Brazil will restrict entry to some Asian nationals, aiming to curb migration to US and Canada

Starting Monday, Brazil will impose new restrictions on the entry of certain foreign nationals from Asia who use the country as a transit point to reach the United States and Canada. The restrictions will specifically target migrants from Asian countries that require visas to stay in Brazil. The policy does not apply to those from Asian nations currently exempt from Brazilian visa requirements, nor does it affect U.S. citizens and many European nationals who also do not need visas to enter Brazil.

The decision follows a Federal Police investigation revealing that many migrants, particularly from India, Nepal, and Vietnam, have been using flights with layovers in São Paulo as a way to enter Brazil and then travel northward toward the U.S. and Canada. These migrants often stay in Brazil temporarily before continuing their journey through perilous routes, such as from São Paulo to the western state of Acre, which borders Peru, and eventually to Central America and the U.S. southern border.

The Brazilian government’s new guidelines will require travelers without visas to either continue their journey by air or return to their country of origin. The restrictions are a response to the increasing number of migrants seeking refuge at São Paulo's international airport, where more than 70% of such requests come from individuals of Indian, Nepalese, or Vietnamese nationality. The remaining requests are primarily from migrants from African countries such as Somalia, Cameroon, Ghana, and Ethiopia.

The surge in migrants has led to significant challenges at the airport and in regions like Acre state, where local authorities have noted an increase in undocumented migrants from countries like Bangladesh and Indonesia. These migrants often enter Brazil with fake documents, and there is concern about their involvement in illegal activities, including human trafficking and drug smuggling.

Brazil has traditionally been welcoming to refugees, granting thousands of humanitarian visas, particularly to Afghans, in recent years. However, the rise in migrants using Brazil as a stopover has strained the system, leading to growing frustration within the government. This has resulted in more restrictive guidelines for granting humanitarian visas, even as Brazil continues to participate in international agreements like the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's administration.