Brazil Visa -Easy or difficult?

[Nategeez]

Hey,

My very first post! Need any assistance. How do I go about getting a Brazilian visa. I am in BA for a few months but then am going to go around all of SA. I know I need a Visa for Paraguay and Brazil. So if anybody has had experience with the Brazil embassy on Cerrito 1350 please let me know.

Thanks in advance. Glad to be an active member of the community.

-N8-

[Stan Da Man]

Hey,

My very first post! Need any assistance. How do I go about getting a Brazilian visa. I am in BA for a few months but then am going to go around all of SA. I know I need a Visa for Paraguay and Brazil. So if anybody has had experience with the Brazil embassy on Cerrito 1350 please let me know.

Thanks in advance. Glad to be an active member of the community.

-N8-

Nategeez:

Welcome! I posted the same inquiry about a year and a half ago but can't seem to find the thread. If memory serves, the responses were very helpful. Mind you, this is two years ago, but I recall that:

A) If you want a Brazilian visa from the embassy in Buenos Aires, it's a 3-4 day wait;

B) If you go to Iguazu Falls, you can get a visa the same day, arrive in the morning and then get your visa by the afternoon and walk across. (I don't know about that "walking" part.)

I don't know whether the above still applies, or whether your passport is from the United States. If so, and if the above is still accurate, it's much easier to get a Brazil visa while in Argentina than it is to get one from a Brazilian embassy in the United States. Here, you have to wait a minimum of 10 days, show them your booked itinerary, pay reciprocity fees, etc., etc. I've done that drill a half dozen times for myself and others. You may have to show the embassy in Argentina an itinerary, as well, so you might want to check into that sooner rather than later. They are most interested in seeing a ticket showing that you will be leaving within the time frame allotted by the visa, which is 90 days for a standard tourist visa.

There is definitely a thread here somewhere that discusses this, but I couldn't get the search engine to bring it back. Good luck.

[Rockin Bob]

There are a few threads with more info somewhere on the board!

Basically, the Brazilians are ballbusters re: Americans. About three years ago I applied.

For a visa here in BsAS as my five-year multiple entry had expired.

I asked for another 5-year, the woman said I would have to apply for one inthe US.

She offered me a 30 day visa, One hundred and whatever bucks. This for someone.

Who had already traveled a lot in Brazil and spoke Portuguese.

So good luck.

NOTE: You DO NOT NEED A VISA to cross over to Foz de Iguacu or Ciudade del Este for that matter.

The border is open. You don't even have to stop at immigrations. No problem for the waterfalls.

Just don't try to go anywhere beyond the city limits.

[Wild Walleye]

Basically, the Brazilians are ballbusters re: Americans. About three years ago I applied.

For a visa here in BsAS as my five-year multiple entry had expired.

I asked for another 5-year, the woman said I would have to apply for one inthe US. In the states it is two visits (two consecutive days. Day one drop off materials and payment, day two, pick up passport and visa.

[Stan Da Man]

In the states it is two visits (two consecutive days. Day one drop off materials and payment, day two, pick up passport and visa.I'm not sure what embassy or consulate office you're using, but you can't make that happen in California, and they won't let you process through the DC branch any more (unless you live there). It's ten working days here now. San Francisco has an online program that says it takes a week. An expeditor can also usually do it in a week. But, if you've got a consulate or embassy processing them next day, you're in luck. They are usually ballbusters, NO EXCEPTIONS.

This is from the LA Brazilian Consulate website:

Please note that issuing or denying a visa is a sovereign act of Governments. It is a prerogative applied by every country and strengthened by international practice. The kind of visa, if it is granted, and its validity are also a sovereign decision of the Consulate. No discussion on this matter will be accepted.

The Consulate, as a matter of policy, does not provide urgent, priority or expedited services.. Processing time: at least 10 working days. Please plan accordingly! Application and pick-up must be done in person by the applicant or by his/her immediate family or by friend or by a relative or by visa agency.

