Brazil immigration and customs procedures

[Mines]

We are travelling on the Splendour of the Seas transatlantic on 4th December, calling at Recife, Salvador, Rio and Santos in Brazil.

 

Does anyone have experience of a similar itinerary who can tell me what they do about immigration procedures for entry into Brazil. Are we all asked to present out passports and customs declarations in Recife (which is the first point of entry), in Santos (the desembarkation port) or in all ports of call?

[Keith1010]

A few items. Hopefully, you know that you will need a visa to travel into Brazil. So, be sure that you look into this if you have not done so already.

 

Each cruise line handles all of this differently. On the cruise lines I have used over the past several years, they hold our passports at the time of embarkation. So, when the local authorities come on the ship, they can just look at all of the passenger passports to verify that all is in order including the visas. So, we didn't have to do anything.

 

If I remember correctly we also had to turn in one other form on board the ship. We were given the form a couple of days before we got to Brazil and then turned it back in to the reception desk.

 

Keith

[Mines]

A few items. Hopefully, you know that you will need a visa to travel into Brazil. So, be sure that you look into this if you have not done so already.

 

Each cruise line handles all of this differently. On the cruise lines I have used over the past several years, they hold our passports at the time of embarkation. So, when the local authorities come on the ship, they can just look at all of the passenger passports to verify that all is in order including the visas. So, we didn't have to do anything.

 

If I remember correctly we also had to turn in one other form on board the ship. We were given the form a couple of days before we got to Brazil and then turned it back in to the reception desk.

 

Keith

Thank you. This sounds quite painless. I was worried about long queues with fingerprinting procedures etc. and luggage checks by customs. If they did that, it could make desembarkation a long process.

[Wotan758]

Thank you. This sounds quite painless. I was worried about long queues with fingerprinting procedures etc. and luggage checks by customs. If they did that, it could make desembarkation a long process.

 

In Santos you should have your passaport checked by the Immigration (no fingerprinting or pictures) and your luggage checked by customs on "green line" (nothing to declare!). The whoçe process in very rapidly, but depends of the number of passengers!

[Mines]

In Santos you should have your passaport checked by the Immigration (no fingerprinting or pictures) and your luggage checked by customs on "green line" (nothing to declare!). The whoçe process in very rapidly, but depends of the number of passengers!

 

Than you Wotan. I was worried that there could be long hold-ups. Brazilian officials can be complicated at times, I have taken over an hour on occasions to pass through passport control arriving with 200 others on an aeroplane - so what would happen with 1,700 people arriving all at the same time from a cruise ship, with all of the Americans having to be fingerprinted. Aslo our first point of entry is Recife. Are there no customs there?

 

Going off topic a bit, I notice that you were on Splendour of the Seas in 2000, presumably in Brazil. Can you remember what changes they made from their normal procedures? Do they change the menus to suit Brazilian tastes?, more ice cream? Brazilian entertainment? announcements in Portuguese? Later dining hours?

[Wotan758]

Than you Wotan. I was worried that there could be long hold-ups. Brazilian officials can be complicated at times, I have taken over an hour on occasions to pass through passport control arriving with 200 others on an aeroplane - so what would happen with 1,700 people arriving all at the same time from a cruise ship, with all of the Americans having to be fingerprinted. Aslo our first point of entry is Recife. Are there no customs there?

 

Going off topic a bit, I notice that you were on Splendour of the Seas in 2000, presumably in Brazil. Can you remember what changes they made from their normal procedures? Do they change the menus to suit Brazilian tastes?, more ice cream? Brazilian entertainment? announcements in Portuguese? Later dining hours?

 

No. We were on Splandour in Scandinavia and Russia.

I don't know for sure, but as your passaports will be kept by the cruise officials, you will not have problems in Recife.

 

As or the menus, they always add something to Brazilian taste, as well as entertaiment and announcements. Late dining is usually 9 PM. On Costa and MSC cruises, is usually later, with some Brazilian dishes on the menus and some brazilian entertaiment, as most of the staff of the Cruise Director are Brazilians!

[newfarmers]

A few items. Hopefully, you know that you will need a visa to travel into Brazil. So, be sure that you look into this if you have not done so already.

 

not necessarily

 

we don't need visas for Brasil travelling on EU and NZ passports

[Keith1010]

not necessarily

 

we don't need visas for Brasil travelling on EU and NZ passports

 

I know that. I was making the assumption that the OP was from the USA or Canada. Obviously, all of this varies by country. And I know this because we had some friends on our cruise from the EU and I know they were one of the lucky ones not having to apply for a visa.

 

Keith