Brazil’s government published Decree 12.864 on 7 March, formally aligning its visa-waiver treaty with the European Union to the standard 90-day stay within any 180-day period. While the rule already applied in practice, codification ends lingering legal ambiguity for Brazilian executives rotating through Germany and other Schengen states. Under the updated accord, EU citizens enjoy identical privileges when visiting Brazil, mirroring the principle of reciprocity. Crucially, the decree anticipates the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) later this year: once operational, Brazilian nationals—including those heading to Germany for conferences or short-term assignments—must obtain pre-travel authorisation online and pay the €7 fee. German companies running near-shore IT or agribusiness ventures in São Paulo welcomed the move, saying it reduces the risk of inadvertent Schengen over-stays that could previously trigger entry bans. Travel-management companies are updating booking tools to display remaining Schengen days in real time. Law firms in Frankfurt caution that the 90/180 calculation is global across Schengen: time spent on holiday in Spain still counts against a client visit to Munich. They recommend documenting border crossings carefully until EES provides an authoritative digital record. The Foreign Office in Berlin confirmed that longer assignments will still require Germany’s national D-visa or the Skilled Immigration Act residence permit; the decree has no effect on work authorisation.
Source: Schengen90.app
