How to Obta a Brazilian Tourist Visa
Step by step to the process of getting the required visa for Brazil
Citizens of the United States and Canada are required to obtain a Visa for entry into the country of Brazil. The Brazilians require this because the United States and Canada require an entry visa for Brazilians entering the US and Canada. On top of that the Brazilian visa cost exactly the same amount as the USA charges the Brazilians at US consulates in Brazil. It would appear that the process for getting a Brazilian tourist visa is complicated. It is not. Because so many countries do not require North Americans to obtain visas, it is more likely to be our unfamiliarity with the process rather than the process itself. Here is a basic break down of the process of getting your Brazilian Tourist Visa.
Traveler holding a passport issued by the following countries do not need a visa to enter Brazil: Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vatican and Venezuela.
You’re Passport
You will need a current US/Canadian passport. The passport must have the following:
1. it must not expire within 180 days of your scheduled date of departure from Brazil.
2. Your passport must be signed.*
3. Your passport must have three pages completely free and clear of any marks, stamps, other visas or endorsements. (This does not include pages 26, 27 , 28 in the regular size or pages 46, 47, 48 in the larger size US passports as these pages are for endorsements only and can not be used for visas to be applied to.)
* If you are applying for a new passport and using the same service to obtain both the passport and the Brazilian tourist visa, the service company may be able to get your new Brazilian Tourist Visa without your passport being signed. It has happened before. The service you use will advise you on this.
Photograph
You will be required to send in one passport styled photograph of yourself along with your passport and visa application. (The photograph in the passport does not have to match the photo accompanying the visa application) The following requirements must be met concerning the photograph:
1. Photograph must be two inches by two inches.
2. Color photo only with a white back ground
3. Full view of the front of your face. (No side or partial side shots.)
4. Subject needs to be clear and free of concealing articles of clothing. I.e. hats
5. The background must be white or off white.
Driver's License
They will need a legible copy of your driver’s license. This is a new requirement as of Dec 2007. This is how they determine which consulate has jurisdiction for your application.
Payment
Currently the cost for a Brazilian tourist visa is $130 if you present your application in person at the consulate. The cost$140 if you mail it or have a third party deliver it for you (commercial visa service). The ten dollar application fee is only waived if the applicant is the one delivering the passport. Some consulates will allow an immediate family member to drop off the application and have the fee waived. The only form of payment allowed by any of the eight different Brazilian consulates is a US Postal Money Order or the Canadian equivalent. They will not accept cash, checks or credit cards. Check the specific consulate below to see how the money order is to be made out. It varies.
Proof of Airline Ticket
You will need documentation that you have already paid for and received confirmation for your international flight to Brazil and your domestic connecting flight in the US. This is sometimes difficult as TAM does not like to issue itineraries. Amazon Fishing Adventures will be able to help with this.
Getting your Application to and From the Consulate
The consulates will only receive and return passports via US Postal Service. (This is a new restriction as of January 2008.) You are required to include a self addressed envelope postage paid and affixed. We suggest you pay the additional amount to have it returned registered mail.
Getting the Correct Application Form
There are eight different Brazilian Consulates in the US and they all have eight different forms. Please down load the correct form for the state you live in. YOU WILL HAVE TO PRINT THE FORM OUT AS A SINGLE, TWO SIDED DOCUMENT. THE CONSULATE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE FORM AS TWO SEPERATE SHEETS.
Boston Consulate Form: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Chicago Consulate Form: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
Houston Consulate Form: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Los Angeles Consulate Form: Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and in the State of California, the counties of Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Miami Consulate Form: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands; Bahamas
New York Consulate Form: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Bermuda Islands
San Francisco Consulate Form: Oregon, Washington, Alaska and in the State of California, the counties of Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Ladera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benedito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislau, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolunme, Yolo, and Yuma.
