Brazil’s e-visa requirement for Canadian travellers postponed to April
IAN STALKER
What’s being billed as a streamlined, user-friendly process ensuring a more efficient and convenient electronic eVisa service for those travelling from Canada, the United States, and Australia to Brazil for business or leisure has been postponed to April 10. The new system was supposed to have been in place Jan. 10.
“Brazil is a popular destination for travellers across the globe, and we are excited to unveil the eVisa service which will make the visa application journey quicker and simpler for travellers from the United States, Canada, and Australia,” added Amit Kumar Sharma, head of VFS Global’s Americas operation. “With an anticipated annual customer count of 205,000, this seamless service aims to enhance the overall application experience. As we continue to innovate and enhance the travel experience, we look forward to providing our customers with even more convenient solutions in the future.”
The simplified e-visa application process is being welcomed by NARAT, which has years of sending visitors to Brazil.
“Brazil delayed implementing visa requirements for Canadians and Americans due to the significant post pandemic tourism benefit brought in by North American visitors,” said NARAT’s Renata Snidr, who anticipated the visa requirement. “Based on the principal of government reciprocity, where Canada has not yet exempted Brazilian nationals from Canadian visa requirements, it was only a matter of time for Brazil to reimplement the visa.”
Snidr doesn’t expect the new requirement to impact its sales to the destination.
“Over the years, we have expanded our offerings to cover various regions and experiences of Brazil. This includes cultural phenomena, such as itineraries encompassing its world famous Carnaval. Brazil has been rising in popularity in North America recently,” she said. “We have worked with the visa requirements previously, when the policy was in effect, both for our Brazilian tours and cross border tours, as the case of tours combining Argentina and Brazil’s Iguazú Falls; one of South Americas most famous tourist landmarks.”
Meanwhile, a Toronto travel agent has also applauded the eVisa development.
“Any time a visa process is streamlined and made user-friendly it makes our job as advisors easier. This is a good thing,” said Ethel Hansen Davey of Uniglobe Enterprise Travel.
The reintroduction of the visa requirement was based on the principle of reciprocity. The eVisa will cost US$80.90 per person and allow for multiple entries for the same period of validity five year period of conventional visas for Canadians.
More information about the new visa can be found at brazil.vfsevisa.com.
