Ignoring airlines complains, Brazil revoke visa exemptions for citizens of four key countries

The Brazilian government published today in the Official Gazette of the Union a measure that revokes a decree issued by former President Jair Bolsonaro, which established visa exemptions for citizens of Australia, Canada, the United States, and Japan.

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The purpose of the measure was to increase tourism, but shortly afterward, the coronavirus pandemic arrived, preventing an assessment of the measure’s impact (costs vs. benefits).

As reported by our affiliated media in Brazil, Aeroin, Lula’s government argues that the revocation is based on the principle of reciprocity since these countries require some type of visa for Brazil.

However, it has not been commented if the federal government intends to take the same measure next year, when the European Union will begin requiring an electronic visa for Brazilian tourists.

Brazilian airlines, through the Brazilian Association of Airline Companies (ABEAR), had already stated that the measure has an outdated concept and that the increased costs and bureaucracy for entering Brazil hinder the sector’s recovery in the country.

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«There are currently more than 80 countries that require a visa. I understand the sense of reciprocity, but it is an outdated concept,» ABEAR’s president, Eduardo Sanovicz, said during a hearing on this topic last month.

«Although it is a simple process [issuing a visa], it has a cost. I hope that the government revises this stance,» added the executive, noting that this measure could further affect a sector such as aviation, which already faces a high tax burden, has one of the most expensive aviation fuels (QAV) in the world, and faces high aircraft leasing costs due to the dollar exchange rate.

According to the Itamaraty website (the headquarters of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the measure will take effect from October 1, 2023. US tourists will be charged $160 (R$790), Australians $120 (R$599), and Canadians and Japanese $80 (R$399), with the reference value always in US dollars.