More Canadians visiting Brazil thanks to new e-visa process

The simplification of the application process for visas to Brazil has resulted in a strong increase in the numbers of Canadians visiting the country, with 44 per cent growth in February over the same month in 2017.

That was the message of Embratur, Brazil’s tourism board, at an event held at the Sheraton Downtown Toronto Hotel yesterday evening. Ana Lélia Benincá Beltrame, consul general of Brazil, was joined by representatives from the tourism board to provide agents with updates on the process and showcase the best that the country has to offer for Canadian travellers.

The new e-visa process began on Jan. 18 of this year, allowing travellers to submit their application by registering on the website or through the mobile app and eliminating the requirement to present documents at a visa centre in-person.

Fee payment can be made through a Payment gateway, with the visa issued through a .pdf file (usually after five business days) that must be downloaded, printed, and presented upon boarding and landing in Brazil. Once granted, the visa is valid for up to 90 days in Brazil.

Growing numbers of Canadian visitors

The success of the new process was clear to see, Beltrame told PAX, with an increase in numbers heading both ways. “It’s already happening,” she said. “More and more Canadians are going [to Brazil] with electronic visas – this was a really good thing for tourists, both from Canada to Brazil and from Brazil to Canada; we have more and more people coming here.”

“It was not easy before,” she added, “[but] now it’s much easier.”

As for what Canadians can expect when they visit Brazil? Beltrame told PAX that the country offered a range of attractions for all tastes. “It depends on what you like,” she said.

“If you like the sun, and the white sands, and the beach, there are a lot of places you can enjoy; if you want to see waves, and surfing, and white sands and warm seas, there are a lot of beaches in Brazil you can go [to]… You have a lot of things to do, and it depends on what you’re willing to do.”

Iguazu Falls, she said, was a spectacular sight located in one of the country’s most significant national parks, while Brazil’s renowned Carnival festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the world every year. Don’t be surprised to see that number rise as a result of the simplified visa process.

Further information on the new eVisa process for Canadian visitors to Brazil is available here.