Return of visa requirements for U.S. tourists is a mistake, data suggests

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration is adamant about reinstating tourist visa requirements for citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, and the U.S., which the previous administration of Jair Bolsonaro had lifted in 2019.

At a hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, a Brazilian ambassador stood by the government’s announced decision to bring back tourist visas for those countries starting October 1, despite widespread criticism from representatives of the tourism, hotel, and aviation sectors.

Ambassador Leonardo Gorgulho, secretary for consular affairs at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, argued that Brazil stands by a historical principle of reciprocity in immigration policy, adding that the unilateral waiver was “an outlier” in the country’s diplomatic history.

He added that Brazil would reinstate a policy of electronic visas for tourists from these countries, obtainable through a fully online process without requiring travel to or an interview at a Brazilian consular outpost. Visas will cost USD 80, compared to the USD 185 that foreign tourists will need to pay for a U.S. tourist visa starting May 30.

“In my opinion, a tourist who cannot afford USD 80 to come to Brazil is not a tourist who would spend large sums of money in Brazil,” Mr. Gorgulho said.

He also said that tourists from the U.S. and other countries are accustomed to traveling to countries that require visas, such as China, India, Indonesia, and Turkey. Indeed, about 2.4 million American tourists visited China in 2018,...