Brazil introduces mandatory $120 e-visa for Australians
The new digital visa will be compulsory from April 10, 2024.
By Chris Ashton, January 11 2024
Brazil is joining the growing list of countries imposing a compulsory ‘e-visa’ on travellers, with Australians facing a $120 fee per person for arrivals from April 10, 2024.
The e-visa was previously due to be required for all arrivals from January 10, but the start has been pushed back by three months “to complete the process of implementing the requirement system E-Visa and prevent the change from interfering with the flow of tourists from these countries to Brazil during the high season."
And this isn’t something to leave until the last moment: although the processing time for applications is up to five working days, the Brazilian government “strongly recommends” you apply for your e-visa two months before your travel to Brazil.
Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism says the new e-visas will have a five-year validity for Australian passport holders, and can only be obtained through the new eVisa platform for Brazil, a joint venture between the Brazilian government and ‘visa outsourcing and technology services’ specialist VFS).
Applicants for the Brazil e-visa will require:
- Passport (valid to the end of your Brazil trip, with two empty visa pages)
- Visa application form (completed online)
- Passport-style photo (2” x 2”, white background)
- fee payment (US$ 80.90)
- Confirmation of round-trip reservation (flight, ship, or bus reservation showing entrance by air, sea or land into Brazil and exit from Brazil)
- Printed bank statement showing transactions for the last 30 days and at least US$2,000 for travel purposes (for families, a signed sponsorship letter and bank statement from the main applicant is required)
Business travellers must also provide an extensive list of supporting documentation detailing the nature of travel and local contacts, as well as job title and description, salary and more.
Yes, it’s all quite onerous. And if additional information is requested to support your e-visa application, it must be submitted within ten days or “your eVisa will be denied and you will have to start a new application.”
Brazil introduced visa-free travel on Australian passports – alongside the USA, Canada and Japan - in June 2019, before which a visa cost just $US44 ($A65) per person.
Nobody will welcome this twice-the-price visa, and as if the generally higher cost of airfares today don’t already sting enough, Australian passports will jump to almost $400 from mid-2024.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jun 2017
Total posts 48
The place is a dumpster fire from a to z, stuff that!
25 Jun 2019
Total posts 8
No need to be offensive towards an entire country and millions of people because they’re charging the same Australia charges for visitors who require a visa (last I check Australia charges $190 for Brazilian applicants). Australia even require police check and blood tests for some visas, so a bank or credit card statement doesn’t sound that bad…
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jan 2014
Total posts 340
Now you know what it’s like to travel on a South African passport (otherwise known as the Green Mamba as it’s so deadly to travel on)
Jokes aside, for Australians who are not used to visa applications or restrictions, it’s gonna be a wild ride and I wouldn’t be surprised if many don’t bother with the hassles and skip Brazil
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 May 2018
Total posts 74
Just another no go destination.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 691
A bank statement covering 30 days of transactions ??? No thanks ~ I'm not about to expose my personal financial records to an 'out-sourced' authority (VFS) for the sake of a Visa. A bank statement has your account details on it - and most people would also pay with a credit card or bank issued debit card.
Having visited Brasil multiple times previously, I will just sit back and wait for the Brazilian Government to realize that this particular Visa requirement is NOT going to fly with international travellers - and will end up as a disincentive to visit the country. It shouldn't take them too long to work out that such an onerous and unnecessary requirement will only see visitor levels drop substantially.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Apr 2017
Total posts 132
This is a reversion to the old policy. Brazil has required visa applications for Australians (including bank statements) for as long as I've been alive, with the last few years being the only exception. At least it's an e-visa this time and not sending off a passport.
