Brazil’s National Federation of Federal Police Officers (Fenapef) formally suspended its strike on 7 April after the government issued Provisional Measure 1,348/2026, unlocking up to BRL 200 million this year for operations and healthcare benefits. The stoppage—approved in March over funding delays for the long-awaited Funcoc organised-crime fund—had threatened to slow passport issuance, airport immigration staffing and firearm-export clearances. The provisional measure broadens revenue streams for the existing Funapol operational fund, earmarking proceeds from fixed-odds betting, asset seizures and donations. Fenapef says the extra cash addresses “a significant portion” of officers’ resource concerns, although negotiations on career progression and overtime pay continue. Importantly for travellers, the union confirmed it would keep a “state of vigilance” rather than resume walkouts while monitoring budget execution. In practice, passport counters at Polícia Federal bureaux and at major airports such as Guarulhos and Galeão will revert to normal staffing levels this week. During the partial stoppage, appointment backlogs had already begun to grow, with São Paulo reporting wait times of up to three weeks for first-time passport applicants. Those backlogs are expected to clear by early May if funding flows as promised.
![Federal Police end strike, averting passport-service disruption]()
For travellers who would prefer to outsource paperwork amid these funding uncertainties, VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers a convenient way to monitor Brazilian passport and visa processing times, upload documents securely and arrange courier pickups. The service’s automated alerts and concierge assistance can help both individuals and mobility teams stay ahead of sudden service changes while the Federal Police remain in a “state of vigilance.”
Mobility managers should nevertheless advise travellers to schedule document renewals early and to retain proof of urgent travel (tickets, overseas assignment letters) should priority slots be needed. Companies running high-volume work-permit renewals via the Federal Police’s immigration division can also resume courier submissions that were paused amid uncertainty over service hours. Analysts note the episode underscores the fragility of Brazil’s travel-document infrastructure: despite record passport demand—3.7 million issued in 2025—budget mechanisms still rely on ad-hoc presidential decrees. A long-term funding law for Funapol and Funcoc is now expected to move through Congress in the second semester, with support from the tourism ministry and export lobby groups keen to avoid future disruptions.
For travellers who would prefer to outsource paperwork amid these funding uncertainties, VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers a convenient way to monitor Brazilian passport and visa processing times, upload documents securely and arrange courier pickups. The service’s automated alerts and concierge assistance can help both individuals and mobility teams stay ahead of sudden service changes while the Federal Police remain in a “state of vigilance.”
Mobility managers should nevertheless advise travellers to schedule document renewals early and to retain proof of urgent travel (tickets, overseas assignment letters) should priority slots be needed. Companies running high-volume work-permit renewals via the Federal Police’s immigration division can also resume courier submissions that were paused amid uncertainty over service hours. Analysts note the episode underscores the fragility of Brazil’s travel-document infrastructure: despite record passport demand—3.7 million issued in 2025—budget mechanisms still rely on ad-hoc presidential decrees. A long-term funding law for Funapol and Funcoc is now expected to move through Congress in the second semester, with support from the tourism ministry and export lobby groups keen to avoid future disruptions.
