RIO DE JANEIRO — Starting Jan. 8, Canadians will no longer need to apply for a visa in person to visit Brazil, and instead can take advantage of a new electronic visa program that’s expected to usher in a new wave of tourists.

Brazil has already begun to roll out the e-visa program that eliminates the need for visitors to physically visit a visa centre in their own country to apply for and receive a tourist visa to travel to Brazil. Currently, the time-consuming visa process hinders many visitors from entering the country.

With the new program, e-visas will be electronically issued within 72 hours of receipt of a correctly completed application.

Marx Beltrão, Brazil’s tourism minister, predicts the program will increase tourism to Brazil by up to 25%.

With the Jan. 8 date, Canadians will be among the first to test out the e-visas; U.S. citizens won’t be able to apply until Jan. 15. Residents from other countries, including Qatar and the UAE can expect to have visa requirements eliminated completely as the result of negotiations with Brazil.