Washington, DC Consulate Form: District of Columbia, States of Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and North American bases, excepting Guam
After identifying the correct consulate, go to that consulates web site and down load their form. Different consulates have the same forms but with minor differences. The Washington consulate’s form is considered the generic form accepted by all the other consulates. When you down load the form you will need to capture both pages onto one sheet of paper. You can not staple two sheets of a print out together. Check and see if you can fill out the form on line before down loading it.
Answer all of the questions that apply to you using blue or black ink only. Those questions not pertaining to you should be marked “N/A” for not applicable. Do not leave questions blank just because you feel they do not pertain to you. Line 16 is where you can list your email address should you have one. This is very helpful to the consulate should they need further clarification. Be sure and check off box 21. Do not forget to sign and date the application.
Cover Letter
Cover letters are nice but not required. Should you choose to send a letter you might want to request a 5 year tourist visa. All visas cost the same, regardless of length of validity; go for the longest one, five years. Also take time to perhaps more fully explain the nature of your travel. This is a tourist visa leave out any hint of the words, work, religion, journalism, exploring ECT.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirement
The Consulates have been requiring applicants to present proof of Yellow Fever Vaccination when applying for any visa. If your doctors advises against your getting a Yellow Fever vaccination for medical reasons you may submit a letter from your doctor stating such. This is a new requirement as of Dec 2007
Minors traveling to Brazil
A person under 18 years of age not traveling with either parents or legal guardian(s) must provide a notarized letter of consent signed by the non-accompanying parent(s) or guardian authorizing this Consulate to issue a visa. A copy of the minor’s birth certificate or, as applicable, the guardianship document, is also required. Both parents must sign the minor’s application form.
Non US Citizens
If you are a US resident and hold a passport other than a US passport and you need a visa, you will need to include your “Green Card” with your application if your passport does not have a valid US entry visa. If you are not a US citizen and are in the US applying for a Brazilian tourist visa and are traveling on to another country other than the US after visiting Brazil, you will be required to have a visa for the country you plan to visit after leaving Brazil if a visa is required for entry.
Walk In Applications
If you wish you may show up at any consulate and hand over your application and passport in person. The turn around time varies greatly by consulates and time of year. It is wise to go to the website for the specific consulate you plan to use. There you will find what times they are open, times of the day they take applications, times of the day they hand back the passports and the holidays they are closed on. (US and Brazilian) Confirm the times posted on the website with a telephone call. This is a consulate of a foreign country and they do as they please without notice.
Commercial Visa Service
There are several commercial visa service companies that will walk your visa to the consulate, collect it and overnight it back to you. They usually have a good working relation with the consulate and the service can answer all of your questions through out the process. They take personal checks and credit cards and have no problem using FedEx next day return. There is a fee associated with this service and they do vary depending on the turn around time requested. Check the internet for a service that has an office in the city where the consulate for your state is located. Beware, the consulate in Washington, DC will grant visas out of their jurisdiction but they will only be good for 90 days but then that too changes on a regular basis.
Step by Step
1. Get a passport photo (2”X 2”)
2. Go to the website of the consulate that handles your state. Verify times they are open and closed and their address. Down load a visa for that particular consulate. Check on how the consulate wants the US Postal Money order made out. It varies.
3. Fill out the Brazilian Visa Form and sign it.
4. Prepare an envelope to send the entire contents. Include:
A. passport
B. Signed tourist visa application
C. 2”X2” photograph
D. Copy of airline ticket/Eticket print out. Both domestic and International.
E. Second envelope with postage for the return of passport.
F. Copy of your driver’s license.
G. Copy of your Yellow Fever Vaccination
5. Go to your post office and:
A. Acquire a postal money order for the sum of $140 ($130 if you plan to
take/walk it to the consulate yourself) made payable to the what ever is listed on the consulate’s website and place it in the envelope to the consulate.
B. Secure the proper postage for the envelope to the consulate
C. Secure and affix the proper postage for the return envelope
envelope and place it in the envelope address to the consulate.
6. Enclose a copy of your driver’s license or a utility bill that is in your name.
7. Mail it.
LIST OF CONSULAR JURISDICTIONS FOR BRAZIL IN THE UNITED STATES
