Families travelling within Brazil received welcome news on 16 May 2026 when the civil aviation regulator ANAC instructed all carriers to accept the official digital version of the Brazilian birth certificate (Certidão de Nascimento) as valid ID for passengers under 12 years of age. The directive, revealed by Banzeiro News, follows a string of incidents during Easter and Labour Day in which parents were barred from boarding because they carried only the smartphone copy of the document. Under the new rule, parents or guardians can present the QR-coded certificate generated through the national Registro Civil portal or via the “Registro Civil Digital” app. Check-in agents must scan the code or use the validation URL to confirm authenticity, in the same way they already verify the digital national ID card (CIN) and mobile driver’s licence (CNH Digital). Paper copies remain valid, but airlines can no longer refuse the electronic equivalent. ANAC argues that harmonising accepted IDs across modes of transport reduces missed flights and customer complaints, while supporting the federal government’s push toward fully digital civil records. According to Arpen Brasil, digital birth-certificate issuance soared from just 8,600 in 2020 to more than 62,000 in 2025, driven by expatriate Brazilians and families in remote areas. For corporate mobility teams, the change removes a pain-point when relocating employees with children on multi-segment trips that combine international and domestic legs. Although the rule does not affect outbound travel—foreign authorities may still demand passports—large carriers such as Gol and Latam say they will update their mobile apps to let travellers upload the certificate alongside vaccination proof, making through-check-in smoother.
![Brazilian Airlines Must Accept Digital Birth Certificates for Domestic Boarding]()
For families looking beyond domestic skies, VisaHQ can take the stress out of securing the right travel documents. Through its dedicated Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/), the service offers step-by-step visa and passport assistance, digital document uploads and real-time requirement checks—everything from a child’s first passport renewal to a rush tourist visa for upcoming school holidays—so parents can focus on packing instead of paperwork.
ANAC emphasises that the policy applies only to flights operating fully within Brazilian territory; international connections still require the passport or, for Mercosur travel, a national ID. However, the agency hinted that it is studying whether the digital birth certificate could also be accepted at land-border posts in the future, provided system upgrades planned for 2027 are completed.
For families looking beyond domestic skies, VisaHQ can take the stress out of securing the right travel documents. Through its dedicated Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/), the service offers step-by-step visa and passport assistance, digital document uploads and real-time requirement checks—everything from a child’s first passport renewal to a rush tourist visa for upcoming school holidays—so parents can focus on packing instead of paperwork.
ANAC emphasises that the policy applies only to flights operating fully within Brazilian territory; international connections still require the passport or, for Mercosur travel, a national ID. However, the agency hinted that it is studying whether the digital birth certificate could also be accepted at land-border posts in the future, provided system upgrades planned for 2027 are completed.
