Questions Arise About Bolsonaro’s US Visa Status

Reuters reports:

The United States has not received any official requests from the Brazilian government regarding the status of former President Jair Bolsonaro after his supporters stormed Brazil’s Congress, the White House said on Monday.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters it appeared that democratic institutions in Brazil were holding. He said U.S. officials are not in direct contact with Bolsonaro, who is believed to be in suburban Orlando, Florida.

It is incumbent on a person who entered the United States on an “A” visa reserved for diplomats and heads of state to depart the country within 30 days or apply for a change of immigration status if they are no longer engaged in official business. It is believed that Bolsonaro entered the U.S. on such a visa.

Read the full article.

Bolsonaro’s move to Florida could help insulate him from legal jeopardy, analysts say. His decision to reside in Trump’s state of residence also hasn’t escaped notice.https://t.co/HfVdDkE8U3

— NPR (@NPR) January 9, 2023

How did Bolsonaro get into the USA? It seems he slipped into the US on his special head of state visa just before it was canceled and now its awkward for the US to cancel it. https://t.co/54SIC430Ae

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) January 9, 2023

“A U.S. consular official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bolsonaro had almost certainly entered on an A-1 visa, which are reserved for heads of state… ‘We’re in uncharted territory,'” reports @gabstargardter https://t.co/0U6i4pTpvS

— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) January 9, 2023

The U.S. State department @nedprice answered questions regarding Bolsonaro’s current diplomatic visa. He confirmed that someone holding this type of visa would have 30 days to leave the ?? or request a change in status to said visa pic.twitter.com/lTDtqWQZLD

— Brazil Update (@BrNewsUpdate) January 9, 2023