Overview
Brazil is the enormous triangular shape that makes up the largest part of the South American continent, and enjoys a 4500-mile coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The landscape of Brazil is diverse, with dense forests on one hand and sweeping and intricate urban spaces on the other. There are numerous other natural wonders that the country is known for, the Amazon river being one of the most significant ones,
with a length extending beyond 4250 miles. As of now, the Brazilian government has made e-visa
or online visa application process available for only citizens of Japan, USA, Canada and Australia. For other countries, like India, it is necessary to visit the Brazilian embassy in order to complete the process. As you read our Brazil Visa Guide and travel handbook, you will understand the various intricacies involved in entering into the region and exploring its various mysteries.
Application Process
When it comes to applying for a Brazil Visa, one needs to go through a series of steps as a part of the preparation phase.
1. Know your visa category
You need to decide upon the type of visa you are applying for, which would be based on the purpose of your trip to the region. You need to go through the visa category list and specifications before applying. Applications need to match ‘Visa Category’ and ‘Purpose of the Trip’ or else they might be rejected.
2. Prepare all the necessary documents
Before you submit the visa application, you must go through the documents list and have all the required documents handy according to your selected visa category. You need to produce the necessary documents along with the copy of your visa request form receipt (RER) during the application process.
3. Fill up the application form
You need to fill in the application form and follow the instructions pertaining to the same. After completing the online application, you can print the Visa Request Form Receipt (RER) for submission. The Visa section at the Brazilian Embassy will accept the application once the hard copies of the documents are submitted.
4. Pay your visa fee
The visa fees can be paid only through a non-refundable demand draft. It should be made payable to the ‘Embassy of Brazil- Consular’ at New Delhi. The Brazil visa fees for Indians can range from INR 6800 to INR 8000 and more, depending on the type of the visa. These fees will be properly defined in the coming section where the different types of visas will be discussed.
5. Submit your request
In order to submit a request, you need to meet the following conditions:
- Passport should be valid for six months and should have at least two blank pages.
- Photocopies of documents if needed in case of emergencies
- Dress appropriately as this goes a long way in making a good impression during the interview
- Be prepared to answer unexpected questions like, “We expect you to not return back from Brazil even if you are applying for tourist visa. Can you tell us why we think so?”
Documents Required
Some of the main documents to be submitted during the application process include:
1. Your Photograph
2. Your Signature
3. A Covering Letter which mentions the tentative outcome of the trip
4. An Invitation Letter, only if applicable.
5. Passport - First and the Last Page
6. Document proof such as bank statement for confirming availability of adequate funds
Depending on the type of visa, the document list can be much larger than the one given above, often including things like employer consent letter among others.
The Consular Section can be reached at the following address:
Embassy of Brazil
8, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Road (formerly Aurangzeb Road) ,
New Delhi, 110011
The working hours of the Consular Section are:
9:30 - 11:00 hrs for submitting requests
16:00 - 17:00 hrs for collecting documents
Different Types of Visas
Tourist Visa
If an Indian Citizen is coming to Brazil for tourism purposes, the following details need to be submitted as a rite of passage:
1. A letter which specifies details like the number of people travelling.
2. A passport which is valid for at least six months.
3. Air ticket along with e-ticket number.
4. Income tax returns of the candidates from the previous 3 years.
5. A document must be obtained from the immigration department to grant approval that the traveler(s) are not suffering from yellow fever.
The Brazilian tourist visa takes 5-8 days to process. The fee associated with tourist visas for Indian nationals is Rs. 6400 per person.
If an Indian citizen is visiting Brazil for tourism, cultural interests or recreation, then he/she needs to apply for a visa as a tourist. A Brazilian tourist visa is only valid upto 90 days. The documents required for the approval of a Brazilian tourist visa of Brazil for Indians are as follows:
- Original passport of the applicant not expiring for at least six months from the date of travel.
- Passport size photos with 80% facial coverage upon a white background with a matte finish.
- Online confirmation forms of the candidates applying for the visa.
- A letter with travel details such as the number of people travelling.
- To and fro flight tickets along with e-ticket numbers.
- Approval of leave from the institution or organisation at which the applicant is employed or is studying.
- Itinerary of Brazil pertaining to the applicants’ travel interests.
- The income tax returns filed in the previous three years’ by the applicant.
- Salary slips pertaining to the past three months from the applicant’s most recent place of employment.
- If children below seven years are travelling, polio vaccination certificate as well as birth certificate are required.
- If the applicant has retired, he or she has to show pension order or some proof of retirement.
A Tourist visa is applicable for certain types of individuals who are driven to visit the pristine urban and natural ecosystem of Brazil for different types of reasons. If you fit into any of the following character traits, you can deem yourself worthy of obtaining a tourist visa for Brazil:
1) If you are someone looking to explore the mysteries that lie within the narrow lanes of Rio de Janeiro or the dense forests of the Amazon
2) If you are planning to visit relatives or friends in Brazil
3) If you are a scientist, professor, or researcher looking to attend conferences, seminars or other events
4) If you are a participant in competitions of artistic or sportive nature which do not have any admission fees or any monetary reward associated with the same.
Employment Visa
The short-term work visa is valid for 90 days, and it can be obtained by foreign nationals who wish to work in Brazil by getting an approval from the Brazilian Consular office. The applicant needs to provide the same as a proof to the immigration department. An employment visa will cost a total of INR 8000 for Indian nationals.
To apply for an employment visa to Brazil, the applicant needs to scan the following documents:
1) Passport size photograph
2) Signature
3) A letter stating the trip’s purpose
4) A recent police report without any indication of crime
Business/Employment Visas are issued to travellers who are obliged by contractual agreements to indulge in import/export arrangements with the country. These are also applicable for individuals traveling for more short term business-related endeavors, such as investment evaluation for projects in Brazil, networking for commercial purposes or visiting companies to discuss future engagement prospects.
Some of the other cases during which an employment visa is necessary for travel into the country include:
- For the purpose of Media coverage or Filming of events, locations, people etc for commercial purposes
- For travel into the region as flight/ship crew members who do not hold an international crew card
- Adopting a child from the region
Other Visa Types
As a part of the application process for any type of visa, the applicant will need to take a print out of the application form that he or she has filled. This print-out of the application is known as an ‘online confirmation page (RER) ’ that needs to be submitted at the visa centre in the Brazilian Embassy in New Delhi.
Additionally, with the ‘online confirmation form’ other documents such as a letter of invitation from the company in Brazil, CNPJ number of the Brazilian organisation, a passport valid for six months from the date of travel, and applicant’s colour photograph with white background (glued to the print out of the online confirmation page) are also needed. While returning to India, the applicant has to visit a certified practitioner for obtaining a certificate which clears him or her of yellow fever.
The Brazilian Government issues a total of ten different types of visas, many of which are temporary forms. Here, you will find the peripheral forms of visas that exist outside of tourist and employment visa types.