Brazil exempts Chinese citizens from short-stay visas from May 11, 2026
Vice-President Alckmin announced May 7 the temporary visa-free entry for Chinese ordinary-passport holders, effective May 11 through December 31, 2026.
The Brazilian government formally waived short-stay visa requirements for Chinese citizens holding valid ordinary passports on May 7, 2026. Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin announced the measure at the Salão do Turismo in Fortaleza, and the corresponding memorandum of understanding was published the same day in the Diário Oficial da União. The exemption takes effect May 11, 2026 and runs through December 31, 2026.
What's changed
Chinese nationals will no longer require a Brazilian visa for short stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, transit, or artistic and sporting activities. Stays cannot be extended, but Chinese travellers may make multiple entries during the validity period provided no single stay exceeds 30 days.
The exemption is explicitly reciprocal, mirroring China's visa-free entry policy for Brazilian ordinary-passport holders that has been in effect since June 2025. Both measures are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2026 unless extended. The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) and the Ministry of Tourism are jointly responsible for the rollout, with consular issuance suspended for the covered categories.
Who's affected
The waiver covers ordinary-passport holders only. Chinese diplomatic and service-passport holders fall under separate bilateral arrangements unaffected by this measure. Chinese travellers entering for purposes outside the listed categories — including paid employment, study, journalism, or stays beyond 30 days — must still obtain the corresponding VITEM temporary-residence visa from a Brazilian consulate before travel.
The measure does not apply to nationals of Hong Kong or Macau holding HKSAR or Macau SAR passports; those passports follow Brazil's standard visa-free arrangements with those jurisdictions independently. Brazilians travelling to China remain covered by China's reciprocal exemption announced in June 2025, which permits stays of up to 30 days.
When it takes effect
The exemption begins May 11, 2026 — four days after the May 7 announcement — and runs through December 31, 2026. The Brazilian government has scheduled a formal review for October 2026 to assess extension or reversion. No application portal or pre-registration is required; eligible travellers present their valid Chinese ordinary passport at the Brazilian port of entry.