Visa's

[Zace]

Will be going to Manaus, Brazil on the Royal Princess. How do you apply for a Visa or is that taken care of by Princess? What, if any vaccinations are needed and is a yellow fever certificate required? Would appreciate any comments.

[PrincessAddict]

You can buy your own Visa thru the Brazilian Embassy or thru Princess, either way it is the same cost. I've been to Brazil 3 times in the past and never needed any shots.

[Cruise38]

When I went on the Royal Princess last year a Yellow Fever shot was required. However, requirements do change - check with Princess. It is a great trip.

[FredS]

I have never know the cruise line to take care of a visa for me. 2 ways to get a visa; go through a visa service or go to an embassy or consulate in person and get one. Some consulate may accept mail in requests for visa but several have stopped doing that as of January 1, 2005. The Brazil visa is $100 and if you get it through a visa service they will charge a service fee, about $45 on top of the $100. I notice the Brazil Embassy/Consulates charge a $10 fee on top of the $100 if you have a visa agency get the visa for you. Embassy/Consulate do not take cash, credit cards, debit cards, nor travelers checks; they require a US Postal Money Order or a Certified check.

 

The following is from the Brazil Embassy site: Vaccination

 

A yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required only if you have traveled within the last 90 days, to any of the following countries: Angola, Bolivia, Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Colombia, Cote D'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guyana, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Republic of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, Sudan or Venezuela).

 

Yellow fever vaccination is advisable if your destinations in Brazil include any of the following Brazilian states: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Federal District of Brasilia, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and/or Tocantins.

 

Notice "may be required" and "advisable". Manaus is in Amazonas state. Where we live the County Health gives Yellow Fever shots at $85/shot plus $45 for the office visit. They told me no doctors have the shot but my wife works for a doctor and she says he gives them all the time.

 

Three Visa agencies are: Zierer Visa Service http://www.zvs.com/ Passport/Visa Express http://passportvisaexpress.com/ Generations Visa Service http://www.genvisa.com/

There are probably many more.

We have used Generations twice before.

 

If done by mail some people send it Registered Mail and some just send it First Class. Check the web site where you are going to send it as some Brazil Consulates only accept US Post Office mail. They will not use Fed Ex or DHL etc.

[shellbeachjim]

Zace,

 

I hope you join our roll call for this cruise. We've had a few posts about visa requirements there.

 

Royal Princess April 21, 2005 Manaus to Rome

 

If you're in Northern California, the consulate you will probably be the one in San Francisco and they do not accept applications by mail. :(

 

Jim

[mountainhouse]

I was wondering why these visas were so much, and then remembered this is a case of "tit for tat". I appreciate the need for more security and its associated cost. I guess we're lucky more countries don't reciprocate with high visa fees (e.g. Equador).