In a bid to contain a nationwide Hepatitis A spike—3,400 confirmed cases in the first half of the year—the Brazilian Ministry of Health published an ordinance on 3 July making the vaccine compulsory for every foreign traveller from 1 August 2026. Evidence of a single-dose immunisation (or serologic proof of immunity) must be dated at least 14 days before arrival and shown alongside the passport. Children under 12 months and travellers with certified medical contraindications can request a waiver, but cruise passengers disembarking even briefly must comply. Airlines have been asked to incorporate the certificate check at the point of boarding, similar to Yellow-Fever protocols. The policy goes further than previous guidance, which merely recommended the shot for long-stay visitors. Businesses that rotate staff through Brazil—oil-and-gas platforms, tech-implementation teams, sports events—must now update travel-health checklists. Multi-national HR managers are encouraging employees to schedule the vaccine during routine physicals because last-minute airport clinics, although available, add time and cost. Neighbouring Argentina and Chile introduced comparable rules in 2025, and the World Health Organization endorsed Brazil’s move, noting overlapping outbreaks linked to food-handling in tourist hubs. Authorities will review the mandate in January 2027; early revocation is possible if incidence falls below 0.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Travellers vaccinated in the last 20 years need no booster. However, digital nomads entering on the VITEM XIV remote-work visa should upload a PDF of their International Certificate of Vaccination to the MigranteWeb portal to avoid delays when converting to residence status.
Source: Atlas Guide / Reuters
