Brazil visa requirements for Kenyan citizens
Kenyan citizens need a visa for Brazil and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Minimum passport validity
- Whole stay
Last verified: 18 September 2026
How this visa is processed
Visa section of the Embassy of Brazil in Nairobi
The first thing to rule out is the shortcut. Brazil has an electronic visa, but its official portal reserves it for holders of United States, Canadian and Australian passports, so with a Kenyan passport there is no online route and the application is made in person by appointment. The Nairobi embassy also limits whom it serves: it receives applications from ordinary passport holders of Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Somalia, and from nationals of other countries residing in those countries on a permanent residence permit. Anyone outside that group must approach the Brazilian mission covering their place of residence, not Nairobi. The timeframe the embassy itself announces is up to 10 working days from the date of the appointment, and it states plainly that there is no fast-track processing and no emergency visa: buying the ticket before the visa is in the passport buys nothing.
Official application site →Application details verified on 18 September 2026. Sources: gov.br, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: the general information page of the visa section of the Embassy of Brazil in Nairobi (jurisdiction over ordinary passports of Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Somalia and over permanent residents of those countries, a timeframe of up to 10 working days from the appointment, and the absence of fast track or emergency visa) and the gov.br consular pages on the electronic visa ("Electronic Visitor Visa (e-Visa): U.S., Canadian & Australian Citizens"), together with the official e-visa portal, brazil.vfsevisa.com. Checked 18 September 2026.
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Authorisation system
e-Visa (only for Australian, Canadian and US passports)
Since 10 April 2025, Australian, Canadian and US passport holders need a visitor visa to travel to Brazil for tourism or business, and they apply for it as an e-Visa at brazil.vfsevisa.com, the portal the Brazilian consulates point to. It allows multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days per year. Other nationalities that need a visa cannot use the e-Visa: they apply at the Brazilian embassy or consulate responsible for them, using the Ministry of Foreign Affairs online form.
Apply on the official site →Processing time
Each embassy or consulate sets it. The embassy in Dar es Salaam, for example, gives 5 working days for a visitor visa without an interview and 10 days if there is one, counted from when all the documents are submitted. The e-Visa for Australia, Canada and the US takes about 10 working days on average.
Required documents
- Passport valid on the date of entry and for the whole stay, until you leave Brazil. Brazil requires no extra validity, although some consulates ask for more to process a visa.
- At the entry check, the Federal Police may ask for your ticket out of Brazil.
- They may also ask for proof of means of subsistence in line with the length and purpose of the trip.
Health insurance
Not mandatory for this destination.
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓Transit rules
Under Migration Law 13,445/2017, transit-specific visas ceased to exist: there is no longer one to apply for. You need no visa if you stay in the international transit area of the Brazilian port or airport without clearing migration control, and if you travel on a single ticket, even where it was issued by two or more airlines under a code-sharing agreement. The corollary to be clear about: Brazilian visas are never granted on national territory, so you cannot obtain one at an airport, port or border point. If your connection forces you through immigration and you need a visa, it must be arranged before you leave home.
More Brazil rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Brazil page:
Official portal: https://www.gov.br/mre. Destination data verified on 10 August 2026. Sources: Consulates General of Brazil in New York and Miami (gov.br/mre): e-Visa for Australia, Canada and the US, USD 80.90 and an average of 10 working days; Consulate General in Washington (gov.br/mre): make-up of the visa fee and reciprocity surcharge; Embassy in Dar es Salaam (gov.br/mre): visitor visa processing times; Embassy in Helsinki (gov.br/mre): passport validity required by Brazil; Decree 9.199/2017, Article 170 (planalto.gov.br): documents the Federal Police may request at entry; WHO country list on yellow fever (2022), travel.state.gov, paho.org and the CDC Yellow Book (yellow fever); Federal Revenue Service (gov.br/receitafederal): cash, alcohol and tobacco (checked 29 September 2026).
Travel insurance for Brazil
It isn't listed as mandatory for this entry, but without insurance, medical care during the trip can get expensive.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
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Things to see and do in Brazil
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Brazil need an electronic travel authorisation to enter Kenya. See the Brazil → Kenya page.
Of the 18 passports from Eastern Africa that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Brazil 1 enter visa-free and 17 need a visa. Same result as Kenya: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Madagascar.
With a passport from Kenya, in the rest of South America you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname; you need a visa for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
A passport from Kenya ranks 124 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 65 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Kenyan citizens need a visa for Brazil?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
How long does it take to get the entry permit?
Each embassy or consulate sets it. The embassy in Dar es Salaam, for example, gives 5 working days for a visitor visa without an interview and 10 days if there is one, counted from when all the documents are submitted. The e-Visa for Australia, Canada and the US takes about 10 working days on average.
What minimum passport validity is required?
Passport valid on the date of entry and for the whole stay, until you leave Brazil. Brazil requires no extra validity, although some consulates ask for more to process a visa.
What currency is used in Brazil?
Brazilian Real (BRL).
Can a Kenyan apply for the Brazilian e-visa?
No. Brazil's official electronic visa portal is limited to holders of United States, Canadian and Australian passports. With a Kenyan passport the process is in person at the embassy.
Whom does the Brazilian embassy in Nairobi serve?
Ordinary passport holders of Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Somalia, and nationals of other countries holding permanent residence in those countries.
Is there fast-track processing if the trip is imminent?
No. The embassy states there is no fast track and no emergency visa, and that the timeframe is up to 10 working days from the appointment.
What do Kenyan passport holders need for the countries near Brazil?
With a passport from Kenya, in the rest of South America you need a prior authorisation or a visa on arrival for Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Suriname; you need a visa for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Related pages
See Brazil requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.