Visa for Brazil
Aug 23rd, 2008, 03:15 PM
#1
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Visa for Brazil
I will be visiting Iguazu Falls this November, 2008, flying from Buenos Aires.
I just checked on the cost of a visa agency here in the U.S. (I need to go through the L.A. consulate) and it looks like ZVS charges $222 ($140 consular fee, $59 ZVS fee, and $24 shipping fee). Does anyone know of a less expensive, but dependable visa service in the US?
ALso, on the last post, I noted that it is possible to get a Brazil visa once you are in Igauza for $100 US and it takes 2 hours. Where do you go to get this visa? Is this still the price there?
Any thoughts on these two options from anyone who has recently been in Iguazu and visited the Brazil side? THanks, fellow travelers.
El Pelar
I just checked on the cost of a visa agency here in the U.S. (I need to go through the L.A. consulate) and it looks like ZVS charges $222 ($140 consular fee, $59 ZVS fee, and $24 shipping fee). Does anyone know of a less expensive, but dependable visa service in the US?
ALso, on the last post, I noted that it is possible to get a Brazil visa once you are in Igauza for $100 US and it takes 2 hours. Where do you go to get this visa? Is this still the price there?
Any thoughts on these two options from anyone who has recently been in Iguazu and visited the Brazil side? THanks, fellow travelers.
El Pelar
Aug 24th, 2008, 05:53 AM
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It all depends on where your from, we are from the Seattle area and used Visa Services Northwest in Seattle, it cost us $200 each person, I applied for it at the end of June. Remember that once you recive your Brazilian visa, you must enter Brazil within 90 days of issuance. Your visa will be goo for either 90 days or 5 years, we were told its up to the consulate whichever they issue, ours is good for 5 years. We know of people who went through a visa service in San Fransisco, if that is anywhere close to you, traveldocuments.com they siad they sent their application overnight/certified and got it back exactly 2 weeks later. They paid for the overnight/certified for the return. The other suggestion is to do a google search for Brazil Visa and your city, then compare prices for the services.
I don't know how you go about getting the Brazil Visa while you are already at the falls. Our transfer person worked for the Sheraton and told us about it, so maybe you could email the Sheraton and ask how the process goes. In my opinion, I would be a little nervous about waiting to get it until you are there, what if you don't have all the information anddocuments to get the visa, you would be denied, that would be a bummer! And to tell you the truth, if your only purpose is to get a Brazilian Visa to see the other side of the falls......if you are on a budget, I would probably not go through that expense unless you are visiting other cities in Brazil, we headed to Rio. You see almost everything from the Argentina side, IMO.
I don't know how you go about getting the Brazil Visa while you are already at the falls. Our transfer person worked for the Sheraton and told us about it, so maybe you could email the Sheraton and ask how the process goes. In my opinion, I would be a little nervous about waiting to get it until you are there, what if you don't have all the information anddocuments to get the visa, you would be denied, that would be a bummer! And to tell you the truth, if your only purpose is to get a Brazilian Visa to see the other side of the falls......if you are on a budget, I would probably not go through that expense unless you are visiting other cities in Brazil, we headed to Rio. You see almost everything from the Argentina side, IMO.
Sep 5th, 2008, 01:17 PM
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I also used Visa Services Northwest -- about $140, but that was more than four years ago when the $ bought twice as many Reais as now. I think you have to request the five year visa -- that was very helpful to me as I just went back to Brazil this July/August on my 2004 visa. The multiple-entry/five-year rules seemed to confuse the Policia Federal where I crossed the border, but it was a very minor border crossing on the Rio Negro where they rarely see anyone other than Brazilians, Venezuelans and Columbians.
Boa Viagem,
KST
Boa Viagem,
KST
Sep 16th, 2008, 06:14 AM
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I just applied for a visa for Brazil. I travelled to Brazil in 2006 and did not know that you could request a five year visa.
This time i sent a letter along with my application form. I asked for a five year visa and was granted it. You have to have a reason for requesting it. In our case we have friends that live there.
I am not sure that you can get a visa once you are in Brazil. It was my understanding that you have to get it from the states. I suggest you email your consulate.
This time i sent a letter along with my application form. I asked for a five year visa and was granted it. You have to have a reason for requesting it. In our case we have friends that live there.
I am not sure that you can get a visa once you are in Brazil. It was my understanding that you have to get it from the states. I suggest you email your consulate.
Oct 24th, 2008, 06:53 PM
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October 22, 2008
Visiting Brazil? Think Twice
Getting a visa to Brazil is so difficult, one should rethink the visit. The web site is full of inaccuracies and the consulate staff is uncooperative and disinterested. They don’t answer phone calls or e-mail and they disqualify applications on the smallest technicalities.
