Most of what circulates about entering Brazil is either out of date or mixed up with the rules of other countries. In practice, only a few things decide whether you board your flight — and a couple of widely repeated "requirements" are not requirements at all.

What actually gates your trip

  • A valid passport. Citizens of Mercosur countries can also enter with their national ID document.
  • A visa, if your nationality needs one. This is where the rules changed most recently.
  • A plan the airline can see. Carriers check your documents at boarding, so anything missing stops you before you get near Brazilian immigration.

Do you need a visa?

Since 10 April 2025, citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia need a visitor visa — applied for online as an e-Visa. Much of Europe, the United Kingdom and most of South America still enter without one under visa exemption agreements. Chinese ordinary passport holders were added to the exempt group on 7 May 2026, for stays of up to 30 days.

The full picture, including how the e-Visa works, is in our guide to the Brazil tourist visa.

What Brazil does not ask you for

Two things travellers worry about unnecessarily:

  • A yellow fever vaccination certificate is not required to enter Brazil. The Brazilian health authorities are explicit about this. The international certificate matters when you travel from Brazil to a country that demands it, not to get in.
  • A CPF. The Brazilian tax number is not needed to visit, to stay in a hotel, or to see a doctor privately.

What is worth arranging anyway

  • Travel insurance. Not required, but private healthcare is paid out of pocket.
  • Your medication — enough for the whole trip, in its original packaging. A prescription from your own doctor is not valid at a Brazilian pharmacy.
  • The entry record you are given on arrival. Keep it: you need it if you later want to extend your stay.

For the full border checklist, see the documents needed to enter Brazil.

Frequently asked questions about travelling to Brazil

Do I need a yellow fever vaccine to enter Brazil?

Not to enter. Brazil does not require proof of vaccination at the border. Vaccination may still be advisable depending on where you are going, and the international certificate is required by some other countries.

How long can I stay?

Ninety days from entry, extendable by up to ninety more, with a ceiling of 180 days per year.

Do I need a return ticket?

Airlines and immigration officers may ask about your onward plans. Have your return or onward booking available.

Is travel insurance compulsory?

No. Brazil does not require it from tourists, but private care is paid by you, so it is a practical safeguard rather than a legal one.

Entry rules change and depend on your nationality. This is general information, current as of August 2026 — confirm your case with the Brazilian consulate for your country. Sources: Ministério das Relações Exteriores, Polícia Federal and Ministério da Saúde.

Travelling soon and want to know you can reach a doctor if something happens? See how an online consultation works, in English and with no Brazilian documents needed.