Issuance of U.S. tourist visas to Brazilians increases significantly in 2023

In the first half of 2023, the U.S. granted over 547,000 visas to Brazilians, marking a 34.8% increase from the same timeframe in 2022.

Of these, approximately 516,800 were allocated for tourism and business purposes, showing a 38.7% growth from the previous year’s first half.

This data, sourced from the U.S. Department of State, was analyzed by the Washington-based AG Immigration law firm.

Felipe Alexandre, a partner at AG Immigration, attributes part of this surge to the expanded public services offered by U.S. embassies and consulates in Brazil.

Additionally, he notes that the 2022 issuance was still rebounding from a near two-year halt due to the pandemic.

Alexandre predicts that if this trend continues, 2023 might witness the highest number of U.S. visa issuances recorded.

According to the research, Brazil ranked third in visa receipts in the first six months, followed by Mexico and India, with Colombia and China rounding out the top five.

Among the visa categories, cultural and professional exchange visas totaled 5,400, while student visas accounted for 4,300.

Discussing the influence of currency exchange rates, Alexandre states that while the dollar’s depreciation against the Brazilian real can be an incentive for travel, it might not solely explain the visa demand.

Economist Gilberto Braga suggests that due to expected currency volatility influenced by global events, potential travelers should consider purchasing foreign currency sooner rather than later, emphasizing the convenience of digital payment methods.

Brazilians looking to apply for a U.S. visa can schedule an appointment through the U.S. embassy’s website.

The waiting times vary, with tourism and business visas often having longer wait periods.

Certain applicants, like visa renewals or those under 14 and over 79, might be exempt from the interview process.