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American passport holders: please note that starting
November 1st, 2002, the American Government increased the visa
processing fee for Brazilian citizens from $65.00 to $100.00 per
visa. As of November 1st, 2002, a visa processing fee of $100.00
per visa will be charged to US citizens in reciprocity for an
identical fee paid by Brazilian citizens who apply for a visa
to travel to the USA.
This Consulate General does NOT accept applications
for visas submitted by mail. The Consulate accepts only visa submissions
brought in by the applicant in person or by a family member/third
party properly identified. Applicants who cannot comply with those
procedures may use the services of a visa agency.
Each type of visa has specific requirements. Please
choose from the menu on the left side the kind of visa you are
applying for to see the appropriate requirements.
Please keep in mind that the act of issuing or
denying a visa is a sovereign act of the Government. It is a prerogative
applied by each and every country and strengthened by its international
practice. In order to analyze the process of a visa request to
Brazil, the Consulate authority may make the decision, on its
own, to require that the individual applying for a visa presents
additional documents besides the normally required ones. The kind
of visa to be granted, if it is granted, and its validity are
also a sovereign decision of the Consulate. No discussion on this
issue is accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions
01. How do I know if I need a visa
?
As a general rule, Brazil requests visas based on the principle
of reciprocity of treatment given to Brazilian citizens. You DO
need a visa (either for tourism or business) BEFORE entering Brazil
if you are a citizen of the United States. Please click here to
see a complete list of all nationalities that need visas to travel
to Brazil.
02. Can I apply for a visa by mail ?
No. The Consulate cannot accept applications by mail. You should
apply in person. If you cannot come to the Consulate, you may
use a visa service. Please click here for a list of the visa services
operating with the Consulate.
03. When I apply for a visa, can I present a copy of my
passport ?
No. The Consulate needs the original passport to issue the visa.
The Consulate only keeps the passport for the time necessary to
process and issue the visa.
04. Can you fax my visa or send me an e-mail with the
visa attached?
No. The visa is stamped on a page of your passport. Therefore
the Consulate needs the original passport to issue the visa.
05. Can I pay the visa fee with a credit card ?
No. The Consulate can only accept cash and money orders. Personal
checks are not accepted either. Business checks are usually accepted.
06. In my visa it is written that I have to enter Brazil
within 90 days from the date the visa was issued, but I will not
be able to travel within that time frame. Can you extend my visa
?
No. Once any visa is issued, it must be used within 90 days or
it will expire. Then you will have to apply for another visa and
pay another fee.
If you are not yet sure about your travel plans, please do not
apply for a visa. It is best if you wait until you have purchased
your tickets. Also, it is best not to apply earlier than 60 days
from the date of travel.
07. I plan to stay in Brazil for six months. Is it possible
?
Not necessarily. The tourist visa allows for multiple entries
in Brazil for five years (American, Australian and Canadian citizens
only) for stays up to 90 days. You may request the Federal Police
in Brazil for an extension of stay, provided it does not exceed
180 days. However, you should not assume the Federal Police will
grant the extension. But remember that unless you carry a special
visa (student visa or a long-term work visa) you cannot stay in
Brazil more than 180 days per year (consecutive).
08. I have gotten my tourist visa and travelled to Brazil
within 90 days of the date the visa was issued. Is it still valid
?
The tourist visa for Americans and Canadians is valid for multiple
entries for five years from the date it was first used (unless
otherwise noted in ink in the visa). So, if you entered Brazil
within ninety days from the date it was issued, yes it remains
valid for several other visits for five years. The only restriction
is that you cannot stay in Brazil for more than 90 days each time
you go (up to 180 days per year if an extension of stay after
the 90 days are over is granted by the Federal Police in Brazil).
For all other nationationalities, the tourist visa is valid for
only 90 days. The validity of business visas for all nationalities
is generally limited to 90 days. The business visa for Americans
and Canadians can be valid for up to five years; the decision
is made on a case by case basis.
09. I am going to Brazil to attend some meetings but also
for fun. Can I apply for a tourist visa ?
No. In this case, the main purpose of your trip is business, therefore
you must apply for a business visa. Nevertheless, it is possible
to tour the country with a business visa.
10. Can I get my visa upon arriving in Brazil ?
No, the visa has to be issued before you travel. Please, if you
are a citizen of the one of the countries listed in item 1 above,
do not even go to the airport if you do not have a valid visa.
The airlines are not permmited to let you board a plane to Brazil
if you do not have a visa. If they do, upon your arrival in Brazil
the airline will be heavily fined and you WILL BE DEPORTED.
11. I am here at the airport and I was just informed by
the airline that I do not have a visa. What can I do ?
Change your travel plans. You cannot board the plane without the
visa and no visas can be issued while you are at an airport, be
it in the U.S. or in Brazil. After making other travel arrangements,
please apply for the visa in the nearest Brazilian Consulate,
either in person or through a visa service.
12. I am divorced and I plan to travel with my children
(under the age of 18) to Brazil ? Do I need permission from their
father/mother ?
Yes. A notarized letter from the children's other parent authorizing
the Consulate to issue the visas for the minors must be presented
together with the applications. There is only one exception to
this rule: when the parent who is travelling is the sole guardian
of the children as decided by a Judge (in that case, please present
a certified copy of the Court order).
13. I am in a hurry. If I come to the Consulate with my
passport and meet all the other requirements for a visa, can I
have it issued on the same day ?
As a general rule, the visas are ready in 48 hours. Some visas
(depending on the applicant's nationality or personal status)
may require a longer processing time. A request for urgency can
only be accommodated if it does not interfere with the regular
flow of work. If the Consulate is busier than usual, the processing
time for visas may be extended to three business days. The Consulate
does not have an urgency fee.
14. My passport no longer has pages because I travel a
lot. Can you issue me a visa on a separate sheet of paper ?
No. The Consulate needs a blank page on your passport in order
to issue the visa. If you do not have a blank page, please have
some more pages added to your passport or get yourself a new one.
15. I cannot come to the Consulate to pick up my passport.
Can someone do it for me ?
Yes. But the person must bring a letter from you authorizing the
Consulate to surrender the passport.
16. Can someone apply for a visa in my name ?
Yes. The person applying on your behalf must bring all the necessary
documents, including your passport. Please note that there is
an extra fee of $ 10.00 when the traveller is not applying in
person.
17. I heard that I need a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate
to enter Brazil. Is it true?
Brazil is trying to prevent the dissemination of yellow fever.
You do not need a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate to enter
Brazil if you are travelling directly from the United States.
However, a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required if
you have visited on the past 90 days or if you will visit one
of the following countries before entering Brazil: Angola, Benin,
Bolivia, Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador,
French Guyiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria,
Peru, Sierre Leone, Sudan and Venezuela.
18. Do I need any vaccination to enter Brazil?
No. The case when a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is needed
is explained in question 17. The only other vaccination requirement
applies to children aged from three months through six years who
will have to present a vaccination certificate proving they have
been immunized against polio.
Do you still have a question? Please, send an e-mail to consular@brazilsf.org
or call (415) 981-8170 extension 216 (Ms. SoLAa Gronning).
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