The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) issued a fresh update to its Brazil travel advice page on July 15, 2026. While the overall advisory level remains unchanged, the revision adds detailed warnings for riverine areas of Amazonas state and expands guidance on scams that have recently targeted international visitors on arrival at São Paulo–Guarulhos and Rio Galeão airports. According to British consular staff, the update follows a spike in robberies involving unlicensed taxis and fraudulent digital-payment terminals used against arriving business travellers. The FCDO now urges visitors to pre-book official transfer services, use contactless payments only in trusted premises and avoid river travel west of Codajás unless “operationally essential.” The advisory also reminds travellers that many states, including Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, remain under a federal disaster decree because of flood damage that has disrupted inter-state trucking and may affect last-mile deliveries for corporate relocations. For firms relocating staff, the practical implication is that duty-of-care check-lists should be updated immediately. Employers are advised to review travel-insurance coverage, verify that local partners are using licensed ground transport, and brief employees on the new regional-risk map before approving travel to Manaus, Barcelos or border regions along the Amazon, Itaquaí or Japurá rivers. The updated UK notice also highlights heightened cyber-fraud; mobility managers should instruct travellers to use VPNs and avoid public Wi-Fi when accessing corporate networks. The FCDO’s move comes as other governments consider tightening advisories ahead of Brazil’s October municipal elections. Analysts say further changes are possible if political rallies spread to business districts in São Paulo or Brasília. With inbound corporate travel already 18 % higher than in 2025, timely communication of changing risk profiles will be critical for multinational companies operating in Brazil.
