Visitors from the US, Canada, Japan, and Australia can now enter Brazil without a visa requirement

If attending a match at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracanã stadium has been a dream since the 2014 FIFA World Cup, you can now cross it off your list without needing to visit the consulate first.

Starting June 17, tourists from the US, Canada, Japan, and Australia will no longer need a visa to travel to Brazil.

With a valid passport, travelers can stay in Brazil for up to 90 days, with the option to extend their stay to 180 days (though an extension requires approval from the Federal Police).

The announcement was made in March, just before Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's official visit to the White House.

On March 19, Presidents Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro issued a joint statement, revealing that, alongside the visa-free policy, they agreed to steps that would allow Brazil to join the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Traveler Global Entry Program.

Since the announcement, travel interest from the four countries has surged. In March, flight searches from Australia to Brazil rose by 36%, while searches from the US saw a similar 31% increase.

In the past year, global airlines have introduced new routes to Brazil. In November 2018, Brazil's largest airline, GOL, began direct flights to Miami and Orlando. Additionally, Virgin Atlantic and Norwegian Air launched new flights from London to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, respectively.

American Airlines leads the way in connecting the United States to Brazil, offering direct flights to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Manaus.

"American Airlines commends the Brazilian government for removing the visa requirement, allowing US, Canadian, Japanese, and Australian travelers to visit Brazil without a visa," said Martha Pantin, American Airlines' director of corporate communications, in an email to Dinogo.

In recent years, Brazil has introduced several initiatives aimed at boosting tourism and attracting more visitors to the country.

For years, European travelers have enjoyed the privilege of visiting Brazil without a visa. Similarly, citizens of neighboring Latin American countries can enter freely with just an identity card, bypassing the need for a passport.

In the lead-up to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil temporarily lifted its visa requirements for travelers from the four countries now permanently exempt, in an effort to boost tourism for the event.

The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism reported that transitioning to an e-visa system led to a 35% surge in applications in 2018.

A survey conducted by the ministry found that 88% of 2016 Olympic visitors expressed interest in returning to Brazil, especially if the visa-free policy remained in place.