The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bar chart showing the percentage change of US tourist visa issuances to various Latin American countries, with Guatemala experiencing the largest increase | Sources: US Department of State, Latinometrics

Led by Boston and Floridian hotspots like Miami and Orlando, the US remains the top destination for Brazilians traveling abroad for tourism. After Mexico, Brazil was the top recipient of visas for tourism and business in 2024 (although this is changing this year, more on that below).

Colombians and Argentinians are also among those likeliest to take their vacation time and head north to visit family or see theme parks.

Chart comparing US destinations for Brazilian tourists, showing Boston and Florida are top destinations | Sources: Latinometrics
Which LatAm travelers are denied most by the US?

But not everyone makes it in. Even before this year’s massive immigration crackdown, which has involved new social media checks and financial requirements for all visitors to the States, your chances of landing a tourist visa have long depended on your nationality.

A few things go into the calculus for the rejection rate. One is political relations and US mistrust of the home country (sorry, Cubans). Another is how likely US authorities deem it that you’ll return home—if your compatriots tend to overstay their visas, or your home country is going through a difficult time, this will hurt your chances.

It’s little wonder, then, that Uruguay, a small and stable country in Latin America, has a lower rejection rate than even highly developed countries like France and Japan.

But how do the numbers look like so far this year?

Some countries have been getting up to 66% more approvals to travel.

Despite the new Trump administration targeting migration, Latin American visa issuances overall are about the same volume as they were last year: 2M B-visas were approved from January to May. But if we zoom into each country, US tourism looks very different to last year.

Brazil is the most notable story: Their B-visa emissions are 26% lower than in 2024, although it’s not yet clear how much is due to rejections and how much is due to a reduced interest to visit the US as both countries engage in diplomatic disputes. This took them from the 2nd most common tourist visa recipient recipient to 4th, surpassed by India and China.

On the flip side, Guatemalans, Hondurans, Colombians, and Dominicans are all receiving 30%+ more visas than last year, making up for all the lost Brazilian travelers.