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 one of the following countries:
United States, Australia, Canada, China, El Salvador, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia and Taiwan.

If you are a citizen from a country that is not listed above, you MAY or MAY NOT need a visa. If that is your case, BEFORE you make travel arrangements, please check with the Brazilian Consulate for further information.

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

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 would 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.

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, 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.

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.

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 on the following business day. 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 from one 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 traveler 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 traveling 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 Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra 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.

Where to get your Visa to visit Brazil

Brazilian Consular Offices in the United States

Brazilian Consulate General in Boston
The Stattler Building
20 Park Plaza, suite 810
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 542-4000
Fax: (617) 542-4318
E-mail: cgbos@ma.ultranet.com

Brazilian Consulate General in Chicago
401 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 3050
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 464-0244
Fax: (312) 464-0299
E-mail: bras-cg@ix.netcom.com.

Brazilian Consulate General in Houston
1700 West Loop South, suite 1450
Houston, TX 77027
Phones: (713) 961-3063/64/65
(713) 961-0551 - Trade Bureau
Fax: (713) 961-3070
E-mail: consbras@brazilhouston.org

Brazilian Consulate General in Los Angeles
8484 Wilshire Blvd., suites 730-711
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: (323) 651-2664
Fax: (323) 651-1274
E-mail: consbrasla@earthlink.net

Brazilian Consulate General in Miami
2601 S. Bayshore Drive, Suite 800
Miami, FL 33133
Phone: (305) 285-6200
Fax: (305) 285-6229
Fax on demand for information and forms: (305) 285-6259
E-mail: consbras@brazilmiami.org

Brazilian Consulate General in New York
1185 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue), 21st Floor
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (917) 777-7777
Fax: (212) 827-0225
E-mail: consulado@brazilny.org

Brazilian Consulate General in San Francisco
300 Montgomery Street, suite 900
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Phone: (415) 981-8170
Fax: (415) 981-3628
E-mail: brazilsf@brazilsf.org - General

Brazilian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
3006 Massachusetts Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Phone: (202) 745-2837
Fax: (202) 745-2827