produce an offline QR code—crucial in regional airports with patchy mobile signals.
The measure is part of a broader digitisation push that will eventually integrate visa, tax and health databases into a single sign-on ecosystem. Observers say Brazil is positioning itself as a regional leader in seamless border technology, but warn that privacy safeguards and backup procedures—in case the platform goes down—remain under-documented.
Travel managers are advised to circulate step-by-step gov.br activation guides, schedule ‘ID-check days’ for assignees and store QR codes in mobile wallets before reaching the airport. (visahq.com)
