São Paulo – Brazil will now demand a negative COVID-19 test from all arrivals starting on December 30. All arrivals will be obliged to show a negative PCR test, taken no longer than 72 hours before departure.
The Ordinance No 630 of December 17, 2020, in cooperation with the chief ministers of the presidency, was published last Thursday on Brazil’s Official Gazette and sets “exceptional restrictions for foreigners visiting Brazil and citizens returning via air, land or sea.”
“The traveler, foreigner or citizen, must present to the airline before departure: I – Proof of a lab test (RT-PCR) for screening the infection of SARS-CoV-2 with a negative/non-reactive result taken no longer than 72 hours before departure of the inbound flight,” reads the paragraph 1 of Article 7 of the Ordinance.
The obligation is not valid for permanently domiciled immigrants, foreign professionals working for international organizations, and officials from other countries.
Foreigners that are relatives or spouses of Brazilians, are authorized by the federal government “due to public interest or for humanitarian reasons” or have the National Migration Registry Card are excluded from this requirement.
The Ordinance adds the restrictions do not apply to humanitarian causes in border areas or the movement of people in “twin cities” in Brazil and neighbor countries and people working with cargo transport.
The rule also does not include foreigners that have entry visas, come from Paraguay by land as long as their migratory situation is regular.
Travelers who do not meet these requirements will be subject to deportation, fines and disqualification from seeking refuge.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