It's a pity they're reinstituting full reciprocity, but tourism from Australians did not boom when they relaxed reciprocity requirements; so I doubt it's going to have much impact on their end.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
21 Jul 2019
Total posts 186
Well said, Dredgy. It's not a new thing at all, just a reversion to an old (bad) policy. And also agree that Australian tourist volume to Brazil did not increase massively when visa conditions were relaxed. Which is not that surprising given that Brazil (and South America in general) do not rank as highly as the U.K., continental Europe, the U.S., Indonesia (Bali), and Japan as favoured destinations for aussie travellers. Not knocking Brazil or South America as destinations, but aussies in general prefer those other places.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 691
Hi dredgy - perhaps your memory and mine differ on a few points here ? :-)
For much of 2000-2008, the Brazilian Consulate in Sydney required a minimum of 4+ weeks to process a visa, including return postage of your passport. On a number of occasions, I've obtained a Brazilian visa in Buenos Aires, Argentina and New York, USA on different occasions, issued in a single day (including initial application lodgement).
Now, a little history: Varig (Brasil's now defunct international carrier) maintained an office in Bridge St Sydney from the early 1970's, until the airline's demise. Unfortunately, they never flew to Australia - but built an effective sales organisation and Brasilian promotion office to the travel industry. I
t was only around the period 1999-2000 that Qantas established regular traffic between Australia and South America, when they began serving SYD-EZE (Buenos Aires). Certainly DID increase travel to South America - including Brasil. A B747-400 held around 378 seats in those days. And Aerolineas Argentina also began operating to SYD. The QF service to EZE was terminated due to the effects of 9/11 as well as the collapse of the Argentine economy circa 2002. Although, Aerolineas still limped along for a number of years with irregular services.
Subsequently, LAN-Chile (now LATAM) began operating an Airbus 340 (Santiago to SYD), via Auckland. At that time, QF elected to serve SCL (Santiago, Chile) instead, with onward connections via LAN. Both those services have grown enormously over the years. They have contributed to a considerable amount of originating traffic from Brasil, particularly in the form of the 'student' market, where a solid number of Brazilian students now study at Australian universities. I'd encourage you to look at the growth of travel - via the Australian Government BITRE website, to examine the patterns of travel between Australia and South America. LAN becoming a member of oneworld also solidified the bond between itself and QF, as well as ensuring better co-ordination of services.
Reciprocity ? Well, yeah! If you have a look at the US Government DHS (Homeland Security) website, you'll see that Brazilians are, by most metrics, the most consistent 'over-stayers' of any foreign visitors to the USA. And because of this issue, Brasil has NEVER been considered as eligible for US Visa-Waiver.
Reciprocity is not the issue here. It is a standard political negotiation tool (that is accepted) but in this case, is being 'leveraged' or wielded against the USA, Canada and Australia by the Brazilian Government in an attempt to ensure a 'fairer' outcome for Brazilian nationals.
In fact, reciprocity or not, Australians are now entitled to a 5 year visa - which is a distinct improvement over a 'single visit' visa of old. My objection - as stated above, is handing over 'financial' data - bank statements and credit/debit card numbers - to a NON-Government visa-processing partner organization, as a visa provider. If this was being processed directly by the Government alone, it may (and I stress, may) be more acceptable to some. My IT / security training and background has provided substantial awareness & reasons as to who / whom we should tender our personal information and data. Tell me with a straight face that you've never received a 'scam' email from a Brazilian 'bank' or a supposed fake .gov.br email address. Just ask any Australian bank, if you're not sure.
I can guarantee that this Brasil Government policy is being roundly criticised not only in the USA but also in Canada and here in Australia. It WILL have a substantial negative affect on travel to Brasil - and that will be reflected in their economic models.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jan 2014
Total posts 340
Besides a VERY small number of countries, I’ve always had to provide financial records to get a visa on a South African 🇿🇦 passport!! When I finally make it down to Oz, I know I’ll have to do the same.
First World problems. This is what most people have to put up with when travelling if they not on a good passport.
BAEC
10 Jul 2019
Total posts 19
This is exactly how the Australian Government treats Brasilian citizens and many others from South America, purely reciprocal.
Brasil will remain a popular destination for those who are open to exploring this often-overlooked country regardless of how much a visa costs and what you need to be able to demonstrate.
07 Mar 2017
Total posts 62
Who knew that Australia demanded bank account details from Brazilians?
BAEC
10 Jul 2019
Total posts 19
Three months of statements requested for the last visa I saw being processed by the Aussie Government.
