Brazilian Visa Application
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a
Brazilian Visa ?
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What is
the difference between a passport and a Brazilian visa ?
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Do I need a
visa for Brazil ?
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What is the
difference between a Brazilian tourist and business visa?
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How long does it take to obtain a
Brazilian visa ?
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How long is a
Brazilian visa valid ?
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I have
gotten my Brazilian tourist visa and traveled to Brazil within 90 days of the date
the visa was issued. Is it still valid?
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Do I need
any shots before entering Brazil?
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How do I
read my visa?
What is a
Brazilian Visa?
A Brazilian visa is a stamp or
endorsement placed by officials of a Brazil on a passport that
allows the bearer to visit Brazil. Visas are obtained from the
Embassy or consulates of Brazil for your visit.
"Visit" is further defined as the reason for entry, usually
business, tourist or transitory. There are over 270 countries that
offer visas and literally thousands of different types of visas available
based upon country, type of visit, and length of visit.
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What is
the difference between a passport and a Brazilian visa?
A passport is an official
government document that certifies one's identity and citizenship.
The passport serves two purposes: to regain entry to the country of
citizenship (i.e. the United States) and is a requirement by many
countries to gain entry to the country you are visiting.
A Brazilian visa is an official
government document that temporarily authorizes you to be in the country
you are visiting. Many countries require a visa to gain entry.
The visa usually is in the form of a stamp IN the passport and is obtained from the country
you are visiting.
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Who
needs a Brazilian visa?
All US Citizens require
a visa to travel to Brazil, whether for business or tourism.
MOST foreign nationals require a visa.
Check here for a current list.
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What
is the difference between a tourist and business Brazilian visa?
Brazilian visas are issued
according to the purpose of the trip; choose the visa that best describes
your trip :
Activities which
require a Tourist Visa
Tourism trip;
visits to relatives and/or friends; scientists, professors or researchers
attending cultural, technological or scientific conferences, seminars or
meetings (services provided must not be paid by organizations/corporations
in Brazil, except reimbursement for expenses or per diem allowances);
unpaid participation in athletic or performing arts events or
competitions.
Tourist visa holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activity in
Brazil.
Activities which
require a Business Visa (Vitem II)
Business
trips, except when the trip involves the provision of technical assistance
services of any nature (in which case a Vitem V is mandatory); travel for
media coverage or filming; flight/ship crew members not holding an
international crew card. Business visa holders are not allowed to engage
in any activity under employment contract with a Brazilian
organization/corporation.
Activities which
require a Business Visa (Vitem V)
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Provision of services to the Brazilian Government, arising from an
international agreement, contract, or undertaking to which Brazil is
a party;
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Employment contract with a corporation or other legal entity based
in Brazil;
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Technical assistance services arising from a contract, cooperation
agreement, services agreement, or similar instrument signed with a
foreign corporation or other legal entity;
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Professional training, without an employment relationship,
immediately after the completion of vocational training or
university education;
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Medical
residency in an educational institution accredited by the Ministry
of Education and Recreation;
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Employees of foreign companies admitted to work in Brazil as
trainees or interns at a subsidiary or Brazilian branch of the
foreign company, provided that they are paid exclusively outside of
Brazil by that foreign company;
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Foreign
instructors or professors who intend to travel to Brazil for a
period of training in foreign language instruction;
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Crew
members of foreign vessels traveling to Brazil to operate in waters
under Brazilian jurisdiction, as required under a charter, services,
or risk contract entered into with a Brazilian company;
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Crew
members of foreign fishing vessels leased by Brazilian companies;
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Crew
members or other professionals who perform paid activities aboard
cruise vessels along the Brazilian coast, in the Amazon River basin,
or in other inland waters;
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Provision of services to a religious or social assistance entity,
without employment relationship with a corporation or other legal
entity based in Brazil
In general, "tourist" visas
are issued specifically for the purpose of travel for pleasure, while a
"business" visa generally permits a traveler to engage in normal
business-related activities (sales meetings, visiting a factory,
negotiating agreements, etc.)
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How long does it take to
obtain a visa?
Typically, a visa
takes 2 days to process in the Embassy. However; during the busy
season (during the fall-winter) visas may take up to 4 days to process
because of the great demand for Brazilian visas.
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How long is a visa valid?
Tourist visas are
valid for multiple entries for five years from the date issued.
Business visas are single entry visas generally valid for 90 days.
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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,
Canadians and Mexicans 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 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, Canadians and Mexicans can be valid for up to five years;
the decision is made on a case by case basis.
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Do I need any shots before entering Brazil?
None are required if you are traveling directly from the United States.
However, a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate is required if
you have visited in 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.
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How do I read my visa?
Above is a
typical Brazil visa. The visa is stamped on a blank page within
your passport supplied to us. Some areas to note are :
A :
This is the issue date of the visa, typically the day that we receive
the visa from the Consulate or Embassy. To enable your visa, you
must enter Brazil within 90 days of this date.
B :
This is the type of visa. This particular picture is of a
"tourist" visa. If a business visa is issued it will indicate so
with a "II" being displayed in this area.
C :
This is the amount of days the visa is valid. In this case the
visa is valid for 1825 days from the date of issue (A), or 5 years.
Typically, a tourist visa is issued for this amount of days.
Business visas are granted for shorter periods of time.
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