Both Brazil and Turkey have changed visa rules that will benefit Canadian travellers. But while the latter has cancelled visa requirements for several countries, including Canada, Brazil has only postponed the reintroduction of requirements until April 10.

It’s the second time Brazil has postponed the starting date for visas, which were to be required as of this week (Jan. 10) following the first postponement of implementation on Oct. 1.

Former president Jair Bolsonaro scrapped the visa requirements in 2019 to support the tourism industry, but the three countries continued to demand visas from Brazilians. The South American country requires visas from travellers based on principles of historical reciprocity and equal treatment.

The statement said the government was still finalizing the new visa system and wanted to avoid implementing it close to the high season, mainly during the New Year’s celebrations and Carnival festivities in February, which attract tens of thousands of tourists.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reinstated the visa requirements after he took office one year ago. The countries in question initially included Japan, but the east Asian nation struck a deal with Brazilian authorities in September to ease travel provisions between the two, keeping its citizens off of the new list.

Turkey

Meanwhile, as of Jan. 1, Canadians and Americans vacationing in Turkey no longer require an E- visa to visit, as the country joins the rest of Western Europe as being visa-free. Cost of the document was approximately $60.

The change (at press time) was not reflected on Turkey’s e-visa web site, but the new decree was signed by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Dec. 22.