07 Mar 2017
Total posts 62
A personal tourist visa?
BAEC
10 Jul 2019
Total posts 19
Yep! Tourist visa for a Brasilian Citizen
25 Jun 2019
Total posts 8
They require even police checks and blood tests ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
07 May 2019
Total posts 14
That country is now off my list. Don't mind the $120, that's fair, but the "Printed bank statement showing transactions for the last 30 days and at least US$2,000 for travel purposes (for families, a signed sponsorship letter and bank statement from the main applicant is required). Business travellers must also provide an extensive list of supporting documentation detailing the nature of travel and local contacts, as well as job title and description, salary and more." makes it no go for me. Both north ad south american countries make a basic mistake that assumes I'll want to stay there after I've finished sightseeing or doing business but the truth is the exact opposite, particularly for the USA!
11 Jul 2023
Total posts 1
This draws attention to the obstacles that the Australian Government places on Brazilians wishing to enter Australia. It is simply a tit for tat measure. However, it will probably result in fewer Australians visiting Brazil.
13 Sep 2022
Total posts 10
This seems incredibly foolish by the Brazilian government. It's almost like they are trying to disincentivise Aussie travelers. One thing's for certain: Brazil is off my travel bucket list for the foreseeable future until their government realises the stupidity of this policy.
30 Jan 2015
Total posts 1
Unfortunately, this is a reciprocal visa process, the Aussie government asks the same (and depending on the visa even more details like a blood test and chest x-ray) and only grants a tourist visa valid for 1 year... at least the Brazilian government is granting 5 years validity.
One way would be to copy Canada's procedure, which grants the eTA as long as you have a US Visa or your country has a visa-free agreement with Canada. This way, you leave the hassle of checking documents and requesting a visa from the US government, and as long as the visitor has passed the American visa screening, it's less likely that this visitor will try to illegally immigrate or create any problems.
19 May 2021
Total posts 4
Where's the crowd from the passport fee increase comments. For 5 years, this fee is ONLY $24/year. Less than a cup of coffee a day for a normal work week per year.
Air Canada - Aeroplan
28 Feb 2015
Total posts 116
I'm not convinced this is a tit-for-tat move against Australian travellers. The above onerous conditions have been imposed on Canadians from the same date as Australians (10 Jan 2024) and Canada only requires an ETA from Brazilians.
18 Sep 2018
Total posts 9
I believe this is a mistake by Brazil. I also hold a Serbian passport and instead of applying matching visa restrictions, the Serbian government relaxed visa requirements and then went out and asked countries to provide visa free access to Serbian citizens. The result is today I have visa free or on-arrival access to 138 countries. This list is growing except when the EU insists Serbia remove visa free access to certain countries or Serbian passport holders will lose access to Schengen.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Jan 2018
Total posts 747
Given Brazil's enthusiastic membership of the BRICS economic bloc, I wonder what the vias costs are for visitors from Russia and the PRC?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2017
Total posts 38
It will become very expensive and a lot of bullshit document preparations from April this year, as if it is not hard enough already... We already have to have a huge airfare just to get to the South American continent, and then we also need to be vaccinated against yellow fever, as we have health/quarantine requirements on returning to Australia if we visited equatorial South America or Africa, so with everything else, this is really nasty what Brazil is imposing. It's not as if Brazil or other parts of Latin America have too many Australian or New Zealand visitors. Only a trickling from here as it currently stands, and this new requirement will kill any remaining desire for those very few who were still planning to visit. Air New Zealand and Aerolineas Argentinas are no longer flying from Australia to South America. Qantas is still flying, but given this new requirement, I just wonder for how long. Latam has reduced their capacity as well. And I am not keen or trusting on handing over my financial bank details to a third contracted party by the Brazilian government. Aussies will just change their mind and travel to countries where they feel more welcome. Forget Brazil. We are not wanted. Please don't give me this reciprocity excuse. On the main, Aussies do not over stay in most countries they visit. How does that compare with other nationalities when they travel to Australia....
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