Brazilian visa

[GAJE]

We need to apply for a Brazilian visa in a few weeks. Never having done this before, I have a question. We were thinking of applying directly to the Brazilian Embassy,as opposed to going through a visa service. Can anyone give advice on this? The Embassy is less expensive than the service and the turnaround time looks to be about the same. So...my question, should we have reservations about dealing directly with the Embassy?

Thanks, Betty

[DragonflyCruiser]

We need to apply for a Brazilian visa in a few weeks. Never having done this before, I have a question. We were thinking of applying directly to the Brazilian Embassy,as opposed to going through a visa service. Can anyone give advice on this? The Embassy is less expensive than the service and the turnaround time looks to be about the same. So...my question, should we have reservations about dealing directly with the Embassy?

Thanks, Betty

 

Are you sure you can't do it upon arrival? It was a big question on our last trip to Istanbul & Egypt but the visas were available upon arrival and easy to obtain! That way you don't have to mail your passports or pay some company to obtain them for you. I'll be watching for a reply from someone who knows for sure! Glad you asked that question.

[plate]

My husband and I did ours just three days ago in Washington, DC at the Brazilian Embassy. We had to submit our passports, $100.00 postal money order and a copy of our airline tickets and a copy of our itinerary. We had to do this between 8:00 a.m. and 1 p.m. and then return the next day between 2 and 4 to pick up our passports and Visa. You might call because each embassy is set up only to handle certain states. I believe the one in Washington DC is for Maryland, Ohio, Virginia… etc. Personally I will use a service the next time. The traffic in the DC area was horrendous and it really was a two day job. Hope this helps our itinerary.

[Keith1010]

Are you sure you can't do it upon arrival? It was a big question on our last trip to Istanbul & Egypt but the visas were available upon arrival and easy to obtain! That way you don't have to mail your passports or pay some company to obtain them for you. I'll be watching for a reply from someone who knows for sure! Glad you asked that question.

 

This is different than say Istanbul. You need to get your Visa ahead of time. We are on a cruise which includes Brazil and the cruise ship will not let us board without the visa.

 

Keith

[Dbedros]

As I recently had to do research to get visas for our trip on December 9th because the cruise lines was charging an additional 90 dollars pp to acquire them for us.

 

I think at one time they were allowing you to purchase the visa upon your arrival but this is no longer the case. I read somewhere on one of the boards that some cruisers were turned back because of the confusion of when to get the visa. This link is to the Brazillian Embassy and will answer all of your questions: http://www.brazilhouston.org/ingles/jurisdic.htm

[JayS]

I just got mine after 2 TRIPS :mad: to the consul on 6th ave NYC.

 

Here is a thread I started on the subject

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=385883

[potterhill]

We just received our visas for our cruise on Nov 25. Our passports were taken into Toronto by our travel agent with a letter showing our itinerary and a cheque for $90 Cdn each. They were mailed back in provided express post envelope to the agency and I picked them up yesterday. It is cheaper if you do it in person, but even dropping off for a spouse incurs the extra charge. We did the same for our China visas. Why pay an agency when it is so easy and can be done completely by mail as well.

 

Mo

[DragonflyCruiser]

I just got mine after 2 TRIPS :mad: to the consul on 6th ave NYC.

 

Here is a thread I started on the subject

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=385883

Thanks for the link. We don't travel for quite a while but will be gathering info and taking care of all the little things in the mean time.

[crazy4cruisn]

I wonder what would happen if you ended your cruise in Rio and did not have a visa?:confused:

[Keith1010]

I wonder what would happen if you ended your cruise in Rio and did not have a visa?:confused:

 

You would need to obtain your Brazilian visa prior to boarding the ship if you are either stopping in Brazil or ending your tip in Brazil.

 

Keith

[greatam]

Just a heads up from a frequent South America business traveler.

 

Please be aware: IF you are traveling IN THE FUTURE to certain countries and have a Brazilian visa in your US passport AND do not have proof of Yellow Fever vaccination, you may be denied entrance to those countries. The "rules" state travel from an "endemic" zone. However, what an "endemic zone" is may be left to the interpretation of the official examining paperwork.

 

The BEST/EASIEST example I can think of is Cusco/Machu Pichu/Iguazzu Falls. DEPENDING on who is doing the passport exam when you arrive in Lima, IF you do not have a Yellow Fever certificate, you definitely could be denied entrance. Iguazzu Falls is in the endemic zone.

 

China is also getting pretty stinky about international travellers without Yellow Fever certificates IF you have passport stamps from northern South American countries and/or African countries. The Chinese officials have no way of knowing where in Brazil or Peru, etc. you went-could have been a "designated endemic zone" or not. They didn't care.

 

Saw a backpacker arguing fervently to be allowed into Beijing last October. He had stamps from Peru, Chile, Brazil and Venezuela. He stated he had NOT been to South America for two years. They sent him back to Hong Kong to get a Yellow Fever vaccination.

 

Please think where you may go IN THE FUTURE. May prevent a lot of headaches.