Brazil has removed visa requirements for Chinese nationals, with the policy taking effect on May 11, 2026 and running until December 31, 2026, VisasNews reported on May 8.
Chinese nationals are now exempt from visa requirements for travel to Brazil for tourism, business, transit, artistic performances, sports activities, and certain short-term technical activities under a reciprocity-based policy. The waiver permits a maximum stay of up to 30 days per year.
The decree, published in Brazil’s Diário Oficial da União, completes the reciprocity arrangement created when China began admitting Brazilian tourists visa-free in mid-2025.
The decision was confirmed by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin during the opening of a major tourism event in Fortaleza.
Despite previous visa requirements, the number of Chinese visitors to Brazil rose sharply in recent years. In 2025, more than 100,000 Chinese tourists travelled to Brazil, while arrivals during the first quarter of 2026 increased by 35% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Brazil is China’s top trading partner in Latin America, with bilateral commerce surpassing $170bn in 2025. Mobility teams had long flagged that obtaining a Brazilian business visa could take three to five weeks.
Brazil recorded a new high for foreign visitor arrivals in 2025, with more than 9.2mn international tourists. Authorities say they are also working on professional training, safety, and adapting services to the expectations of Chinese travellers, while improving air connectivity between the two countries. So far, 325 agencies registered with Brazil’s Cadastur tourism register are authorised to receive groups of Chinese visitors under the country’s Approved Destination Status programme.
Authorities in Brazil and China are expected to monitor implementation and may extend the visa waiver beyond December 31, 2026, subject to formal announcements.