VISA Stay

HiTorkj,

Unfortunately there is no way to regularize your situation without leaving Brazil. Even to apply for a different kind of visa, which would get you around the 180 day per year rule you'd still need to apply from outside Brazil.

I know that's not the news you want to hear, but it's the only news I have to give you.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Ok. Thanks. So ill look into applying for 'a different type of visa' in a neighbouring country.

Hi william

i serve as a teacher in a school i have been invited to join an NGO in brazil as a vice president

what is the procedure to apply for the visa which permits to visit brazil any time to attend my board meetings 

i have travelled 4 times to brazil in tourist visa

as of now NGO has been partnered with government and it has a project for school children of 300 and it has paid volunteer apprxomiately a team of 10 members

let me know the procedure

Hi vibgiordrama,

If you will be getting paid in Brazil then you will need to apply for a VITEM-V Temporary Work Visa. You are not permitted to do any type of remunerated work in Brazil on a VITUR - Tourist Visa.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Hi William,

I have read all the prior posts and think I already know the answer to my question, but still want to ask for reassurance.

I traveled to Brazil March 8 2013 and left March 19, 2013 for a total stay of 12 days. I am now planning a trip to arrive in Brazil Sept. 10, 2013 and stay as long as possible. I thought initially I could stay 180 days, but now reading your posts I'm realizing those previous 12 days will be subtracted from my trip.. is that correct? So I will be allowed only 168 days. Then after that would I need to wait a full year to return??

I am thinking about signing up for a course or two and applying for a student visa.. do you know anything about that? Are the max for student visas also only 180 days??? I want to be able to return to Brazil for the world cup in May/ June 2014 but if I take my full trip from Sept 2013- Jan 2014 will that be possible???

Thank you for any help you can give,
Amanda

Hi Amanda,

Yes, you are correct in understanding that the 12 days you've previously been in Brazil will be subtracted from your 180 day annual entitlement. So you would have an inital visa stay of 78 days, following which you could apply for an extension (prorrogação de estada) of up to a further 90 days.

You kind of misunderstood the rest about leaving Brazil once you've used up your 180 days in the "rolling" year. You must be out of the country 180 days just to get back to ZERO, after that you begin to accrue days. After 270 days you could come back to Brazil for a 90 day, unextendable, stay. After one full year of absence you could come back for a 90 day, extendable to 180 day, stay. Between the 180th and 270th days of your absence from the country you could come back to Brazil only for the number of days you've actually built up. Between the 270th day and 360th day you would be entitled to an initial 90 day stay, plus an extension of the balance of days earned.

Hope this clears it up for you.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Boa tarde William!
Thanks for your quick response. I do have one more little question though... Do I need to be in the USA to apply for a student visa? or would that be possible in Brazil or any neighboring country?

While I am in Brazil I will sign up for a course that begins in April or May 2014 so I have the ability to come back to Brazil before the 180 days are up... I won't have time to accrue days since I REALLLY want to be in Brazil for the world cup.

muito obrigada,

Amanda

Hi Amanda,

I don't know if you need to apply for the VITEM-II Student Visa in the USA or whether you can apply in Brazil or anywhere else. You should contact the Brazilian Consulate and ask them. I think you can apply anywhere, but I'm not sure.

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Hi Paula,

First of all, if the Federal Police do show up they will probably give you 8 days (usually) in which to voluntarily leave Brazil. Following that should you not do so they have to start a legal proceeding, they can't just put you on a plane out of Brazil. You have the right to legal counsel and to defend your position.

Exactly how long have you been in Brazil in an "irregular" situation (i.e. visa overstay)? Have you been in Brazil for over one year?

If so, and you can come up with some proof that you've been living with your boyfriend as a couple for one year then you could apply for a VIPER Permanent Visa based on "união estável". You will end up paying an overstay fine R$8,25 per day (I think) with a maximum of 100 days or R$825,00.

It's kind of a complicated situation, that you'd probably need an immigrations lawyer to advise you on. I can recommend a couple, but they're not in your part of Brazil. You could contact them via e-mail however.

One is Daniel Santana. He's completely fluent in English, raised in the USA. He works here in Macaé, RJ and I know him personally.

The other is Dra. Regina Machado in São Paulo.

www.advocaciareginamachado.com

Send me a private message if you want an e-mail address for Daniel or check  www.mundivisas.com.br

  Cheers, 
  William James Woodward – Brazil Animator, Expat-blog Team

Hi William,

Thanks for the information.

Hi william,


I entered Brazil from the United States on a tourist visa in march of 2013. I stayed in Brazil for 3 months and left for several months and recently have come back to Brazil for a 3 month stay. The beginning of jan 2014 will be a total of 6 months that I have been in Brazil , beginning in march 2013. Will I need to wait until March 2014 to come back to Brazil for another 6 months? Or do I have to wait an entire year before I can come back? I have looked around and have received  mixed answers to these questions. Also, If my girlfriend and I decided to get married in Brazil how much time would I need? Is it a long process?  I still have another month left on my tourist visa... Would that be long enough?   Thank you for your help.


