Is Rio de Janeiro safe to visit right now? (November 2026)

Travel advisories for Brazil

What the advice says

• The US State Department rates Brazil at Level 2, 'Exercise Increased Caution,' in an advisory dated August 31, 2026; this rating applies to the whole country, not specifically to Rio de Janeiro.
• The UK FCDO advisory is also issued at the country level for Brazil, though it includes some region-specific notes. It warns that favelas exist in all major Brazilian cities, including areas bordering tourist zones, and advises avoiding all favelas, including favela tours and any accommodations or bars advertised as being within a favela.
• Robberies are described as common in many Brazilian cities, particularly on buses, with thieves targeting mobile phones especially between 4pm and 9pm. On beaches, the advisory warns of 'arrastões,' where groups of thieves run through an area grabbing belongings, and recommends avoiding city beaches after dark and keeping valuables away from the beach entirely.
• The advisory notes that short-term 'express kidnapping' can occur, where victims are held briefly and driven to an ATM to withdraw money before being released; kidnappers may use violence.
• Bank and credit card scams, including card cloning at ATMs and in shops, are reported as common, and the advisory recommends keeping sight of your card, checking payment terminal amounts, and watching for ATM cash with pink marks, which may indicate damaged or counterfeit notes.
• There have been reports of drink spiking, including through contacts made on dating apps, as well as deaths and serious illness from methanol-contaminated alcoholic drinks such as gin, vodka, and whisky; the advisory recommends buying and keeping sight of your own drinks and seeking urgent medical attention if symptoms of methanol poisoning appear.
• If you are a victim of crime, the local police can be reached at 190, or you can contact the nearest consulate for your home country.