The government of Mexico published in its official gazette this Friday (26) the determination of the return of the visa requirement for Brazilians, as announced by the sheet. The measure takes effect in 15 days, according to the publication, on December 11th. Until then, to enter the country for tourism or business, Brazilians only need to present their passport.
The measure was taken in view of the increase in the number of Brazilians trying to enter the United States illegally from the border with Mexico. After a reduced flow of migrants in 2020, when many countries imposed travel restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the number of Brazilians trying to enter the US illegally has exploded this year.
According to data from the US Customs and Border Protection Service (CBP), there were more than 47,000 apprehensions between October 2020 and September 2021. According to the Federal Police, 9,000 people were arrested in August alone. crossing from Mexico to the USA. Brazilians usually fly to Mexico and, from there, try to cross the land border with the US.
In the document published on Friday, the Mexican government justifies “that it identified a substantial increase in Brazilians entering” the country “with a purpose other than that permitted”. The document also states that the country’s Foreign Affairs Secretariat had already informed the Jair Bolsonaro government that this decision would be taken.
The type of document that will be required will be electronic visa for Brazilians arriving in the country by air transport. To enter by land or sea, the visa will need to be processed at a Mexican consulate.
The document emphasizes that the measure is temporary and that the two governments will work to “guarantee safe, organized and regular migratory flows that will allow, at the right time, to reactivate the suspension of visas”.
The current visa exemption between Brazil and Mexico has been applied since 2013. The non-demand agreement is prior, but the Mexicans suspended it for the first time in 2005 — at the time, Brazil applied the principle of reciprocity and also started to ask for the document.
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The increase in the flow of Brazilians trying to enter the US worries Itamaraty, the Federal Police and the Biden government. Crossing over land involves enormous risks, say authorities in Brazil and the US, and most migrants end up being detained on either side of the border.
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