12 November 2015

Brazil Olympics Visa-Free

The Brazilian parliament has approved a law waiving the visa requirement for Canadians travelling to Brazil during the Olympics.

According to the new law passed by the senate, there will be a ninety (90) day window of visa-free entry to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ending on 18 September 2016. This should be come active as of 19 June 2016, but is still to be determined.

It also seems that a ticket to an olympic games is NOT required in order to benefit from the new visa regime.

However, conflicting wording from Brazil means that it is still unclear as to whether this only applies to Rio and other olympic cities, or to the country as a whole. The tourism minister has said both at different times, so the reality is still unknown. Visitors arriving at other locations could face the possibility of being denied entry for lack of a visa to a non-olympic place.

Click here for Brazil visas.