Lula’s decision to resume visa requirements took into account, among other reasons, the principle of reciprocity with these countries.| Photo: Marcelo Chello/EFE

The Planalto Palace confirmed this Thursday (9), to the People’s Gazettethat the Brazilian government is resuming visa requirements for visitors from the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia to enter the country, but without a defined deadline.

In a note to the report, the Presidency’s communication department states that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s (PT) decision takes into account the “very small” performance in the number of tourists from these countries between 2019 and 2022, a period in which the exemption was in effect.

“Overall, 2019 saw a 12% increase among Americans and a 4.4% drop among Japanese (top two source markets out of four). And 2022 numbers were even lower than 2018 numbers, when a visa was required. In the case of Japan, the 2022 flow is about 1/4 of the 2018 flow,” he said.

According to the Planalto Palace, the decision also takes into account the “principle of reciprocity”, since these countries have not relaxed the visa requirement of Brazilian citizens after the exemption unilaterally adopted by the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL). “The reassessment of the measure by Brazil was already foreseen and that is what the government has just done”, completed the Planalto communication.

Also according to the note, the Brazilian embassies in the four countries have already been instructed to communicate the decision to the respective governments.