Brazil’s Foreign Ministry has formally confirmed that citizens of China, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and the Bahamas no longer need a visa for short-term visits. The measure, which entered into force on 24 February 2026, permits an initial stay of up to 30 days that can be extended locally to a cumulative 90 days within a 12-month period. Officials said the waiver is part of a wider strategy to lift annual foreign-visitor arrivals above the pre-pandemic peak of 6.6 million by making entry procedures less cumbersome. (travelandtourworld.com)
The change is unilateral for the seven European and Caribbean states but reciprocal for China, which began admitting Brazilians visa-free in mid-2025. According to Embratur, easier access for travellers from these eight markets alone could generate an additional US$350 million in tourist spending this year, with meetings-and-events visitors expected to account for roughly a quarter of the total. Airlines have already announced capacity increases on Paris-Rio and Beijing-São Paulo routes for the second quarter.
Companies sending staff to Brazil should note that the waiver covers tourism, conferences, exploratory business meetings and short training sessions, but **not** remunerated work. Foreign employees who will perform local services or remain in country beyond 90 days must still obtain the appropriate temporary residence authorisation (for example, VITEM V or VITEM XI). Mobility managers are therefore updating internal guidance to ensure travellers do not inadvertently overstay or perform unpermitted activities.
![Brazil Expands Visa-Free Entry to Eight More Countries to Spur Tourism and Business Travel]()
Immigration lawyers point out that the 30-day entry stamp is issued automatically at the border, but travellers must carry a passport valid for at least six months and may be asked to show proof of onward travel and sufficient funds. Extensions are processed through the Polícia Federal’s electronic portal and currently require payment of a R$168 fee.
Against this backdrop, VisaHQ can simplify matters by helping travellers and HR teams verify eligibility for the new visa-waiver regime and, when necessary, secure the correct VITEM permits through its dedicated Brazil page (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/). The platform’s step-by-step guidance, document-checking tools and deadline reminders reduce administrative burden and keep compliance risks in check.
In the medium term, the Foreign Ministry is studying whether to harmonise the new 30-day rule with the Mercosur standard 90-day visa-exempt stay used by neighbours such as Argentina and Uruguay. Until then, corporations should build automated reminders for the shorter limit into their travel-tracking systems.
The change is unilateral for the seven European and Caribbean states but reciprocal for China, which began admitting Brazilians visa-free in mid-2025. According to Embratur, easier access for travellers from these eight markets alone could generate an additional US$350 million in tourist spending this year, with meetings-and-events visitors expected to account for roughly a quarter of the total. Airlines have already announced capacity increases on Paris-Rio and Beijing-São Paulo routes for the second quarter.
Companies sending staff to Brazil should note that the waiver covers tourism, conferences, exploratory business meetings and short training sessions, but **not** remunerated work. Foreign employees who will perform local services or remain in country beyond 90 days must still obtain the appropriate temporary residence authorisation (for example, VITEM V or VITEM XI). Mobility managers are therefore updating internal guidance to ensure travellers do not inadvertently overstay or perform unpermitted activities.
Immigration lawyers point out that the 30-day entry stamp is issued automatically at the border, but travellers must carry a passport valid for at least six months and may be asked to show proof of onward travel and sufficient funds. Extensions are processed through the Polícia Federal’s electronic portal and currently require payment of a R$168 fee.
Against this backdrop, VisaHQ can simplify matters by helping travellers and HR teams verify eligibility for the new visa-waiver regime and, when necessary, secure the correct VITEM permits through its dedicated Brazil page (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/). The platform’s step-by-step guidance, document-checking tools and deadline reminders reduce administrative burden and keep compliance risks in check.
In the medium term, the Foreign Ministry is studying whether to harmonise the new 30-day rule with the Mercosur standard 90-day visa-exempt stay used by neighbours such as Argentina and Uruguay. Until then, corporations should build automated reminders for the shorter limit into their travel-tracking systems.
