The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has reconfirmed its Brazil travel advice as **current on 19 July 2026**, maintaining its warning against all but essential travel to several stretches of the Amazon, Itaquaí and Japurá rivers. While the underlying risk level is unchanged, the latest web refresh folds in two practical mobility concerns: a surge in airport–hotel taxi scams and evolving criminal activity along river corridors popular with eco-tour groups. The section on ‘Safety and Security’ now urges visitors to pre-book taxis through airport desks or ride-share apps with plate verification, after reports of fake-meter overcharging and express-kidnapping around São Paulo’s GRU and Rio’s GIG airports. For corporate travellers landing after midnight—common with long-haul flights from London—security escorts or vetted transfer services are strongly recommended. On the regional side, the FCDO expands its ‘Riverine Risks’ advisory, citing armed robberies and smuggling gangs that operate west of Codajás and north of Barcelos. Expedition cruise operators must now file itineraries with local maritime authorities, and several UK insurers have begun to exclude personal-effects coverage on unsanctioned river trips. The renewed guidance has HR implications: London-based multinationals sending staff to Manaus or Pará for energy and mining projects will need to update risk assessments, provide satellite comms and ensure that local hosts arrange secure ground transport. The notice also reminds British nationals that immigration officials may refuse entry to anyone without proof of onward travel and at least six months’ passport validity. FCDO continues to advise vigilance during large-scale protests and recommends contingency planning for flight delays during Brazil’s July-end wet-season storms, mirroring advice from other G7 governments.
