Yes. Since April 10, 2025, every US passport holder has needed a valid Brazilian visa to enter the country, regardless of whether they're arriving for a weekend in Rio or a two-week Amazon trip. This reversed the visa-free policy the two countries had shared since June 2019. The Brazilian government describes the change as a reciprocity measure: the US requires Brazilians to hold a visa, so Brazil now requires the same of Americans.
The good news is that the process no longer requires a consulate visit. Since December 2023, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) has run the requirement through a fully digital eVisa system. There's no in-person interview and no passport stamping - the approved eVisa arrives as a PDF by email.
Every US citizen travelling for visit-type purposes is eligible to apply, provided they hold a valid US passport. There's no separate approval tier for "easier" nationalities - the eVisa is the only route available to US travellers for short stays; a small number of longer-term categories (work authorization, residency, study exceeding 90 days) still require an in-person consular visa, not the eVisa.
The eVisa falls under Brazil's Visitor Visa category (VIVIS) and permits:
It does not authorize paid work in Brazil under any circumstance. If your trip involves a Brazilian employer paying you directly, you need a different visa category entirely - the tourist/business eVisa won't cover it, and using it for that purpose is a violation that can result in deportation or future entry bans.
To apply, you'll need:
The official eVisa system states the passport must be valid for at least one month beyond your arrival date. In practice, many airlines and some land-border checkpoints still apply the broader international norm of six months' remaining validity, so renewing early is the safer move if your passport is getting close to expiry - don't rely solely on the one-month minimum if you can avoid it.
Blurry scans, cropped bio pages, and outdated photos are the most common reasons applications get sent back for correction - check the sample files before uploading.
Applying two months ahead of travel is the safe margin the operator itself recommends, since delays can happen and non-refundable tickets shouldn't be booked before approval.
Up to 10 business days once your application has been fully verified and submitted. Some applicants receive their eVisa faster, but 10 business days is the outer bound the operator quotes - treat it as your planning baseline, not the best case.
Holding a 10-year eVisa does not mean you can stay in Brazil continuously for 10 years - each individual stay is still capped at 90 days (extendable once), and you must remain outside Brazil in between visits by however much your total annual stay requires.
Minors under 18 need their own passport, their own photograph, and additional documentation, which varies depending on the family situation:
The exact combination depends on custody status and whether both parents are living, so it's worth reviewing the requirement carefully rather than assuming the standard document set applies to your family.
If you want to stay longer than 90 days on a single visit, you must apply to the Polícia Federal (Federal Police) before your original 90 days expire - not after. The extension:
Missing the deadline before your 90 days lapse puts you at risk of a fine and being asked to regularize your status or leave within 60 days.
The eVisa only covers short visit-type stays. If your trip involves employment in Brazil, university enrollment beyond a short course, or residence, you'll need to apply for the applicable visa category directly through a Brazilian consulate - the eVisa portal explicitly doesn't cover these.
An approved eVisa authorizes travel to Brazil - it does not guarantee entry. Final admission decisions rest with Brazilian Federal Police officers at the port of entry. Officers may still ask for proof of onward travel, accommodation details, or sufficient funds, and can deny entry in rare cases even to eVisa holders. Bring your printed eVisa and physical passport; airlines will also check for the eVisa before boarding.
Yellow fever vaccination is not required by Brazil for entry, though the Ministry of Health recommends it, particularly for travel to the Amazon region and parts of the country's interior. It's worth noting separately if you plan onward travel to neighboring countries such as Bolivia or Peru, some of which do require proof of vaccination for travelers coming from Brazil.
Last reviewed: July, 2026
