# Law No. 4204 of February 7, 1963

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648433](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648433)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4204-of-february-7-1963

## Summary
Law No. 4204 of February 7, 1963 is a Brazilian federal statute that exempts athletes from American countries from the requirement of a consular visa to participate in the IV Pan-American Games. Enacted under the Presidency of João Goulart, this law facilitated international athletic participation in the event hosted by Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 4204, de 7 de fevereiro de 1963
- **Alias:** Lei nº 4204, de 7 de fevereiro de 1963
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (applies to the Federative Republic of Brazil)
- **Date of Publication:** February 7, 1963
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, promulgated by President João Goulart
- **Legal Nature:** Instance of a statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Primary Subject:** Exemption from consular visa requirements for athletes from American countries participating in the IV Pan-American Games; also categorized under "foreign country" and "Brazil" as main subjects.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4204/1963
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-02-07;4204
- **Official Text URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4204.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **Wikimedia Focus:** Part of WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 4204/1963?**
The law's core provision, as stated in its digest, is to exempt athletes who are citizens of American countries from the requirement to obtain a consular visa for entry into Brazil specifically to participate in the IV Pan-American Games.

**When was this law enacted and who was the head of state?**
It was published on February 7, 1963, in Brasília. The law was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with João Goulart serving as President at that time.

**Which international sporting event does this law directly support?**
The law is explicitly tied to the IV Pan-American Games, providing a legal basis for visa-free entry for participating athletes from nations in the Americas.

**Who are the intended beneficiaries of this legislation?**
The exemption applies to "desportistas" (athletes) who are citizens of countries from the Americas ("Paises Americanos") and who are participating in the specified Pan-American Games.

**How is this Brazilian law formally cited and accessed?**
Its standard legal citation is "Lei nº 4204/1963." The full, official text is available online at the Brazilian federal government's legislative portal (planalto.gov.br), and it is uniquely identified in the LexML Brazil system by the URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-02-07;4204`.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4204/1963 is a specific example of how legal frameworks are used to facilitate major international events hosted by a nation. By removing the consular visa barrier for athletes from the Americas, the law directly enabled broader and more convenient participation in the IV Pan-American Games. This served Brazil's interests in successfully staging the event, promoting regional sports cooperation, and demonstrating organizational capacity on an international stage during the early 1960s. The law illustrates the use of targeted statutory exemptions to achieve concrete diplomatic and logistical objectives tied to a specific time and event.

## Notable For
*   **Event-Specific Legislation:** It is a law created for a single, defined purpose: supporting the IV Pan-American Games.
*   **Targeted Exemption:** Its provision applies exclusively to a specific group (athletes from American countries) for a specific reason (participation in one Games edition).
*   **Historical Context:** Enacted during the presidency of João Goulart in 1963, placing it within a specific period of Brazilian political history.
*   **Digital Legacy:** It is preserved in Brazil's official online legislative repository (Planalto) and has a persistent identifier in the national LexML system.
*   **Documented in Legal Projects:** It is recognized and included in the scope of WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its status as a documented federal statute.

## Body

### Legislative Enactment and Authority
Law No. 4204 was formally published on February 7, 1963, in the nation's capital, Brasília. The law was enacted by the federal executive branch, specifically through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The head of state at the time of its promulgation was President João Goulart. The law's creation followed the standard process for federal statutes in Brazil, resulting in a formal written document that constitutes statutory law.

### Substantive Provisions and Scope
The law's operative content is concisely captured in its digest: it grants an exemption from the consular visa requirement. This benefit is restricted to "desportistas" (sportspeople/athletes) who hold citizenship in countries from the Americas ("Paises Estrangeiros" from the American continent). The exemption is conditional upon their participation in the "IV Jogos Pan-Americanos" (IV Pan-American Games). The main subjects of the law, as classified, are the concepts of a "foreign country," "Brazil," and "exemption" (Isenção), reflecting its focus on cross-border administrative relief.

### Identification and Digital Accessibility
The law has a clear and standardized legal citation format: "Lei nº 4204/1963." For precise digital identification and retrieval within Brazil's structured legislative data ecosystem, it is assigned the LexML Brazil identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-02-07;4204`. The complete, authoritative text of the law is made publicly available by the Brazilian federal government at the URL `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4204.htm`. In knowledge bases, it is described simply as a "Brazilian law."

### Classification and Context
Within formal knowledge organization systems, Law No. 4204/1963 is classified as an **instance of a statute**. This means it is a formal written document that creates law, fitting the definition of a foundational legal concept that is a subclass of "written work" and "document." Its inclusion in "WikiProject Brazilian Laws" on Wikimedia platforms further contextualizes it within a collaborative effort to document the nation's statutory corpus. The law's language is Brazilian Portuguese, and its jurisdictional scope is explicitly the Federative Republic of Brazil.

### Historical and Jurisdictional Context
The law is a product of the Brazilian federal legislative system. Its enactment in 1963 occurred during the Second Brazilian Republic (1946-1964), under the presidency of João Goulart, a period marked by political instability. The law's subject matter—facilitating an international sporting event—reflects the use of legal instruments for soft power and international engagement. It applies solely within Brazil's sovereign territory and is part of the body of Brazilian federal statutes that have been in force since its publication date. The law's focus on the Pan-American Games ties it to a specific historical moment in the series of those games, which are a major multi-sport event for nations from the Americas.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-02-07;4204)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4204&ano=1963&data=07/02/1963&ato=d92oXRq50MVRVT61a)
3. LexML Brasil