Over 43,000 Haitians are well on their way to becoming permanent residents thanks to a generous move from the Brazilian government. According to Telesur, Haitians who migrated illegally to Brazil over the past five years will be given the opportunity to be recognized as citizens and allowed permanent residency.
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“This act establishes a period of up to a year for them to request foreign resident identification documents,” said Brazil’s Minister of Labor Miguel Rossetto. “Those who are formally accepted by Brazil will be granted stability and security.”
Haitian natives began seeking salvation from their country after the 2010 earthquake, which left the Caribbean nation in ruins. Since then, the Haitian government hasn’t been able to keep up with the overwhelming demand for humanitarian visas. Since the population may have increased due to the Dominican Republic’s attempts to mass expel Haitian migrants, Haitians continue to find refuge in Brazil, as well as Ecuador and Peru.
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Brazil has already begun to grant residency to some 2,000 Haitians who enter the country without proper documentation each month. With an average of 400 applicants per month, Brazil has already issued more than 15,000 humanitarian visas thus far.