U.S. Department of State will maintain existing Embassy Office and visa renewal and biometric registration services at the Visa Application Center (CASV), but will not build a new consulate in Belo Horizonte in the foreseeable future
Investment in operations in Belo Horizonte and in the construction of new Embassy in Brasilia and new consulates in Rio de Janeiro and Recife continues
U.S. Embassy Office in Belo Horizonte, August 22, 2019 – After careful analysis of future visa demand and existing capacity of consular services already offered throughout Brazil, the U.S. Department of State will not build a new consulate in Belo Horizonte in the foreseeable future. However, the visa renewal and biometric data collection services offered by the Visa Applicant Assistance Center (CASV), currently in the state capital, will be maintained and consular officers will continue to come to Minas Gerais, routinely and in case of emergencies, to offer services to U.S. citizens. Visa services will continue to be offered by the Embassy in Brasilia and at the consulates general in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Recife and Porto Alegre.
In addition, the U.S. Embassy Office in Belo Horizonte will continue to promote educational, cultural and professional exchanges, as well as trade between the United States and Minas Gerais. The office has increased staff to bolster outreach and commercial operations. In Brazil overall, the United States government is investing more than US $1.2 billion over the next several years to build a new embassy compound in Brasilia and new consulate general facilities in Rio de Janeiro and Recife.
The diplomatic staff in Belo Horizonte continues to increase the level of engagement with partners and the local public. Over the past few years, the U.S. government has supported local NGOs to offer English classes to public school students in different parts of the state, and has sent more than 200 students and professionals from Minas Gerais to exchange programs in the USA. Engagement with the local public will also continue through the seven Binational Centers, distributed throughout the state from Uberlândia to Juiz de Fora. In addition, the four EducationUSA offices – the official source of information for those who want to study in the United States – located in Uberaba, Juiz de Fora and two locations in Belo Horizonte — will continue to offer free counseling services.
According to U.S. Consul in Belo Horizonte, Rita Rico, partnerships aimed at promoting volunteerism, entrepreneurship and aspects of American culture will be expanded. “We will continue to invest in our bilateral relationship, in areas such as education, science and technology and in projects with our local partners, such as city halls, state government, universities, NGOs and other institutions. Our priority will continue to be to build, together with our partners in Minas Gerais, opportunities for growth and prosperity for our peoples.”
