US visa for 5 day stay in Rio timeline question

[pmacher61]

Originally Posted by Artemis

^ Nice! Apparently, we (the US) require a similar amount of paperwork and significant fee PLUS an interview before Brazilians can get a tourist visa to come to the US. The interview requirement injects enough hassle and delay into the process that many give up and travel elsewhere. Bummer!

Yes, heretofore it was a difficult process for ordinary Brasilians to obtain a visa to visit the US including the somewhat adversarial personal interview, but I understand that the US requirements have recently been significantly relaxed. Has the interview requirement been eliminated? Perhaps this will lead to a reciprocal relaxation of Brasilian reqirements towards "Americans."

[Urban trekker]

I am the process of applying for mine here in Vancouver - will likely drop it off either tomorrow or Friday - like you I see no reference to needing a copy of the boarding pass etc but you do need a short signed letter explaning your itinerary - when you will be arriving and leaving, the purpose of the trip and if applicable who in Brazil invited you.

You need proof of income and employment - which includes an offical letter from your employer and one of the following - photocopy of recent bank statement or copy of last notice of tax assessment.

As I am retired - no letter from employer but must provide BOTH bank statement and tax assessment notice.

Their web site is saying the processing time here is about one week.

Will post how this goes.

Cheers!

Dennis

[Menininha82]

Originally Posted by pmacher61

Yes, heretofore it was a difficult process for ordinary Brasilians to obtain a visa to visit the US including the somewhat adversarial personal interview, but I understand that the US requirements have recently been significantly relaxed. Has the interview requirement been eliminated? Perhaps this will lead to a reciprocal relaxation of Brasilian reqirements towards "Americans."

In practice, little has changed, despite the publicity. The process is still very much subject to what often appears to be the whim (they would, of course, use the word judgement--I would often add 'poor' before the word) of the interviewing staff.
For example, how do you justify refusing a new visa to someone who's already been granted one that ran out, has traveled to the US and always returned on time, is beginning a professional career (doctor) in Brazil which provides sufficient money and time to travel, has no legal issues, and does have legal relatives (mother and father) in the US to visit?

[pmacher61]

Originally Posted by Menininha82

In practice, little has changed, despite the publicity. The process is still very much subject to what often appears to be the whim (they would, of course, use the word judgement--I would often add 'poor' before the word) of the interviewing staff.
For example, how do you justify refusing a new visa to someone who's already been granted one that ran out, has traveled to the US and always returned on time, is beginning a professional career (doctor) in Brazil which provides sufficient money and time to travel, has no legal issues, and does have legal relatives (mother and father) in the US to visit?

I am informed that the personal interview is no longer required for a Brasilian renewing a US visa. It still is required when applying for a new one.
Yes, I can confirm that the judgment of the interviewing staff can be whimsical. When my Brasilian wife and I went to the US Embassy in Rio and were in the interview process to renew her visa, things were drudging along surprisingly slowly for someone in her position (i.e. married to me, a US cit and a permanent Brasilian resident, Rio homeowners, and owner of a Rio business establishment) until the interviewer, a pleasant enough young chap, asked me for some local ID to which I replied "would my Zona Sul shopping card be adequate?" That seemed to be the comic relief to have him wind up things rapidly.

[Urban trekker]

Follow up to my post about getting my Visa.

Well dropped off the Visa application at the Vancouver office today - will likely be a week for it to be processed but all the paperwork seemed to be order - was asked a few questions about my employment history as where I used to work and for how long and what job did I have - a very pleasant gal who took the application and was nice enough to accept even though it is only supposed to be done in the morning - didn't see that on the web site - pick up will be in the afternoon.

Once the Visa is in order then it will be time to start booking the train travel and getting the travel insurance taken care of.

Cheers

Dennis

[WarEagle76]

We got ours in Atlanta last fall and had same day service with no additional fees.

From their website:

If applied at the Consulate in*person or by a third party, visas are processed on the same day. Visas pick up is from 3 to 4 pm.

They had some computer issues the day we applied but got them around 4:30PM same day.

[Menininha82]

Originally Posted by Urban trekker

..... it will be time to start booking the train travel .....

In Brazil? There are really no passenger trains in Brazil. Travel is by air or bus.
Buses are very comfortable and convenient, with sleepers on which you can usually sleep better than on many international economy flights, and some even have coffee and ice water service. On many routes, though, at many times of year (air prices rise on some routes for high season), the airfare these days is about equal to the bus fare.