Seven weeks before attending a meeting in Brazil, my wife and I applied for visas by mail using forms downloaded from the Brazilian Consulate web site. Two weeks later, the application was rejected, “We no longer accept mailed forms; you must do it online.”
The web site applications were then sent electronically and, two weeks later, they were rejected, “Hotel address not included.” It was NOT a required entry on the web form. “We know the form is obsolete!”
Sixteen days before the trip, we traveled 90 miles to Chicago to get a visa in person. “Oh no, we no longer issue them on the same day. It will take two or three weeks.” Two days before the trip, a second trip to Chicago finally yielded the visas.
Other colleagues had similar experiences:
1. A Milwaukee colleague made four trips to Chicago before securing a visa.
2. A California colleague missed the meeting where he was to receive a prestigious award because of delayed visas.
3. A Mexican colleague obtained a visa but his wife never got hers.
4. A Milwaukee colleague used a visa service. They had so many problems with the consulate, the service returned his money, and he had to make two trips to Chicago.
One assumes that this is, in part, a Brazilian attempt at payback for American visa policies. Whether that is true or not, think twice or think early before going to Brazil.
Visiting Brazil? Think Twice
Getting a visa to Brazil is so difficult, one should rethink the visit. The web site is full of inaccuracies and the consulate staff is uncooperative and disinterested. They don’t answer phone calls or e-mail and they disqualify applications on the smallest technicalities.
Seven weeks before attending a meeting in Brazil, my wife and I applied for visas by mail using forms downloaded from the Brazilian Consulate web site. Two weeks later, the application was rejected, “We no longer accept mailed forms; you must do it online.”
The web site applications were then sent electronically and, two weeks later, they were rejected, “Hotel address not included.” It was NOT a required entry on the web form. “We know the form is obsolete!”
Sixteen days before the trip, we traveled 90 miles to Chicago to get a visa in person. “Oh no, we no longer issue them on the same day. It will take two or three weeks.” Two days before the trip, a second trip to Chicago finally yielded the visas.
Other colleagues had similar experiences:
1. A Milwaukee colleague made four trips to Chicago before securing a visa.
2. A California colleague missed the meeting where he was to receive a prestigious award because of delayed visas.
3. A Mexican colleague obtained a visa but his wife never got hers.
4. A Milwaukee colleague used a visa service. They had so many problems with the consulate, the service returned his money, and he had to make two trips to Chicago.
One assumes that this is, in part, a Brazilian attempt at payback for American visa policies. Whether that is true or not, think twice or think early before going to Brazil.
Oct 25th, 2008, 04:29 AM
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Although I'll be leaving friday for my second trip to Brasil in 11 years. I'm certain that the visa situation is a "tit for tat" from some event of many years ago. I jumped thru all of the hurdles and had no problem but dealt with the uncompromising embassy in Washington DC and had mine in 2 weeks. It is good for 10 years.
Oct 25th, 2008, 08:41 AM
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These "difficulties" must vary by consulate to consulate, perhaps. When we obtained our visas at the consulate in NYC the process could not have been easier. Drop off the papers and passport one day, return a day or two later. The entire process was quick and painless. Brazil is a terrific country, and well worth the small effort.
What tourists from other countries go through to get Visas for US visits - I can only imagine, though I have heard many stories, none good.
What tourists from other countries go through to get Visas for US visits - I can only imagine, though I have heard many stories, none good.
Nov 11th, 2008, 07:59 PM
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The Brazilian consulate website seemed to make it pretty clear you should work with a visa service and gave a list of the services they approved of. I used traveldocuments.com
and had a perfectly easy time and received our tourist visas within one week from the San Francisco consulate. That said, I initially was going to use ZVS and they gave me a big run around because I was going to be taking a cruise--for some reason they claimed cruise ship passenger visas would take 30 days--(I was not using the cruise line to get this visa--I was doing it on my own, but I think they do work for the cruise lines and don't want to let on that independent travellers fare so much better.) They admitted to me that I would get my visa in 7 to 10 days if my application did not indicate that a cruise was part of my vacation. Traveldocuments.com had no such nonsense regarding cruises and was incredibly professional--they took my application to the San Francisco consulate the day they received it--e-mailed with tracking numbers when it was in return mail.
and had a perfectly easy time and received our tourist visas within one week from the San Francisco consulate. That said, I initially was going to use ZVS and they gave me a big run around because I was going to be taking a cruise--for some reason they claimed cruise ship passenger visas would take 30 days--(I was not using the cruise line to get this visa--I was doing it on my own, but I think they do work for the cruise lines and don't want to let on that independent travellers fare so much better.) They admitted to me that I would get my visa in 7 to 10 days if my application did not indicate that a cruise was part of my vacation. Traveldocuments.com had no such nonsense regarding cruises and was incredibly professional--they took my application to the San Francisco consulate the day they received it--e-mailed with tracking numbers when it was in return mail.
