Increase in Russian Birth Tourism to Brazil

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and stricter regulations in Argentina, an increasing number of Russians are traveling to Brazil to give birth, allowing their children to obtain Brazilian nationality. Yulia and Dmitri, who traveled from Russia to Brazil this summer, welcomed their child at a private clinic in Santos. Yulia, who was 32 weeks pregnant at the time, stated, "Of course, we didn't say that I was pregnant at border control." The family is currently preparing the necessary paperwork for their daughter's citizenship. Dmitri mentioned that having a Brazilian passport would enable their daughter to travel without a visa to many countries, avoiding the need for a Schengen visa. They spent approximately €10,000 (about $11,500) during the first six weeks of their stay, which included costs for their daughter's intensive care. Dmitri has quit his job at a bank for the trip and plans to seek employment again after returning to Moscow. However, they intend to stay in Brazil until all documents for their daughter are finalized, which may take months. Some Russian families have opted to remain in Brazil permanently. Organizations and lawyers supporting Russians in Brazil have reported a rise in immigration from Russia since the invasion in 2022, coinciding with tightened visa requirements for Russian nationals in various countries. Birth tourism to Brazil has surged, particularly after Argentina tightened its regulations, requiring prospective parents to reside in the country for at least two years to obtain citizenship for their children. In 2023, more than 7,000 Russians applied for residence permits in Argentina, but this number fell to about 1,800 by mid-2025. In contrast, nearly 500 Brazilian passports were issued to Russians in 2024, with over 600 issued the following year, more than half of which went to women. Parents of children born in Brazil can apply for residence permits under certain conditions. Yana, another Russian mother, shared that the events of 2022 influenced her decision to give birth abroad. She gave birth to a boy in Florianopolis and stayed in Brazil for about three years, emphasizing the importance of obtaining passports for her family. The Russian community in Brazil, particularly in Florianopolis, is expanding. Local health authorities reported that 119 Russian women sought prenatal consultations in the first half of this year, compared to 136 in all of 2025. A lawyer noted that Brazil does not explicitly prohibit or permit foreign nationals from entering the country for childbirth, and many pregnant women do not disclose their reasons for travel at border control. Once in Brazil, they have access to public hospitals and medical facilities regardless of immigration status. As Russian birth tourism grows, a support industry has developed, with recent Russian immigrants assisting others in finding housing and medical care. However, there are reports of stricter controls by Brazilian authorities in cities with larger Russian populations, with increased documentation requests. Despite these controls, there is no evidence that Russians are being broadly denied entry to Brazil. A report from the Russian Telegram channel Baza claimed that 10 pregnant women had been deported from Russia, but Brazilian police denied this, stating that entry decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and that pregnancy does not influence the process. DW found only one documented case of a pregnant Russian woman initially denied entry, who was allowed in after legal intervention due to concerns about her financial means. The woman did not respond to inquiries from DW. This article was originally written in Russian.