COVID-19: land and sea border closure extended

Update 8 January 2021: Ordinance 651 of 8 January 2021, reaffirms the ban on entry of non-resident foreigners by land and sea and flights arriving from our via the UK as well as COVID-19 testing. It also introduced a protocol for aircrews in Brazil. Ordinance 648/2020 has been revoked.

Update 24 December 2020: Ordinance 648 of 23 December 2020 reiterates the ban on the entry of foreigners by land and sea, with some exceptions, as well as the need for air travellers to present a negative RT-PCR test when checking in to embark to Brazil. It also banned flights departing from or via the UK.

Update 18 December 2020: Ordinance 630 of 17 December 2020 extended the ban on entry of foreigners by land and by sea for an indefinite period and revoked Intern-Ministerial Ordinance 615/2020. It imposed new requirements for non-resident Brazilians and foreigners travelling to Brazil.

Update 18 December 2020: Ordinance 630 of 17 December 2020 extended the ban on entry of foreigners by land and by sea for an indefinite period and revoked Intern-Ministerial Ordinance 615/2020. It imposed new requirements for non-resident Brazilians and foreigners travelling to Brazil. Read more here.

Brazil has reopened its air borders for short-term foreign tourists since August 2020 but maintains the ban on foreigners arriving by land or waterways, with a few exceptions.

Inter-ministerial Ordinance 615/2020 of 11 December 2020 extended the ban on entry of foreign nationals by land and by sea for 7 days. Entry through the land border with Paraguay remains permitted.

The temporary ban as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 does not apply to Brazilian nationals and:

• Foreign citizens with permanent residence
• Foreign professionals on a mission at the service of an international organisation
• Foreign employees accredited to the Brazilian government
• Spouse, partner, immediate family member or curator of a Brazilian citizen
• Foreign nationals whose entry is deemed by the government to be of the public interest or for humanitarian reasons
• Bearers of the National Migration Registry (RMN)
• Cargo transportation by any means of conveyance

The restrictions do not prevent the entry or disembark of foreigner seafarers to join or leave a ship or platform operating in Brazilian waters, provided they carry a seafarers’ identity document under ILO C185 or a valid passport with the required visa. There is also no bar to disembarkation for medical treatment. The shipping agents must seek permission from the immigration authority (Federal Police) and port health authority (ANVISA) for the crew change and provide an undertaking to Federal Police defraying costs.

Domestic travel limitations, COVID-19 negative certification procedures, and enforcement of social distance protocols vary from port to port. The local shipping agent should be consulted well in advance about a planned crew transfer in Brazil.

Consult our practical guide on the COVID-19 protocols applicable to the shipping industry.

Published 17 November 2020. Updated 8 January 2021.