[Urban trekker]

Perhaps I should have worded it better - need to get to Fort Lauderdale from Vancouver and then home from San Francisco as I don't fly - it will be Amtrak all the way - have travel those routes several times but was holding off making the booking until I was sure that the passport and visa issue was taken care of.

Cheers

Dennis

[searaider]

Originally Posted by Urban trekker

Perhaps I should have worded it better - need to get to Fort Lauderdale from Vancouver and then home from San Francisco as I don't fly - it will be Amtrak all the way - have travel those routes several times but was holding off making the booking until I was sure that the passport and visa issue was taken care of.

Cheers

Dennis

Dennis, sent you an email.

[Urban trekker]

Thanks - got the email and have sent you a reply.

Cheers

Dennis

[corpkid]

Guess what I got today?

A good-for-10-year BR visa in my passport.

And yes it is $180 to use a third party, but I was advised that that ALSO $180 to do a mail application. The $160 is an in person cost. Or so the Miami consulate advised me last week.

Here's the kicker - my partner just got a new passport a few days before and forgot to sign in before giving it to me to mail out and literally contacted me 1 hour after I had sent them off. Good times.

Anyways, they sent his back with a nice letter saying NOT to touch a thing except to sign your passport, leave it clipped like it is, and put it in a new envelope with a new return envelope.

The moral of the story: The $180 postal check was attached but not cashed, so it appears the fee is per applicant vs. per application, and the quoted 15 business days processing seems to be a bit high, at least in July.

Again, this all pertains to the MIAMI Brazil consulate.

[Urban trekker]

My Brazilian Visa has been approved - only three days after appyling - just waiting now for it to be printed to the passport and then I will be able to drop by the Vancouver office and pick it up.

Cheers

Dennis

[Urban trekker]

The Visa is ready for pick up - so will do that tomorrow afternoon - only took five days.

Cheers

Dennis

[searaider]

Originally Posted by Urban trekker

The Visa is ready for pick up - so will do that tomorrow afternoon - only took five days.

Cheers

Dennis

Dennis, glad that that part of your planning is done. hope mine goes as well, when we drop it off next month.

Elsie

[Keith1010]

For those reading this thread just understand that if you have a trip early next year and wait to the Fall to apply for the visa the turn around times will likely be a lot longer. We used a service in early May and we had the visa back one week after mailing it to the service so the turnaround time at the Consulate was very short. However, with peak travel season to South America between November and March just realize that if you wait to the Fall the intervals could be a lot longer.

Since the visa is good for 10 years and you no longer have a time frame requirement for entry as there was in the past I would not put this off.

Keith

[crzndeb]

Originally Posted by Keith1010

For those reading this thread just understand that if you have a trip early next year and wait to the Fall to apply for the visa the turn around times will likely be a lot longer. We used a service in early May and we had the visa back one week after mailing it to the service so the turnaround time at the Consulate was very short. However, with peak travel season to South America between November and March just realize that if you wait to the Fall the intervals could be a lot longer.

Since the visa is good for 10 years and you no longer have a time frame requirement for entry as there was in the past I would not put this off.

Keith

I hear what you're saying Keith. I leave on a B2B2B on Sept. 11 on the Spirit repo to Australia. I would love to apply for my Visa to Brazil now, but I am paranoid about parting with my passport this soon before my Australia cruise.

I don't return back to the states until Oct. 24th, and will apply soon after. My SA cruise leaves on Feb. 3rd, so hopefully 3 months prior will be sufficient time, even with backlog. I will be going through San Francisco consulate.

Debbie

[Urban trekker]

Searaider - was surprised how well they handled the application - once you have dropped it off you can follow the process from their web site so you will know how it is doing.

Cheers

Dennis

[Keith1010]

Originally Posted by crzndeb

I hear what you're saying Keith. I leave on a B2B2B on Sept. 11 on the Spirit repo to Australia. I would love to apply for my Visa to Brazil now, but I am paranoid about parting with my passport this soon before my Australia cruise.

I don't return back to the states until Oct. 24th, and will apply soon after. My SA cruise leaves on Feb. 3rd, so hopefully 3 months prior will be sufficient time, even with backlog. I will be going through San Francisco consulate.

Debbie

Debbie, that makes perfect sense.

Enjoy the September cruise.

Keith

[Floridiana]

Originally Posted by surfsidemary

The Brazilian visa application is a little complicated and required some extra documentation such as a recent bank statement.

The Canadians on our cruise complained about this requirement. US citizens do NOT need a bank statement. (Our cruise was in November 2011 to the Amazon.)

[Artemis]

^ Just to clarify, the regional consulates in the US have unique requirements. Some still require bank statements. You were lucky, as I was lucky, that yours didn't!