Brazil Imposes Restrictions on Asian Migrants Seeking Passage to North America

Brazil will impose restrictions on Asian migrants trying to use the country as a transit point to the U.S. and Canada. Starting Monday, these migrants must have visas to stay in Brazil. Officials claim the majority of refuge requests at Sao Paulo's airport are from Indian, Nepalese, and Vietnamese citizens.

Brazil is set to implement restrictions on the entry of some Asian migrants who seek refuge in the country as a means to eventually migrate to the United States and Canada, according to a statement from the justice ministry's press office on Wednesday.

The new measures, effective from Monday, will necessitate Asian migrants who require visas to stay in Brazil to either continue their travel or return to their country of origin. This decision follows a Federal Police investigation revealing that many of these migrants book flights with stopovers at Sao Paulo's international airport and then remain in Brazil to start their northward journey.

Official documents shared with The Associated Press indicate that over 70 per cent of refuge requests at the airport are made by individuals from India, Nepal, or Vietnam. These changes aim to control the rising number of such cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)