Ministério das Relações Exteriores

01. How do I know if I need a visa?
02. Can I apply for a visa by mail?
03. When I apply for a visa, can I present a copy of my passport?
04. Can you fax my visa or send me an e-mail with the visa attached?
05. Can I pay the visa fee with a credit card?
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?
07. I plan to stay in Brazil for six months. Is it possible?
08. I have gotten my tourist visa and traveled to Brazil within 90 days of
       the date the visa was issued. Is it still valid?
09. I am going to Brazil to attend some meetings but also for fun. Can I
      apply for a tourist visa?
10. Can I get my visa upon arriving in Brazil?
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?
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?
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?
14. My passport no longer has pages because I travel a lot. Can you issue
      me a visa on a separate sheet of paper?
15. I cannot come to the Consulate to pick up my passport. Can someone
      do it for me?
16. Can someone apply for a visa in my name?
17. I heard that I need a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate to enter
       Brazil. Is it true?
18. Do I need any vaccination to enter Brazil?
19. I just received my new passport and it is not 6 months old. Does it
       mean I will not be able to get my visa?
20. My Brazilian tourist visa stamp is valid until 2011, but my passport
      expired.  Do I need to go through the whole visa process again?
 

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. Citizens of some countries do not require a visa to visit Brazil for tourism purposes, for a stay of up to 90 days (if necessary an extension may be authorized by the Federal Police in Brazil). Visas will be issued on a "laissez-passer" to nationals of the following countries: Bhutan, Central African Republic, Comoros, Kampuchea, and Taiwan.

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/visa agency.

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 money orders. All visa fees must be paid in U.S. Postal money order made payable to the Consulate General of Brazil. Sorry, but personal checks and cash will not be 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 up to five years (American, Australian and Canadian citizens only) for stays up to 90 days. You may request that the Federal Police in Brazil grant 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 traveled 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, starting from the date it was first used, during the period the visa remains valid. The validity of the visa is decided by the Consul on a case-by-case basis and may vary from one day up to five years. So, if you entered Brazil within ninety days from the date it was issued, yes it remains valid for several other visits during the validity of the visa. 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 nationalities, 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 may have a longer duration; the decision is made by the Consul 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 permitted 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/visa agency.

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 traveling 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 TEN days (excluding the day when applications are received by the Consulate). 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. The Consulate does not have an expedite 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. As an alternative, the passport may be returned by mail if the applicant leaves a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope from the US Postal Service (Express Mail only) at the moment of the submission. THIS CONSULATE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PASSPORTS LOST IN THE MAIL.

16. Can someone apply for a visa in my name?
Only if you reside within our consular jurisdiction. The person applying on your behalf must schedule an appointment for this purpose (please note that each appointment slot allows the person to drop off ONE SINGLE visa application) and bring all the necessary documents, including your passport. Please note that there is an extra fee of $ 20.00 when the traveler is not applying in person.

17. I heard that I need a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate to enter Brazil. Is it true?
The International Immunization Certificate against yellow fever will only be required from international travelers coming from countries which pose a risk of international dissemination. Currently there are no countries posing such risk. (Please see FAQ 1402 at www.anvisa.gov.br). Nevertheless, yellow fever vaccination is recommended if applicant intends to visit one of the following regions in Brazil: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Federal District, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins.

18. Do I need any vaccination to enter Brazil?
No. The case when an International 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.

19. I just received my new passport and it is not 6 months old. Does it mean I will not be able to get my visa?
No. When we say "a valid passport, valid for six months beyond the intended date of arrival in Brazil" we mean that at the moment you enter Brazil your passport has to remain valid for at least six more months. For instance: if you are planning to arrive in Brazil on January 15, your passport has to be valid at least until July 16.

20. My Brazilian tourist visa stamp is valid until 2011, but my passport expired.  Do I need to go through the whole visa process again?
No. You can travel to Brazil carrying your expired passport, with the Brazilian visa stamped on it, attached to your new passport. May we suggest you to staple both passports together to make sure you have them both at the moment you enter Brazil.