Waiting in a long line at your nearest Brazilian consulate will soon be a thing of the past.
The idea of drinking a caipirinha on a white sand beach has helped make Brazil an attractive destination for vacationers—but reaching the South American country isn't the easiest.
That’s because Brazil is one of the many countries that U.S. citizens need a visa to visit. Currently, travelers with an interest in flying south have to make an appointment at their nearest Brazilian consulate (and bring a valid passport, an extra photo, an application, and copy of a round-trip ticket) to apply for a said visa.
Thankfully, the process is about to get a whole lot easier. In November, Brazil will begin issuing e-visas, expediting the process for travelers from Australia; in January 2018, the system will expand to citizens from Canada, Japan, and the U.S., according to an article on the official news site of the Federal Government of Brazil. All you'll have to do? Apply online and wait for your visa to be issued (electronically) within 72 hours.
“The facilitation of visas aims to reduce bureaucracy and, above all, to boost the entry of foreign tourists into Brazil,” Tourism Minister Marx Beltrão said in a statement on the site. The easier application process is part of the Tourism + Brazil Plan, which was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in April and aims to bring a boost in tourism. According to the World Tourism Organization, this change—moving toward e-visas—could increase international tourism to the country by as much as 25 percent.