I am happy to have just read an article entitled: “Visa Waiver for Brazilians May Become a Reality” written by Joel Stewart at The National Law Review and posted there on Friday, August 10, 2012. This isn’t happening yet. They US and Brazil simply agreed to set up “…a working group to study the possibility…” But I am a huge advocate of travel so I am happy to see something that opens the doors for people, particularly of two stable and respectable countries, to get to know one another better.
I understand the issues of international travel. Sometimes we Americans focus on the issues of people overstaying their visas, working when they are not supposed to.
But the flipside of that is the great number of legitimate tourists that want to come, see the USA and spend their money there. I have been following the issue for a year as visas and reciprocal fees play roles in my plans and come up when I speak with those who wish to see the USA. (Believe it or not, not everyone wants to live in the US. Many people actually like their home and want to raise their children in their home country.) Tourism is up since President Obama took office, but not to what it could be, and tourism brings money and creates jobs.
Stewart writes: “One and a half million Brazilians visited the U.S. in 2011 and spent over one billion dollars. A visa waiver program would be expected to double the number of visitors within one year and increase jobs significantly.”
Steward also points out that the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics will be held in Brazil — and this will make it easier for many of us to go see these events.