Issue 4 | Jan-Mar 2021
A Brief Note From the Ambassador
Fellow Citizens,
I hope this message finds you and your families healthy and well in 2021, as we continue to face together this terrible pandemic. This year, we continue our commitment to the U.S.-Brazil bilateral relationship under the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration. We continue to explore opportunities to collaborate on key priorities like fighting COVID-19, environmental issues, human rights, trade and investment, and security. Above all, we continue working to support you, our fellow American citizens in Brazil. Our Embassy and Consulates General are continuing to hold Town Halls for U.S. citizens to ask questions directly to our staff about our services. We also have the Citizen Liaison Volunteer network, which is a group of private U.S. citizens in country who help facilitate communication between us and U.S. citizens in need. We are working to provide more information and engagement in the future to all of our U.S. citizens in Brazil.
I want to emphasize the importance of public health and safety in this critical time in the COVID-19 pandemic. The health situation in Brazil and across the globe remains as difficult as ever. Hospitals, medical professionals, and many others are under immense stress. The health, safety, and well-being of U.S. citizens remain a top priority for us. Be sure to check our U.S. Embassy website on our most recent travel alerts and resources for medical assistance. Please register for the U.S. Department of State’s Safe Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) if you haven’t already done so, to ensure you receive the most up-to-date information regarding conditions in Brazil.
In a world more virtual than ever before, social media can be a powerful tool to stay informed and up-to-date. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for access to content we have created just for you.
Please let us know if you need assistance or have any questions. You will find the contact information for the Embassy and all our Consulates General in Brazil here.
I hope 2021 brings you success, health, and happiness. Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Todd C. Chapman
U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
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Updates on Travel to Brazil
On January 26, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) implemented a new travel requirement that affects all air travelers to the United States. If you’re traveling to the United States, you will need to present a negative COVID-19 test. Please see the information below:
- To enter the United States via air, you will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result from within three days of travel in order to board your flight. If you have already recovered from COVID-19, you should be prepared to show proof of a positive viral test within the last 90 days and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you have recovered and been cleared to travel.
- You can receive viral testing in the Brazilian private healthcare system. Many labs provide private testing and prices typically run between $60 and $100. Make sure to be tested with a viral test (NAAT/PCR or antigen test) to determine if you are currently infected with COVID-19. Turn-around time varies, but usually is around one to three days for private labs. Public labs could take longer. Note that you must be tested no more than three days before your flight. Some laboratories may require a doctor’s order.
- Please check with your airline to determine in what language results can be submitted. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) requires air passengers to have a paper or electronic copy of their test result for review by the airline before boarding and for potential review by public health officials upon arrival in the United States. Passengers will also separately attest to the authenticity of the test presented. Airlines will not be permitted to board any passenger who is unable to present these documents.
- For all additional questions on the U.S. COVID-19 requirement, please see the CDC’s FAQs: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html as well as the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia’s COVID-19 page: https://br.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
Presidential Proclamation
On January 25, 2021 President Biden signed a proclamation continuing the suspension of entry of most visa holders who have been physically present in Brazil for 14 days prior to their proposed entry in the United States. While this Presidential Proclamation does not restrict the ability of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and their spouses and minor children to travel from Brazil to the United States, you may have friends and family that are affected. Though the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in Brazil have suspended routine nonimmigrant visa appointments, we will continue to provide emergency and mission-critical visa services as resources and local conditions allow. If you know someone that has an urgent matter and needs to travel immediately, please have them follow the guidance provided at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-br/niv, or enter in contact via email brazil_contactus+br+info+en@visaops.net, or by phone (https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-br/niv/information/contact_us) to request an emergency appointment.
