Update: You can now visit Brazil with no visa required!
Originally posted on 3/19:
Getting to Brazil as an American citizen has long been a huge pain due to their cumbersome visa process.
I started this website in 2004 while volunteering for the year in Sao Paulo on bochur shlichus, mentoring and studying with younger students and organizing community activities.
And doing some crazy stuff while touring the country:
I was there on a student visa and Brazil caused all kinds of trouble because they didn’t like that my legal middle name is just an initial, though eventually that was sorted out.
In 2007 while I was studying to earn an MBA I returned to Brazil on a school trip and had a terrifying near-death experience.
But that didn’t stop me from taking advantage of the short-lived ability to book out the entire 4 seat TAM first class cabin to visit Brazil with my family in 2014:
And we had a great time there:
- Trip Notes Brazil Part 1: 10 Years Of Travel And Deal Blogging And A Return To Where It All Began (Published 11/23/14)
- Trip Notes Brazil Part 2: Flying “Private” To Sao Paulo With Miles (Published 2/7/16)
- Trip Notes Brazil Part 3: Iguaçu Falls (Published 4/17/16)
- Trip Notes Brazil Part 4: Rio de Janeiro (Published 5/1/16)
The major pain point for visiting Brazil has always been the visa. In my case I would have had to fly to Washington DC with money orders in order to obtain a tourist visa. In the end we used a service to do that for us, but we still had to go back and forth a few times with notarized documents in order to get visas for our kids. The tourist visa cost $160 for 10 years.
Last year Brazil finally launched the ability to apply for a visa online. The online visa cost is $44.24, though the visa is only valid for 2 years.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Brazil’s new right wing president is eliminating all visa requirements for US, Canada, Japan, and Australian citizens as of June 17th. That’s amazing news!
I’ve been to the beautiful island of Florianopolis, the stunning city of Rio, the breathtaking rainforest and waterfall in Iguaçu, the urban planning laboratory of Curitiba, and the warm Jewish community and excellent restaurants in Sao Paulo. But I still have bucket list items in Brazil like the Amazon Rainforest in Manaus, where a friend of mine is the Chabad Shliach, the Panantal, and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.
As of June, visiting Iguazu Falls will have gone from requiring 2 visas of $160 each from Argentina and Brazil to no visas at all as both countries have eliminated visa requirements for US citizens. It’s one of the most beautiful places on this planet!
Will you visit Brazil when they drop their visa requirement?
HT: C.B.S.
Good news. We had to return to Ciudad Del Esta for the night to get a visa. Was very scary
Dan with all those trees no-wonder you got free toilet paper! 🙂
Yes, I intended to go to the hotel on Argentina‘s side. I guess I can now legally tour the other side, too.
Touring both sides of Iguazu is a MUST!
What about American visa for Brazilians tourists? Will it be eliminated as well?
No.
It’s sad how fascism has spread to Brasil. Its new leader, however, has answered with plans to make guns easier to buy and own. Last week five students and two adults were killed by two men who terrorized a public school in a Sao Paulo suburb. Brasil has one of the highest murder rates in the world — New Zealand, one of the lowest — so we don’t ever read about violence there. I will wait until it is safer before I return for another visit.
Right wing doesn’t have to amount fascism in the same way that liberalism isn’t necessarily socialist…
Not everyone that doesn’t align w ur political views is Hitler.
Do you even know a history of fascism? Do you know what nazi stand for?
Ignorance is not bliss.
What I find curious is that, around the world, a lot of right wing politicians seem to ponder to nationalists, limiting immigration and, in general, making their countries less accessible. But here it seems to be the opposite – at least when it comes to tourism dollars.
I visited Rio back in 2001… Loves it!!
Always wanted to visit again, this will certainly motivate me to plan a trip!
@dan
On a different note,
I saw on your trip report that you went up to the Corcovado.
How did you feel comfortable with that, knowing what’s up there?
Just curious, not criticizing.
Otherwise, thank you for the good news.
Kind of like suggesting Dan should not be comfortable visiting any Christian place?
Should I not enjoy a truly beautiful view of Rio because of a statue?
Actually it’s the only place you can enjoy the view of Rio without the statue 😀
At Igauzu we stayed on Argentina side and hired a local cab driver to take us to Brazil side for the day. He said he could us through w/o a visa, or he’d bring us back and we wouldn’t have to pay him. We just drove straight through and got waived on by border guards. I guess locally, they realized that it’s good for business to let tourists through, if they’re traveling with a known driver/guide. Brazil side was more beautiful, Argentina side gave closer access to the falls and more activities (for less pesos).
Our family of 5 flew to argentina in 2005 on free tickets from AA from this crazy promo of purchasing any two tix from 1/04 to 6/04 to Florida and/or Calif for a free ticket (on AA metal) anywhere AA flies. We just looked on a map to the furthest place AA flies, and had a great cheap ($ very strong) Yeshiva winter break.
The AVNYC promo! I’ve written about that many times: https://www.dansdeals.com/?s=avnyc
One of the best promos ever.
My understanding is that in 2005 the border crossing was more lax, but they cracked down after that.
In 2008/9 we crossed the border with a bus from Argentina to Brazil and they didn’t ask for a ID the funny part is that the way back I wanted a stamp in my passport as we walked through the border but they told me I wasn’t meant to go in….:)
Can’t wait to hopefully see some crazy good deals to Sao Paulo!!!!
Too bad 3 years ago I had to spend a half a day in the Brazilian consulat in NYC and pay 160$..
what’s the best and cheapest way to get there?
So I am assuming you still need a passport to travel from US to Brazil , correct ?
Yes, you need a passport to fly anywhere outside of the US.
Manaus just has the Monday morning minyan that’s posted on the web?
is 25k or so ba the best way to book from ny to brazil in econ? and what about biz
Why would they NOT do this?
They need the tourism money
Too bad I had to spend a day in Manhattan to make a visa for a last minute trip 3 years ago
and spending 160$ for only 1 visit ;(
I’m Brazilian, I just came back from a trip in US and Canada. I went to Montreal, so I rent a car, I drove to Ottawa, Toronto, Chicago, Niaguara Falls, Montreal again… and finally to Quebec City. Chicago was my second experience in US, in 2017 I was in New York. In both situation I had a horrible experience at immigration border. Definitely American need to learn how to threat foreigners. In other side, in Montreal airport I didn’t need pass through Immigration officer, just a self immigration kiosk. In the way back from US to Canada, the canadian officer was really kind. Anyway, you guys are really welcome to our country. Enjoy it!