The Tourist Visa Changes U.S. Travelers Need to Know About for 2024

It looks like a few countries are switching up their immigration system a little bit in the new year.

Recently, a few foreign governments—including those of Brazil, China, and Turkey—announced a few changes they made to their own respective visa requirements for tourists. Don’t roll your eyes just yet—the good news is that the changes are mostly positive, and they will likely make it smoother for you and your travel party to travel internationally. And if you’re stressed about the new European entry requirements you may have heard about, don’t forget that the new ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) fee isn’t launching until 2025 now.

Here’s what we’ve learned so far in terms of 2024 tourist visa changes for Americans:

Brazil visa for U.S. citizens will be required

The Brazilian Tourist Board just announced that, starting April 10, 2024, passport holders from the US (as well as Australia and Canada) will need to apply for the country’s electronic visa (eVisa) to enter the country and see what the Latin American Summer trend is all about. Prior to this upcoming policy change, Brazil did not require a tourist visa for American visitors.

Travelers will need to pay $80.90 to obtain the visa, and they can do so completely online. Luckily, the visa will be valid for 10 years for US citizens, and it will allow multiple entries—so you don’t need to worry about getting a new one every time you head over to Brazil, unless your visa expiration date is coming up! (For context, the Brazilian eVisa has a validity period of only five years if you’re either a Canadian or an Australian passport holder).

For more information, you can visit this website.

China visa for U.S. citizens is now simplified

Starting on January 1, 2024, China started easing tourist visa restrictions for people visiting from the United States. The move is part of the country’s effort to attract foreign travelers since the recent reopening of its borders in 2023.

Now, if you’re traveling from the US to China, you won’t need to satisfy quite as many requirements as before in obtaining your tourist visa as a US citizen. Specifically, according to a notice by the Chinese Embassy in Washington, you won’t need to submit proof of your hotel reservations, your itineraries or invitations to China, or your roundtrip flight tickets.

Turkey visa for U.S. citizens no longer required

Travelers from Canada and the US will be pleased to hear this news. According to a recent official announcement made on December 23, 2023, tourists visiting Turkey from the US, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain will no longer need a tourist visa to enter the country.

Thanks to these changes, travelers from the above-mentioned countries can now spend 90 days in Turkey in any 180-day period without the need of a travel visa.