With less than 48 hours to go before the new policy enters into force, Brazil’s Official Gazette has now carried the inter-ministerial ordinance granting visa-free entry to Chinese citizens from 11 May to 31 December 2026. Financial daily Yicai/First Financial highlighted the measure in its 9 May news wrap, noting that the waiver is Brazil’s answer to China’s unilateral visa-free access for Brazilians that began in 2025. Under the ordinance, holders of ordinary Chinese passports may enter Brazil for tourism, business, transit, cultural or sporting activities for up to 30 days per trip (maximum 90 days in a 12-month period). Stays cannot be extended locally, and work remains prohibited.
![Brazil-China reciprocal visa-waiver takes effect next week after official publication]()
For travelers who still need assistance with specialized documentation—such as work permits, residency authorizations or even expedited passport renewals—VisaHQ can help. Its dedicated Brazil page (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time visa updates, digital application tools and end-to-end concierge support, making it easier for both individuals and HR teams to stay compliant with Brazilian immigration rules.
Brazil’s consulates in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have stopped accepting short-stay visa applications, redirecting travellers with long-term, paid-activity needs to the existing temporary-work categories. Airlines are scrambling to seize the opportunity. LATAM has filed for an additional weekly São Paulo–Beijing service via Madrid beginning 3 July, while China Southern plans to up-gauge its Guangzhou–São Paulo freighter to passenger service during the Golden Week peak. Travel-platform Qunar reports Brazil-related flight searches up 210 % week-on-week, and hotel group Accor says forward bookings for its Rio properties have risen 35 % among Chinese customers since the decree was signed. For Brazilian exporters and the meetings-incentives (MICE) sector, easier mobility is expected to translate quickly into deals. The Brazil-China Business Council forecasts that visitor spending by Chinese nationals could surpass pre-pandemic 2019 levels (US $250 million) as early as the fourth quarter of 2026. Corporates should, however, brief travellers on Brazil’s biometric entry requirement introduced last year; long queues have been reported at São Paulo-Guarulhos when several wide-body flights land simultaneously. HR teams moving Chinese managers to oversee Brazilian subsidiaries must still arrange the appropriate work visas. Immigration lawyers recommend submitting work-authorisation requests before the seasonal July/August spike, when Ministry of Labour processing times historically double.
For travelers who still need assistance with specialized documentation—such as work permits, residency authorizations or even expedited passport renewals—VisaHQ can help. Its dedicated Brazil page (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time visa updates, digital application tools and end-to-end concierge support, making it easier for both individuals and HR teams to stay compliant with Brazilian immigration rules.
Brazil’s consulates in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have stopped accepting short-stay visa applications, redirecting travellers with long-term, paid-activity needs to the existing temporary-work categories. Airlines are scrambling to seize the opportunity. LATAM has filed for an additional weekly São Paulo–Beijing service via Madrid beginning 3 July, while China Southern plans to up-gauge its Guangzhou–São Paulo freighter to passenger service during the Golden Week peak. Travel-platform Qunar reports Brazil-related flight searches up 210 % week-on-week, and hotel group Accor says forward bookings for its Rio properties have risen 35 % among Chinese customers since the decree was signed. For Brazilian exporters and the meetings-incentives (MICE) sector, easier mobility is expected to translate quickly into deals. The Brazil-China Business Council forecasts that visitor spending by Chinese nationals could surpass pre-pandemic 2019 levels (US $250 million) as early as the fourth quarter of 2026. Corporates should, however, brief travellers on Brazil’s biometric entry requirement introduced last year; long queues have been reported at São Paulo-Guarulhos when several wide-body flights land simultaneously. HR teams moving Chinese managers to oversee Brazilian subsidiaries must still arrange the appropriate work visas. Immigration lawyers recommend submitting work-authorisation requests before the seasonal July/August spike, when Ministry of Labour processing times historically double.
