US Tourist Visa Chances for Brazilian Passport Holders 2026

The Verdict

Our reference entry codes the Brazilian passport requirement for the United States as visa required, zero visa-free days. Tourism, business meetings, medical treatment and family visits all require a B-1/B-2 visa issued by a US embassy or consulate before departure. Brazil is not a Visa Waiver Program member, so no electronic authorisation can substitute for the visa.

Approvals for Brazilian applicants are routinely issued as multiple entry for up to 10 years, with the officer at the airport deciding each admission, commonly six months. The visa controls entry, not stay length — and a valid visa does not guarantee admission, so keep every trip documented and inside its conditions.

Who Must Apply and Where

Brazil uses a two-appointment system. First, applicants visit a CASV applicant service centre for fingerprints and photograph, then attend the consular interview at the US Embassy in Brasilia or the Consulates in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife or Porto Alegre. Both appointments need the DS-160 confirmation page with its barcode.

Brazilians legally resident elsewhere normally apply in their country of residence rather than flying home. Applicants under 14 or over 79 are generally exempt from the interview, and renewals within 12 months of expiry may qualify for interview-waiver processing without an in-person visit.

Required Documents

US officers decide on the whole file at the interview window — and with Brazilian volumes this high, the interview is short, so the documents must answer before being asked.

Fees and Costs

One government fee, plus optional private services.

The fee is non-refundable whether you are refused or withdraw. Compare the wider picture in our B-1/B-2 tourist visa guide.

Processing Time

Timing in Brazil is driven by the two appointments, not the decision — approval or refusal is given verbally at the consular interview, and passports are usually returned within a few working days after approval. Sao Paulo carries the heaviest demand in the country, so compare availability across posts when booking the CASV and interview together. Check the State Department's Global Visa Wait Times tool for the current wait at each post, fill the DS-160 first, then assemble the documents while waiting for the slot.

Approval Odds and Refusal Context

The State Department publishes an adjusted refusal rate by nationality each year. For Brazil it was 14.87 percent in FY2025, against 15.48 percent in FY2024 — below the South American median of 19.81 percent and among the strongest rates of any major applicant pool. Read the other way, about six in seven Brazilian decisions ended in issuance in FY2025. This is an adjusted figure designed to be comparable across nationalities, not a personal guarantee.

Section 214(b) still accounts for nearly all Brazilian refusals: the officer must be satisfied you have a residence abroad you have no intention of abandoning. First-time travellers with thin files, inconsistent purpose and prior overstays make up most of the refused minority. National baseline matters too — Nigeria's FY2025 adjusted refusal rate was 57.00 percent — but the file matters more. Full context sits in our US visa interview wait times page.

Tips to Strengthen the Application

• Answer the question asked. Officers want a short, consistent account of purpose and length of stay.
• Anchor the job. Carteira registration, employer letter with salary and approved leave dates.
• File the IRPF story straight. Declared income should match the bank balances on show.
• Show the pattern. Previous visas and compliant trips should be declared, never omitted.
• Explain family ties. Dependents, property and business in Brazil belong in the answer.
• Apply early, avoid fixers. The fee is fixed, the form is free, and no despachante can influence an American officer.

Frequently Asked Questions