Starting August 24, 2024, nationals of Asian countries arriving at Brazilian airports will be required to obtain visas if they intend to stay in the country or continue their journey elsewhere, the Brazilian government announced. This new measure is a response to a significant increase in asylum applications from these nationalities.
Authorities have noted that over 70% of asylum seekers at Brazilian airports are from Asian countries, particularly India, Nepal, and Vietnam. The remaining applicants largely come from African nations such as Somalia, Cameroon, Ghana, and Ethiopia.
The Brazilian government aims to curb the flow of migrants using Brazil as a transit point to reach North America, especially the United States and Canada. Many of these migrants reportedly travel from São Paulo to Acre, a state in western Brazil, to access routes through Peru and Central America.
Brazil's federal police have reported a record 9,082 refugee requests between January and July 2024, a figure that has more than doubled compared to the entire year of 2023. The government hopes the visa requirement will help reduce the number of asylum seekers and address concerns about undocumented migrants, fake documents, and human trafficking networks.
This move follows a similar decision by Spain, which recently introduced transit visas for African nationals.