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In a historic turn of events, the Brazilian Senate has just approved a measure that eliminates visa requirements for citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia. This comes as the US continues to deport Brazilians, creating a tense scenario in international relations.
The Brazilian Senate approved this Wednesday (19) the visa exemption for citizens of United States, Canada and Australia.
This measure represents a significant change in Brazil's migration policies and aims to facilitate the entry of tourists from these countries into the national territory.
The proposal, which was evaluated urgently, now goes to the Chamber of Deputies for analysis.
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The vote took place amid a tense political scenario, as the Brazilian government is still trying to reverse a previous decree that required a visa for citizens of these countries, issued by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in 2023.
The scenario has become even more complex with recent pressure from Itamaraty, which defends the principle of reciprocity in Brazilian foreign policy, fundamental to the country's diplomatic relations.
The approval of this measure marks the end of a long discussion about the relaxation of immigration rules in Brazil and its consequences for tourism and the local economy.
The history of visa changes and the Senate's turnaround
The proposal, which was recently approved by the Senate, aims to reverse a decree that once again required visas for citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan.
Lula's move was a reflection of a broader political movement focused on ensuring that visa requirements between countries were more balanced and reciprocal.
This would mean, for example, that if a country requires a visa for Brazilians, Brazil would also apply the same requirement to citizens of that country.
In 2019, during the government of Jair Bolsonaro, a decree had suspended this visa requirement for citizens of several countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia.
In practice, this facilitated the entry of tourists from nations such as the United States, something that had a positive impact on tourism and the national economy.
However, with the Lula government, the reciprocity policy was reestablished, which led to the need for visas for tourists from the aforementioned countries.
This decision to revoke the exemption was seen as a way to bring Brazil into line with other countries that also require visas for Brazilians.
The role of Senator Carlos Portinho and the exemption proposal
The movement to revoke the presidential decree began with Senator Carlos Portinho (PL-RJ), who, in August 2023, presented a legislative decree proposal in the Senate with the aim of suspending the visa requirement for citizens of the USA, Canada and Australia.
Portinho argued that, in an increasingly globalized world, the principle of reciprocity was going against Brazil's interests.
For him, this measure would create unnecessary bureaucracy for tourists and would negatively impact the economy of states and municipalities, which depend on tourism to boost the local economy.
Portinho's proposal received support from many senators, who believe that visa exemption could generate more opportunities for Brazil, especially with regard to tourism and international business.
Furthermore, visa exemption also aims to attract investment, as it facilitates the arrival of foreign tourists and businesspeople, in addition to strengthening the country's image abroad.
However, the proposal has generated controversy within the government, especially at Itamaraty. Advisors to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have spoken out against the approval of the bill, arguing that the policy of reciprocity is a traditional pillar of Brazilian foreign policy.
The position of Itamaraty
According to information gathered by the Terra portal, Itamaraty put pressure on the Senate to reject the proposal.
Parliamentary advisors from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited senators' offices on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, to highlight the importance of reciprocity in diplomatic and consular relations.
For Itamaraty, the visa exemption does not represent a clear benefit for Brazil, since there is no concrete data showing an increase in the number of foreign tourists after the adoption of the exemption.
Although the visa exemption was applied to tourists from the United States, Canada and Australia, Itamaraty does not believe that the measure had a significant impact on the increase in visitors.
According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the number of tourist arrivals from these countries remained stable, which raises questions about the real need to reverse previously established policies.
Economic and tourist implications
Visa exemption for citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia could have a significant impact on the Brazilian economy, especially in the tourism sector.
These countries are some of the main sources of tourists visiting Brazil each year, and the measure could result in more tourists, which could boost the local economy, especially in states such as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Bahia.
With the visa exemption, Brazil is expected to see an increase in the number of visitors, which could generate more jobs in the tourism sector, in addition to boosting other areas of the economy, such as gastronomy, commerce and culture.
Furthermore, the relaxation of visa rules could attract more foreign investors to Brazil, as it makes it easier for international executives and businesspeople to visit the country.
This can result in more business opportunities, commercial partnerships and investments in different sectors of the economy.
