In another signal that it wants to turbo-charge inbound tourism and business travel, Brazil has waived short-term visa requirements for citizens of China, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and the Bahamas.
The measure, which took effect on 24 February 2026 and was confirmed by the Foreign Ministry two days later, allows ordinary passport holders from the eight nations to spend up to 30 days in Brazil—extendable to 90 days within a 12-month period—without first obtaining an e-Visa or visiting a consulate.
For China, the move is reciprocal: Beijing has permitted visa-free visits by Brazilians since mid-2025. For the European and Caribbean countries listed, the decision is unilateral and aimed at raising Brazil’s profile as a long-haul leisure and meetings-and-events destination. The Tourism Board (Embratur) predicts an additional 200,000 high-spending visitors in 2026, injecting roughly US$ 350 million into the economy.
![Brazil widens 30-day visa-free entry to eight additional countries]()
Travellers whose nationalities are not covered by the new waiver—and companies arranging travel for them—can streamline the remaining visa formalities through VisaHQ’s dedicated Brazil service (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/). The platform walks users through requirements, fees and documentation in plain language and can even courier passports when a physical sticker is still required, helping trip planners avoid last-minute surprises.
Corporate immigration advisers note that the exemption covers tourism, conferences and exploratory business meetings but not gainful employment; foreign assignees who will work in Brazil still need a temporary residence visa. Multinational firms should update travel-policy matrices and educate travellers on the 30/90-day cap to avoid inadvertent overstays.
Longer term, officials say the Foreign Ministry is studying whether the 30-day ceiling could be harmonised with Mercosur’s 90-day standard, but no timetable has been set. The current expansion nonetheless brings the total number of countries enjoying some form of visa-free access to Brazil to 120, underscoring the government’s shift from the more restrictive policies seen during the pandemic years.
The measure, which took effect on 24 February 2026 and was confirmed by the Foreign Ministry two days later, allows ordinary passport holders from the eight nations to spend up to 30 days in Brazil—extendable to 90 days within a 12-month period—without first obtaining an e-Visa or visiting a consulate.
For China, the move is reciprocal: Beijing has permitted visa-free visits by Brazilians since mid-2025. For the European and Caribbean countries listed, the decision is unilateral and aimed at raising Brazil’s profile as a long-haul leisure and meetings-and-events destination. The Tourism Board (Embratur) predicts an additional 200,000 high-spending visitors in 2026, injecting roughly US$ 350 million into the economy.
Travellers whose nationalities are not covered by the new waiver—and companies arranging travel for them—can streamline the remaining visa formalities through VisaHQ’s dedicated Brazil service (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/). The platform walks users through requirements, fees and documentation in plain language and can even courier passports when a physical sticker is still required, helping trip planners avoid last-minute surprises.
Corporate immigration advisers note that the exemption covers tourism, conferences and exploratory business meetings but not gainful employment; foreign assignees who will work in Brazil still need a temporary residence visa. Multinational firms should update travel-policy matrices and educate travellers on the 30/90-day cap to avoid inadvertent overstays.
Longer term, officials say the Foreign Ministry is studying whether the 30-day ceiling could be harmonised with Mercosur’s 90-day standard, but no timetable has been set. The current expansion nonetheless brings the total number of countries enjoying some form of visa-free access to Brazil to 120, underscoring the government’s shift from the more restrictive policies seen during the pandemic years.
