More than 1,100 Ukrainians have landed in Brazil since the beginning of the war, says PF

More than 1,100 Ukrainians have landed in Brazil since the beginning of the war on February 24, according to Federal Police (PF) data. Of these, 13 were granted a humanitarian visa, one is classified as a refugee and another has requested refugee status.

In the last days of last month, 160 Ukrainians entered Brazilian territory. In March, until the 21st, there were 944 people, totaling 1,104 since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

The data search was based on the records of the traveler’s classification as Ukrainian at the Federal Police entry points and the active records of migrants under the Interministerial Ordinance MJSP/MRE Nº 28, of March 3, 2022.

This ordinance provides for the “granting of a temporary visa and residence permit for the purpose of humanitarian reception to Ukrainian nationals and stateless persons affected or displaced by the situation of armed conflict in Ukraine”.

According to Thais Arbex, Policy analyst at CNNthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that the temporary visa for humanitarian reception, in addition to providing the beneficiary with access to Brazilian territory, can be converted into a residence permit in the country – thus functioning as a means of migratory regularization.

It also guarantees access to all public services and social benefits, on an equal basis with Brazilians – but does not include specific social assistance programs or the promotion of social integration.

Forced displacement crisis in Ukraine

More than 3.5 million people have left Ukraine due to the war, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Most of these refugees are going to neighboring countries like Poland.

UNHCR figures also indicate that 6.5 million people are displaced within Ukrainian territory. This classification concerns those who had to leave home for the same reasons as a refugee, such as war, but did not cross a border, according to the UN itself.