Brazil visa

[stew300]

How did you get the visa?

Direct by mail to the embassy or through a visa service?

[Druke I]

When we went to Brazil, 1991 & again 1998, we were living in the East Bay, and it was an easy hop over to San Francisco to the Brazilian Consulate for our visas.

Were we to go again, I would use a visa service, as it is no longer convenient to go to San Francisco.

[HotlantaCruiser]

At this stage of the game, using a service to expedite is probably the best way to go.

Please note that you can not get the more than 90 days from your first entry date into Brazil. That makes for a tight turnaround if you are starting your travels other than in Brazil.

Others may provide better info, but for peace of mind, pay the money for a service.

[Jane110]

Originally Posted by HotlantaCruiser

At this stage of the game, using a service to expedite is probably the best way to go.

That depends on where you live. Here in NYC, I went to the Brazillian consolate one day, dropped of the paper work and came back the next day to pick up my visa. Other big cities mave have Brazillian consulates as well.

Originally Posted by HotlantaCruiser

Please note that you can not get the more than 90 days from your first entry date into Brazil. That makes for a tight turnaround if you are starting your travels other than in Brazil.

A Brazillian tourist visa is good for 5 years from first date of entry into Brazil. I guess I don't understand what you're trying to say here.


Jane

[raffeer]

A Brazilian visa is NOT always good for five years. Our family holds tourist visas (issued in Jan '05 through Zierer) that were good for 90 days. SOME Brazilian visas are good for five years and SOME are not. Same fees. A mystery.
HOWEVER you may not apply for a (tourist) visa prior to 90 days from your arrival in Brazil.
Beatrice

[Liat]

DO NOT RELY ON OCEANIA TO GET YOUR VISAS.
Only consular offices issue visas.
The Brazilian Embassy website (ask google)will give you the addresses and web addresss of all the Brazilian Consulates
If you live in DC, you could ask at the Embassy, but they will probably send you to their local consular office.
Each consular office is autonomous. Each office is "assigned" to cover specific areas in the US. The LA office website said they would no longer issue visa's by mail, and it is too far to drive from Phoenix, so we used a service recommended by our TA. It cost a little, but they were very efficient and got our passports and visas back in a little over two weeks as I recall.

[HotlantaCruiser]

Originally Posted by Jane110

A Brazillian tourist visa is good for 5 years from first date of entry into Brazil. I guess I don't understand what you're trying to say here.


Jane

Other than NYC, Chicago, Miami, and LA there aren't many cities with a Brazilian Consulate. Yes, if you live near one, that is the best option. I assumed from the OP's comment that a consulate visit was not a possibility.

The comment about 90 days is this: A tourist visa has to be used for 1st entry into Brazil within 90 days. If you get one now, you must enter Brazil within 90 days. no exceptions.

So if you are travelling somewhere else first (such as a cruise that starts in Santiago) but don't get to Brazil until 14 days later, then your window is even further diminished.


I would also emphasize as did another poster that you should get your documents on your own, and not rely on a cruise line to do so.

[ClaudiaF]

Check out Zierer visa services..you can download the application ( and fill it out on your computer online, then print it out, go to autoclub, costco or photo place get one passport type picture ( per person ( which is required) and mail it all to them.. they took care of ours in abouit 5 days.
http://www.zvs.com/