Planning a Winter Escape to Rio? Americans Must Now Give Brazilian Government Bank Statements for Entry

Americans traveling to Brazil in the new year will need to first hand over potentially sensitive information, including a month’s worth of bank statements, in exchange for a short-term travel visa.

Starting on Jan. 10, American visitors will now need to fill out an online application and pay $80 in exchange for a visa that allows entry into the country for 10 years, according to travel blog View From the Wing.

Visitors need to prove they have at least $2,000 in their bank account and must show flight reservations with their arrival and departure times in order to be approved for the visa.

The Brazilian government announced in March it was rolling back a 2019-era waiver that allowed travelers from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan to visit the country without a visa.

Former President Jair Bolsonaro had lifted the travel restrictions with the hope of boosting international travel to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and other bustling tourist destinations inside the county.

In a September press release, the Brazilian government said it would consider lifting the requirements only if the United States agrees to loosen its own stringent visa requirements for Brazilian citizens.

Brazil has already come to such an agreement with Japan, whose citizens can continue to enter the country without a visa.

It’s unclear how the travel visa might affect international tourism to the Latin American nation, which saw a 74% spike in travelers between January and October this year, according to TravelPulse.

The U.S. State Department has a longstanding travel advisory for Brazil, warning American travelers to “exercise increased caution” due to crime.