Brazil has taken its boldest liberalisation step in a decade, unilaterally waiving the short-stay visitor-visa requirement for ordinary-passport holders from China, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and the Bahamas. Inter-Ministerial Ordinance 18/2026, published on 4 March and already in force since 24 February, allows travellers from the eight nations to enter Brazil for up to 30 days without first securing an e-visa or consular sticker. The stay can be extended once, in-country, for a further 60 days, giving a total allowance of 90 days in any rolling 12-month period. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has branded the measure the centre-piece of its “Open Doors 2026” strategy to restore Brazil’s international arrival numbers to pre-pandemic growth rates.
Officials argue that the loss of visa-fee revenue will be more than offset by higher tourism and meeting-industry spending. In 2025 Brazil welcomed 9.3 million foreign visitors—already a record but still below the government’s 2026 target of 10 million. Internal modelling seen by Embratur suggests that simply removing the US$ 120 average visa cost could boost demand from the eight newly exempt markets by 18-25 per cent this year. Airlines are reacting quickly: LATAM has announced six weekly Amsterdam–São Paulo services from July, while Iberia plans extra Madrid–Recife frequencies ahead of the northern-winter timetable.
Travellers who still have questions about Brazil’s evolving entry requirements—or need assistance with visas for other destinations—can find up-to-date guidance through VisaHQ. The company’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers clear eligibility checks, digital application tools and real-time status tracking, simplifying compliance for both leisure and corporate visitors as rules continue to shift.
![Brazil Waives Short-Stay Visas for Citizens of Eight Countries Under “Open Doors 2026”]()
For business-travellers the change removes roughly two working weeks of lead time. Mobility managers at multinationals in São Paulo told Global Mobility News that the waiver trims per-trip costs by about US$ 250 once courier fees and document notarisation are included. Corporate policies are being updated to remind employees that the exemption covers meetings, conferences and site visits but not remunerated employment; anyone taking up work in Brazil must still secure the appropriate VITEM work visa beforehand.
The move is partially reciprocal. China granted Brazilians 30-day visa-free access in mid-2025. Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland and the Caribbean states have no such reciprocal regime, but Brazil concluded that the tourism upside justified one-sided concessions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review the impact after one year; if inbound arrivals from the eight countries increase by at least 25 per cent, officials say the waiver will become permanent and could be expanded to other priority markets such as India and South Africa.
Practically, carriers will continue to check that visa-exempt travellers hold passports valid for six months, proof of onward travel and—where relevant—yellow-fever certificates. The Federal Police will enforce the single extension limit strictly; overstays can trigger daily fines and future entry bans. Companies are therefore advising travellers to diarise the 30-day limit and, if necessary, file for an extension well in advance of expiry to avoid business-trip disruptions.
Officials argue that the loss of visa-fee revenue will be more than offset by higher tourism and meeting-industry spending. In 2025 Brazil welcomed 9.3 million foreign visitors—already a record but still below the government’s 2026 target of 10 million. Internal modelling seen by Embratur suggests that simply removing the US$ 120 average visa cost could boost demand from the eight newly exempt markets by 18-25 per cent this year. Airlines are reacting quickly: LATAM has announced six weekly Amsterdam–São Paulo services from July, while Iberia plans extra Madrid–Recife frequencies ahead of the northern-winter timetable.
Travellers who still have questions about Brazil’s evolving entry requirements—or need assistance with visas for other destinations—can find up-to-date guidance through VisaHQ. The company’s Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers clear eligibility checks, digital application tools and real-time status tracking, simplifying compliance for both leisure and corporate visitors as rules continue to shift.
For business-travellers the change removes roughly two working weeks of lead time. Mobility managers at multinationals in São Paulo told Global Mobility News that the waiver trims per-trip costs by about US$ 250 once courier fees and document notarisation are included. Corporate policies are being updated to remind employees that the exemption covers meetings, conferences and site visits but not remunerated employment; anyone taking up work in Brazil must still secure the appropriate VITEM work visa beforehand.
The move is partially reciprocal. China granted Brazilians 30-day visa-free access in mid-2025. Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland and the Caribbean states have no such reciprocal regime, but Brazil concluded that the tourism upside justified one-sided concessions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review the impact after one year; if inbound arrivals from the eight countries increase by at least 25 per cent, officials say the waiver will become permanent and could be expanded to other priority markets such as India and South Africa.
Practically, carriers will continue to check that visa-exempt travellers hold passports valid for six months, proof of onward travel and—where relevant—yellow-fever certificates. The Federal Police will enforce the single extension limit strictly; overstays can trigger daily fines and future entry bans. Companies are therefore advising travellers to diarise the 30-day limit and, if necessary, file for an extension well in advance of expiry to avoid business-trip disruptions.
