Brazilian birth certificate requests in U.S. hit record high

Brazilian consulates in the United States have seen a record surge in requests for Brazilian birth certificates for children born in the U.S. to at least one Brazilian parent. In 2025, requests exceeded 21,000, a 271% increase compared to the 5,660 requests recorded in 2021.

According to data from Itamaraty, the primary driver for this increase is the tightening immigration policies of the Donald Trump administration. Families are seeking these documents to secure Brazilian passports, allowing children to travel to Brazil without needing U.S. visas. There is also significant concern among parents that if they are detained by U.S. immigration authorities, their children—without Brazilian nationality—could be placed in government shelters.

Specific consular posts have seen massive growth, with Boston, New York, and Miami reporting increases of 551%, 339%, and 119%, respectively, since 2021. The surge follows a period of increased deportations; since January 2025, approximately 5,000 Brazilians have been deported from the U.S. via 63 flights.