Nov 25th, 2008, 04:06 PM
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Last week we crossed twice from Puerto Iguazu in Argentina to Foz in Brazil. The first time the bus driver told everyone on the bus that if we were only there for one day it was not even necessary to go through Brazilian immigration so we didn't and had no problems whasover upon our return (we didn't even go into the immigration office).
We liked it so much that we went back the next day and this time we went through immigration without any hassle and were given a 40 day visa.
We are British citizens so maybe that makes a difference. There were Americans and Australians on the same bus who did the same thing as us without a problem.
PS It is definitel worth going to the Brazilian side to see the falls as, IMO it is better than teh Argentine side.
We liked it so much that we went back the next day and this time we went through immigration without any hassle and were given a 40 day visa.
We are British citizens so maybe that makes a difference. There were Americans and Australians on the same bus who did the same thing as us without a problem.
PS It is definitel worth going to the Brazilian side to see the falls as, IMO it is better than teh Argentine side.
Nov 26th, 2008, 04:11 PM
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My experience getting a Brazil visa in 2006 was not bad. I dropped the application off at the consulate in Toronto and picked it up when it was ready. Given that I work within a 10-minute walk of the consulate it was not that much of a hassle.
Dec 14th, 2008, 01:51 PM
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I tried for several days to get a VISA to Brazil in New York City. It took a lot of patience as they were sooo disorganized and had little concern for doing their job.
I am so glad that the travel documents website exists. I intend to use it when I leave for Brazil again in 2009.
I am so glad that the travel documents website exists. I intend to use it when I leave for Brazil again in 2009.
Feb 10th, 2009, 10:36 AM
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I've been in Brazil for about 5 times in the last few years. I know pretty well how frustrating visa issuance can be. For this reason, I did not go to San Francisco consulate myself even though it was about 10 minutes away from my home.
I looked on consulate webpage and chose professional travelvisapro.com because of the price - $189.
I am glad I chose this visa agency. They got me 5-year visa (without me asking it). Now, I am thankful for that as it saves me over $100 each time I go to Brasil.
I
I looked on consulate webpage and chose professional travelvisapro.com because of the price - $189.
I am glad I chose this visa agency. They got me 5-year visa (without me asking it). Now, I am thankful for that as it saves me over $100 each time I go to Brasil.
I
Apr 15th, 2011, 06:53 AM
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IF you are already in South America (Argentina) and have the option of getting your visa at Puerto Iguazu INSTEAD of Buenos Aires DO IT... it is a one day turn around and you get to see the most amazing waterfalls in the process!
Fill out the visa application form online and drop it off at the consulate with one passport photo between the hours of 8-11 am, it is two blocks away from the bus station on Cordoba on the right hand side, so my suggestion is to take a bus which arrives in Iguazu early (mine left BA at 1 arrived at 7am) so you can drop your paper work off and head to the falls straight away.. you only really need one day to see the falls, and one night accomodation, so you can pick up your visa the following day at 11 am. The cost was 588 Argentine pesos, 140us$.. which you pay when you drop it off. The visa I was issued is valid for 90 days at a time for ten years, it was virtually hassle free, I did not have to show any sort of return flight information, or bank information only the online form! It was the easiest visa experience ever! Everyone I have talked to recently has shared this experience, I was freaking out a bit because I did not want to be stuck in BA for too long as I arrived on a Friday, and this was just perfect!
Fill out the visa application form online and drop it off at the consulate with one passport photo between the hours of 8-11 am, it is two blocks away from the bus station on Cordoba on the right hand side, so my suggestion is to take a bus which arrives in Iguazu early (mine left BA at 1 arrived at 7am) so you can drop your paper work off and head to the falls straight away.. you only really need one day to see the falls, and one night accomodation, so you can pick up your visa the following day at 11 am. The cost was 588 Argentine pesos, 140us$.. which you pay when you drop it off. The visa I was issued is valid for 90 days at a time for ten years, it was virtually hassle free, I did not have to show any sort of return flight information, or bank information only the online form! It was the easiest visa experience ever! Everyone I have talked to recently has shared this experience, I was freaking out a bit because I did not want to be stuck in BA for too long as I arrived on a Friday, and this was just perfect!
