Brazil to tighten entry rules to curb migration to North America

22/8/2024 12:32

        Brazil will tighten up rules to enter the country without a visa starting next week, the government said on Wednesday, after migrants have been increasingly using the South American nation as a stop-over on the way to the United States and Canada.
        
        Starting on Monday, foreign travellers without a Brazilian visa who are headed for another country must travel on to their destination or return to their home country, Brazil's public security ministry told Reuters in a statement.
        
        Brazil has seen a boom in foreign travellers, particularly from Asia, landing in the country for a supposed layover only to then apply for refuge while they are there, the ministry said.
        
        Now, those passengers without a visa will not be allowed to stay in Brazil.
        
        According to two reports from authorities seen by Reuters and a senior police source, investigations have found that those migrants are requesting to stay in Brazil, alleging persecution and threats in their home countries.