Visa to visit Brazil

Christ the Redeemer watches over Rio. (Photo: Hemera Images )

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Brazil has a lot to offer travelers, from the buzzing nightlife of Rio to the quiet backwaters of the Amazon. You can snack on fresh avocados almost year round or take in a Gremio match in Porto Alegre. But before you can do anything in Brazil, you need to check visa requirements and, in the case of most travelers, obtain a visa before you depart.

Visa HQ

The visa rules for travel to Brazil aren't the same for citizens of every country, though as a general rule most tourists from North and Central America need a tourist visa to get into Brazil, and travelers from Europe do not. For the exceptions to the rule, check Visa HQ, an online database of visa requirements. You can enter your home country and your citizenship to find out visa requirements for Brazil on a case-by-case basis. If you are a Lithuanian living in South Africa, the rules may not be the same as for an American living at home.

U.S. Travelers

Americans traveling to Brazil are required to have a tourist visa. This rule extends to all types of travel, including tourism, business, study or journalism. Brazil is not a visa-on-arrival country. U.S. travelers must obtain the visa from a Brazilian embassy, by mail or in person, prior to departing. According to the State Department, the U.S. government cannot help travelers who arrive in Brazil without the proper documentation, and Brazilian immigration authorities will turn you away if you don't have a visa.

Visa Types

The Brazilian government offers nine types of visas to foreign visitors. In addition to a permanent relocation visa or a tourist visa, you can obtain a temporary visa for cultural visits, business, artistic or athletic trips, study, temporary work, media duties and religious purposes. Permanent visas are for those looking to relocate to Brazil.

Tourist Visas

You must comply with all of Brazil's tourist visa rules to receive a visa. Your passport must be valid for at least six months and have two blank pages for the visa. You have to complete an application form and mail it to the appropriate embassy (in Washington for U.S. citizens and Ottawa for Canadians) along with a photocopy of your return ticket and a proof of your personal income. You may also have to prove that you've been vaccinated for polio, as requested.