Dual Citizens: Don’t Forget Your Brazilian Passport

Planning a trip to Brazil with your US passport? If you’re a dual US-Brazilian citizen, think again. New visa rules are now in effect, and they’ve changed how dual nationals must travel.

For the past few years, Brazilians with dual citizenship could get by using their foreign passport. Since 2019, Brazil hasn’t required visitor visas for Americans, so entering with just a US passport was pretty simple. After all, Brazil only requires a valid travel document, even if it’s from another country.

But here’s the catch: as of April 10, 2025, the visa exemption for Americans has ended, which means that US citizens now need both a passport and a visitor visa to enter Brazil. And that’s where the problem starts because Brazilians can’t get a visa to enter Brazil.

Previously, the government advised Brazilians traveling on a foreign passport to bring their ID (cédula de identidade) so they could be registered as “Brazilian” upon entry. However, an April 2025 Consular Alert suggests otherwise. It now recommends traveling on a Brazilian passport to avoid complications.

Just make sure that your Brazilian passport isn’t expired. Airlines and immigration authorities won’t let you travel with an out-of-date document, and renewals can take time, especially during peak travel seasons.

Finally, don’t forget that to return to the United States, you’ll still need your US passport. US law requires that you enter and exit the country using your US passport. So before you fly, double-check that both passports are up to date and in hand.