Brazil Visa Information
Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.
Who requires a visa?
Students:
Foreign citizens travelling to Brazil to attend study courses – including theological and technical studies – must have a ‘Student Visa’.
- Citizens of Austria, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, The Philippines, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, are not required to have a ‘Student Visa’ when travelling to Brazil, provided that they are not University or College students and that their stay does not exceed 90 days.
- Applicants must lodge their application in person.
- First entry into Brazil must be within 90 days from the date the visa is issued.
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It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure the application is lodged accordingly
- Within 30 days of arrival in Brazil, bearers of a ‘Student Visa’ must register with the Brazilian Immigration authorities (DPMAF) and submit the second copy of the visa application form, which will have been stamped and returned to them by the Consulate General.
- Length of stay in Brazil is up to one year, extendable, at the discretion of the Brazilian Federal Police.
- An Embarkation/Desembarkation card, provided to all visitors by the Brazilian Immigration authorities (DPMAF), must be filled in and signed appropriately and submitted to authorities upon arrival and when leaving Brazil.
Tourists:
Foreign citizens travelling to Brazil as tourists, participants in conferences, seminars, artistic or sports events (provided no payment is involved) must have a ‘Tourist Visa’.
- When travelling to Brazil on tourism, citizens of the following countries are exempted from a visa: Andorra (Extempted from tourist visa only), Argentina, Austria, Bahamas (Extempted from tourist visa only), Barbados (Extempted from tourist visa only), Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala (Extempted from tourist visa only), Guyana (Extempted from tourist visa only), Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Liechtenstein (Extempted from tourist visa only), Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia (Extempted from tourist visa only), Monaco, Morocco, Namibia (Extempted from tourist visa only), the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama (Extempted from tourist visa only), Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Russia (effective June 7, 2010), San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, the Sovereign Order of Malta (citizens of Malta must have a visa), Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, the Vatican and Venezuela (Extempted from tourist visa only).
- First entry into Brazil must be no later than 90 days after the visa is issued.
- It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure the application is lodged accordingly.
- Length of stay in Brazil
- first granted period: up to 90 days
- extensions (once in Brazil): up to another 90 days, making up a maximum of six months in any twelve-month period.
- At least 2 weeks before expiration of the first granted period, tourists may apply for a single extension of up to 90 additional days.
- Paid or unpaid employment of tourists in Brazil is strictly prohibited.
- An Embarkation/Desembarkation card, provided to all visitors by the Brazilian Immigration authorities (DPMAF), must be filled in and signed appropriately and submitted to authorities upon arrival and when leaving Brazil.
What documents will be required?
Student Visas:
- Applicant’s passport, valid for no less than 6 months (Soiled, damaged or defaced passports will not be accepted)
- Two visa application forms, duly filled and signed by the applicant
- Two passport-size photographs
- A letter from the educational institution in Brazil, confirming acceptance of the student and indicating the length of the course, number of hours per lesson and number of lessons per week. The signature on that letter must be legalised by a Notary (Tabelião) in Brazil.
- For applicants of 18 years of age or above: Certificate of Prosecution/Conviction History (Section 21, Data Protection Act 1998, Subject Access, Person Record).
- Certificate may be requested at any Police Station in the UK, may take up to six weeks to be issued, and is valid for 3 months only.
- Proof of means of support during the applicant’s stay in Brazil.
- Bearers of this type of visa are not allowed to work.
- Certificate of vaccination, where necessary
- Receipt of payment of the consular fee
Tourist Visas:
- Applicant’s passport, valid for no less than 6 months (Soiled, damaged or defaced passports will not be accepted)
- Duly filled and signed visa application form
- One passport-size photograph
- Originals and one complete set of photocopies of: return or onward ticket or proof of means of support during the applicant’s stay in Brazil (recent bank and credit card statements, pay slips, are accepted as proof).
- Certificate of vaccination, where necessary
- For applicants participating in conferences, seminars, artistic or sports events, a letter from the organisers.
- Receipt of payment of the consular fee
Minors under 18 years of age:
- A copy of the minor’s birth certificate is required in all cases;
- Minors not traveling with both parents/guardians must provide a notarized letter of consent signed by the non-accompanying parent(s)/guardian(s) authorizing the Consulate to issue a visa;
- A certificate of vaccination against polio is required for children between ages of three months and six years. A signed letter from the child's physician is required if the child cannot be inoculated.
Time required to issue visa:
- When applied for in person: up to 3 working days
- When applied for by a third party: up to 10 working days
- For more than 10 visas: up to 10 working days
- When submission to the Brazilian Ministry of External Affairs is required: up to 8 weeks
- Additional time for processing by post
Note: The Consulate General does not provide express services.
Do not commit yourself to travel plans until you know when your visa will be issued.
Do not leave your application to the last minute: in times of heavy workload, the processing time may be extended.
General conditions are subject to change without prior notice and will be posted on this website.
What is the cost of a visa?
Varies; depending on nationality. Personal checks and cash will not be accepted.
How long is the visa valid for?
Student visas: Up to 1 year
Tourist visas: A tourist can stay in Brazil for a maximum of six months in any twelve-month period. He must first have obtained a visa for 90 days. Once in Brazil, he may apply for a single extension of up to 90 additional days. At the end of the extended stay, the tourist must leave the country, and may only return to Brazil as a tourist after another six months have elapsed.
Other information:
Is a holder of a ‘Student Visa’ allowed to work in Brazil?
Holders of ‘Student Visas’ are not allowed to work in Brazil.
Is a holder of a ‘Student Visa’ allowed to stay in Brazil after the end of his/her course?
No. When a student finishes his/her course, he/she has to exit the country no later than the visa expiry date. The former student may re-enter the country as a tourist, provided that he/she has obtained a tourist visa (if applicable), and depending on Brazilian Immigration at the port of entry.
Is a ‘Business Visa’ the same as a ‘Work Visa’?
No. A ‘Work Visa’ requires the approval of the Brazilian Ministry of Employment. The procedure has to be initiated by the prospective employer in Brazil. Once approval is given, the relevant authorization is relayed to a Brazilian Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence, which will then issue the visa.
A ‘Business visa’ is only granted to applicants wishing to do business in Brazil and not to applicants seeking employment in Brazil.
If offered employment after arriving in Brazil, can a tourist apply for a work permit without having to leave the country?
No. Tourists are not allowed to change their visa status while in the country. Prospective employers must apply for a work permit on behalf of the tourist they wish to employ; if the permit is granted, the tourist will have to leave Brazil and return to his country of residence, where his ‘Work visa” will be issued by a Brazilian Consulate.
Can I have my visa extended while in Brazil?
Most Brazilian visas are extendable, and if they are the extension may be obtained while in Brazil. Extensions are granted by the Brazilian Federal Police (DPF). The DPF has offices in the capital city of each state. Applications for extension must be made no more than one month and no less than two weeks before the visa expires. Please bear in mind that approval of a request for a visa extension is entirely at the discretion of the Brazilian Federal Police.
Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Brazilian embassy for information on what documentation you may require to enter Brazil.
Brazilian Embassies to Other Nations
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user's sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
- Consulate General of Brazil in London - URL: www.consbraslondres.com
- Brazilian Embassy in Washington, DC - URL: www.brasilemb.org
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user's own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.