The 31st summer Olympic Games will be taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next summer. Fans of the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games are already getting excited for Rio 2016. And with good reason! The Summer Olympics are a great opportunity to root for your home country and take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see the best in the world compete.
Thankfully, if you’re hoping to travel to the Olympics in Brazil next year, the Brazilian government has made things a little bit easier for you. The Washington Times reports that Brazil’s Lower House voted to ease up on visa requirements during the Brazil Olympics.
People visiting Brazil from the United States usually need to obtain a travel visa in advance, which costs $160 and can take anywhere from 10 to 45 business days to receive, depending upon where you live. However, during the Summer Olympics in Brazil, foreign travelers to the country will be able to obtain a 90-day Brazil visa waiver.
The details are still being worked out, but it looks like visitors will not need to have tickets to the Olympics in order to obtain the 90-day waiver. The beginning of the waiver period has yet to be determined, but no one will be able to arrive in Brazil without a visa after September 18, 2016.
The fact that you don’t need a ticket to the Olympics in order to obtain a waiver opens this program up to a lot more people. Currently, the Brazilian real is worth seventy cents on the American dollar. That means that tourists from America can make their money go quite far on a Brazilian vacation.
Even if you don’t get tickets to any Olympic events, you can still enjoy Rio de Janeiro and all of the festivities that it will have on offer next summer. We’re sure there will be ample opportunities for unique shopping experiences, partying, relaxing on the beach, and exploring Brazilian culture.
If you’re thinking of traveling to Brazil next summer, contact Swift for updates on the status of the 90-day waiver program and to learn how you can obtain your waiver.
If you’re visiting Brazil earlier than next summer, call our team at 877-917-9438 to find out what the current visa processing times are for your jurisdiction. Things are currently quite slow at several Brazil consulates, so it’s important to plan ahead, even if your trip is still two or three months away.