The emphasis and boldfacing is theirs. http://www.brazilian-consulate.org/consular/visa/visas.html

[Wild Walleye]

I'm not sure what embassy or consulate office you're using, but you can't make that happen in California, and they won't let you process through the DC branch any more (unless you live there. It's ten working days here now. San Francisco has an online program that says it takes a week. An expeditor can also usually do it in a week. But, if you've got a consulate or embassy processing them next day, you're in luck. They are usually ballbusters, NO EXCEPTIONS.

This is from the LA Brazilian Consulate website:

Please note that issuing or denying a visa is a sovereign act of Governments. It is a prerogative applied by every country and strengthened by international practice. The kind of visa, if it is granted, and its validity are also a sovereign decision of the Consulate. No discussion on this matter will be accepted.

The Consulate, as a matter of policy, does not provide urgent, priority or expedited services. Processing time: at least 10 working days. Please plan accordingly! Application and pick-up must be done in person by the applicant or by his / her immediate family or by friend or by a relative or by visa agency.

The emphasis and boldfacing is theirs. http://www.brazilian-consulate.org/consular/visa/visas.htmlGet a letter on corp stationary saying you need to travel there for a business emergency, print out the ticket itinerary (don't buy ticket yet) and go that route

[Stan Da Man]

Get a letter on corp stationary saying you need to travel there for a business emergency, print out the ticket itinerary (don't buy ticket yet) and go that route

I've done that many times. Business visas are all I ever get. I actually just buy a full fare ticket because you can cancel it and still get all your funds back (American). I could try just printing an itinerary, but they say they check and will reject if they discover you don't have a ticket. Still takes 7-days minimum. I've even had two expeditors (A Briggs and another I can't remember) tell me there is no way to speed it up. If they knew how to do it, they would just charge you an extra expedite fee and proceed, which is what they used to do. Now they won't even accept your documents.

They don't process here faster than 7 days, and I've done this drill at least half a dozen times for people in my company over the past two years. What they will do for you is give you a 5-year business visa, but they won't speed it up. It was much easier about two years ago, but everything changed last year.

There is one way to get expedited: If you have a filming permit for a project in Brazil. I went that route once and they'll bend over backwards to make sure last-minute things get processed. Absent that, however, it's a full week with no exceptions. Again, there may be friendlier consulates outside of California. I don't know about that. But the ones here are sticklers, and they're very up front about why: They tell you that the US makes their citizens wait, so they are doing the same; the US charges their citizens fees, so they're doing the same. I can't really blame them for that. At least they're honest.

[Wild Walleye]

I've done that many times. Business visas are all I ever get. I actually just buy a full fare ticket because you can cancel it and still get all your funds back (American. I could try just printing an itinerary, but they say they check and will reject if they discover you don't have a ticket. Still takes 7-days minimum. I've even had two expeditors (A Briggs and another I can't remember) tell me there is no way to speed it up. If they knew how to do it, they would just charge you an extra expedite fee and proceed, which is what they used to do. Now they won't even accept your documents.

They don't process here faster than 7 days, and I've done this drill at least half a dozen times for people in my company over the past two years. What they will do for you is give you a 5-year business visa, but they won't speed it up. It was much easier about two years ago, but everything changed last year.

There is one way to get expedited: If you have a filming permit for a project in Brazil. I went that route once and they'll bend over backwards to make sure last-minute things get processed. Absent that, however, it's a full week with no exceptions. Again, there may be friendlier consulates outside of California. I don't know about that. But the ones here are sticklers, and they're very up front about why: They tell you that the US makes their citizens wait, so they are doing the same; the US charges their citizens fees, so they're doing the same. I can't really blame them for that. At least they're honest. At the consulate. Maybe things have change since I did. I do remember that I needed the ticket and the letter to get it done overnight. I also remember that I almost totaled my roadster on the way into the city that morning.

[Stan Da Man]

At the consulate. Maybe things have change since I did. I do remember that I needed the ticket and the letter to get it done overnight. I also remember that I almost totaled my roadster on the way into the city that morning.If you've got an "in" you can share at any of the California consulates, please don't be shy, especially if she's hot. Sharing is good. I've got to get a dozen or so more visas Brazilian business visas in the next few months. Plus, it's always good to know Brazilian women.

[Nategeez]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

-N8-