Brazil To Tighten Visa Rules; Aims To Curb Migration To US And Canada

The Brazilian government announced that it will introduce stricter visa rules starting next week. The justice ministry’s press office said that the country will begin imposing restrictions on the entry of some foreign nationals who are seeking refuge in Brazil as a means to migrate to the United States and Canada.

As per the updated rule, foreign travellers without a Brazilian visa who are headed for another country are required to travel on to their destination or return to their home country, reported Reuters. The rules will be implemented starting next week. Brazil's public security ministry mentioned that the country has witnessed a boom in foreign travellers, particularly from Asia, landing in the country for a supposed layover only to then apply for refuge while they are there. With the new rule, passengers without a visa will not be allowed to stay in the South American nation. 

Brazil's busiest international airport reportedly received over 8,300 requests for refuge between the beginning of 2023 and the end of June of this year. Notably, only 117 of those requests stayed active in the country's national migration system. "That means that 99.59% of the people who requested refuge at the airport - 8,210 - have either left the country or stayed irregularly," one of the reports stated, as quoted by Reuters. 

Reports, citing documents, indicate that more than 70% of requests for refuge at the airport come from people with either Indian, Nepalese, or Vietnamese nationalities. CNN reported that the reports of migrants seeking refugee status as a means to use the country as a waystation have caused frustration in the Brazilian government.