AMERICANS WANTING TO GO TO this summer’s Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro have, until now, had to deal with a pretty expensive truth: on top of the ticket fares and hotels, they’ll have to pay a heavy fee for a visa application. Brazil has a requirement that all US citizens get a 10-year tourist visa before coming, and that visa costs $160.
But in the spirit of the Olympics — and, undoubtedly, to entice more Americans to come to Rio and spend their money — the Brazilian government has waived that fee from June 1st through September 18th (the games themselves run from August 5th to August 21st). Any American tourist entering Brazil in that time frame will be granted a 90-day period in which they can stay in the country without a visa.
Japanese, Australian, and Canadian citizens will also have their visa requirements waived for the Summer Olympics. Brazil is in a pretty steep recession right now, so in terms of exchange, it’s one of the best times to go. And, should you want to go to Brazil but not deal with the crowds of the Olympics, there’s plenty of time in this window to visit before and after the games. 