Obama's Efforts Applauded by US Travel Association
With the FIFA World Cup landing in Brazil in 2014, the goal of expedited travel between the U.S. and Brazil is heading downfield.
Barack Obama and Dilma Rousseff, the presidents of the U.S. and Brazil, respectively, announced that the two countries would be working together on provisions in their respective countries, which would put Brazil into the US Visa Waiver Program and ease restrictions in Brazil.
If successful, the efforts in both countries would ensure that travel for both US and Brazilian citizens between the two countries could occur without the sometimes-lengthy process of having to obtain visas.
Barack Obama and Dilma Rousseff, the presidents of the U.S. and Brazil, respectively, announced that the two countries would be working together on provisions in their respective countries, which would put Brazil into the US Visa Waiver Program and ease restrictions in Brazil.
If successful, the efforts in both countries would ensure that travel for both US and Brazilian citizens between the two countries could occur without the sometimes-lengthy process of having to obtain visas.
Once the U.S. certifies a country’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program, then citizens from those countries can travel to the U.S. for 90 days without having to secure a non-immigrant visitor visa.
Obama already had directed officials to speed the visa process by 40% for Brazilians seeking entry into the U.S., and the U.S. State Department says it intends to open new consulates in Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte, Brazil, as part of the effort.
U.S. citizens currently need a U.S. passport and a visa to travel to Brazil, whether it is for a business trip or vacation. Visas cannot be obtained when landing in Brazil at the airport; U.S. citizens can apply for a visa at the Brazilian Embassy or consulate in the U.S.
If Brazil qualifies for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program and Brazil adopts legislation to drop its visa requirements for U.S. citizens, then these steps should pave the way for expansion of travel between the two countries.
The U.S. Travel Association welcomed the developments.
“We applaud Presidents Obama and Rousseff for their commitment to facilitating visa-free travel, and we are greatly encouraged to hear the State Department is opening two new consulates in Brazil,” said Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Brazilians who come to the U.S. are walking stimulus packages, and today’s announcement positions the U.S. for additional jobs and economic growth. We look forward to Brazil quickly satisfying the requirements for the Visa Waiver Program.”
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