Brazilians admitted into U.S. ‘Global Entry’ program

Photo: Rebekah Zemansky/Shutterstock

The Brazilian government announced on Monday that the country has been admitted to the Global Entry program, which allows fast-tracked clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in U.S. airports. Program members must pay a USD 100 fee and undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment.

Brazilian executives who fly often to the U.S. had been waiting to get into the Global Entry traveler program since 2012, when the two countries began negotiations. In November 2019, the U.S. government announced Brazil was on the verge of inclusion, but that last step took 27 months.

Before the pandemic, almost 2 million Brazilian citizens traveled to the U.S. annually — a flow that was disturbed by Covid. On the other hand, U.S. border authorities have become increasingly concerned about illegal immigration from Brazil — which increased as the country faced two generational crises in half a decade.

By 2018, Brazilians never accounted for more than 1 percent of people apprehended at crossing points, trying to illegally cross the border into the U.S. In 2021, they made up 3.3 percent of the total. The rise of Brazilian illegal immigration to the U.S. has led the Mexican government to propose a bill temporarily bringing back visa requirements for Brazilian tourists — which had been lifted in 2004.