Brazil now requires U.S. visas
Brazil has implemented a reciprocity rule requiring visas for U.S. citizens, a change that affects travel and business/employment mobility between the two countries. The move will reshape short‑term travel and cross‑border work planning. (x.com)
Effective date for the reinstated requirement was April 10, 2025, when the Brazilian executive decree took effect for nationals of the United States, Canada and Australia. (br.usembassy.gov) Brazil offers an electronic visitor visa (e‑Visa) through the government‑authorized portal brazil.vfsevisa.com for eligible applicants, and the U.S. Embassy in Brasília published guidance linking that site and the new entry rule. (br.usembassy.gov) The Visitor Visa (VIVIS) category covers tourism, transit and business activities such as meetings and contract signings for stays up to 90 days per visit (maximum 180 days per year), but Brazilian consular guidance states the VIVIS is not valid for paid employment. (gov.br) Decree No. 12.657/2025, published in the Official Gazette on October 8, 2025, amended migration rules to explicitly permit short‑term technical assistance and technology‑transfer activities under the visitor status for up to 90 days, while maintaining the prohibition on paid employment in Brazil. (planalto.gov.br) Corporate mobility impact: post‑October 2025, multinational contracts that specify technical assistance or technology transfer between a foreign company and a Brazilian entity can be executed under VIVIS for short assignments instead of the longer VITEM temporary‑work process, contingent on contract documentation and consular verification. (visahq.com) Scale of disruption: Brazil recorded roughly 5.9 million international tourists in 2023 and reported Americans among the leading source markets, underscoring why U.S. visa changes affect substantial tourism and business flows. (travelpulse.com) Commercial opportunities for immigration practices include offering VIVIS e‑visa application packages tied to contract review for technical‑assistance deployments, and forming referral partnerships with corporate HR teams and Brazilian commercial counsel that handle contracting for short technical assignments; consular guidance requires documentation showing the nature of payments and contracts for VIVIS adjudication. (br.usembassy.gov)