  -James

James,

I can't answer your question on the length of stay but you can get married in Brazil on a tourist visa. The entire process took me 45 days. 15 days was spent dealing with paperwork and then 30 days waiting for it to be approved. I would really recommend applying for your permanent visa in the US at the Brazilian consulate as the process of getting the visa is much quicker (3-6 months) but you have to remain in the US while your visa is processed. If you apply in Brazil prepare yourself for a long agonizing 1-4+ years.

If you decide to get married you will need to contact the Cartorio and ask them what documentation they require for the application. You need your birth certificate legalized at the Brazilian consulate in the US ($20). You will also need anything in English translated by a "sworn public translator." The two documents I had translated were my biographical data page of my passport and my birth certificate. You will also want a CPF right away. Apply in Brazil and get it the same day.

Matt-

One last thing... Whether the Cartorio says you need it or not. Get your passport bio page translated. It has helped me on countless occasions.

You also need to declare before the US consulate you are single and never been married. The consulate in Manaus charged me $50USD and it was in Portuguese. If you were married you will need to divorce certificate legalized and translated as well.

If you don't have two parents on your birth certificate you may want to consider not living in Brazil altogether.

Hope this helps.

Matt-

Matt,

Thank you very much for the information regarding getting married in Brazil. Lots to think about!
If possible I would like to leave Brazil and come back in March for 6 months so the marriage process is not rushed, but I'm not sure if thats an option yet. Thanks again for your help.


   -James

James,

Once you've used up your full 180 days on a Tourist Visa, you need to wait ONE FULL YEAR from your departure date to be entitled to another full 180 day stay.

Cheers,
William James Woodward , Brazil & Canada Expert, Expat-blog Team

Hi William,[/b]
First of all I have to congratulate you on your excellent job - I've read a few pieces of information here and I like the way you communicate with the ones who need your help. Thanks a lot sir.
I am Wlliam Santiago from RdO and I would like to know what a foreigner can do do in order to stay in Brazil for a year. I know about the 180 days and I have helped a few of them but I have a Language School where I also teach Portuguese as a foreign language but it is not a MEC school I mean it is a private one.
But I wish I could use my school and help people who come here to study with me stay longer than six months.
What pieces of advice would you give to me sir.

Um abraço e muito obrigado.

wmsantiago
55-22-9-8818-6940

Hi William,

I have absolutely no idea how the Federal Police or Consulados decide what courses qualify for VITEM-IV student visas and which don't. I would assume that is something that the MEC could tell you.

Thank you very much sir. I'll check it out with MEC.

Hi William,

My name is sarah and I am from Ireland. I spent 88 days in Manaus between September and December 2013. I am wanting to go back to brazil in February for 5 months. Is it possible for me to go on a 3 month tourist visa and get it extended for another 2 months? I was planning to book for 5 months and try extend it when I get there.
Failing that working I am looking into getting a student visa, however the course lasts 4 months but I wish to stay an extra month as I am bridesmaid for a friend, would it be possible to book for the 5 months and extend the visa when I get there?

I would really appreciate any advice you could give me as the embassy here in Ireland had no time for my questions.

Best wishes,

Sarah

Hi Sarah,

Since you've already been in Brazil for 88 days (hopefully you counted both the day of your arrival and departure as full days in this calculation) the maximum number of days you could be in Brazil when you come back would be 92. From that point you would need to be out of the country for a full year to be entitled to the full 180 day entitlement.

180 days following departure - back to zero
270 days following departure - 90 days (without extension)
365 days following departure - 90 days (extendable for a further 90 days)

Between 180 and 270 days entitlement equal to number of days over 270.
Between 270 and 365 days entitlement 90 days (extendable for actual number over 270).

The calculations work on a "rolling" year and not on a calendar year, which it appears you were thinking. Sorry to tell you that.

A VITEM-IV Student Visa is usually issued only for the duration of the course, which must be confirmed by the school. From reports I've received from others usually the entry is permitted only the day before the course begins and departure should be the day following the course ending. Of course if you enrolled in another program you could then apply for an extension of the visa through the Policia Federal. You would need to meet all the same requirements as for the original VITEM-IV application, confirmation letter from school, etc.

Entry to Brazil using any other category visa than the VITUR has no effect on one's duration of stay in Brazil, the 180 day limit refers to the VITUR only. Theoretically anyone could exhaust their 180 days, apply for some other category visa and return to Brazil the day they received the new visa. They would be permitted to remain in Brazil for whatever the stated duration of the new visa is.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Brazil & Canada Expert, Expat-blog Team

Hello everybody..

Here is a question if you can answer.. I am canadian and french citizen with of course 2 passports. I would like very much to know if I can cumulate the length of stay of the 2 nationalities like for exemple come for 3 month as french and then ask for a visa with my canadian passport, Thanks for your help..

No, regardless of the nationality you must enter Brazil and exit the country using the same passport. If you have exhausted your 180 days per year using one passport that is recorded in the immigrations computer system. Using a second passport to re-enter Brazil when you have no entitlement to do so constitutes immigration fraud and even if you were sucessful you can be deported. Don't try it. The 180 day limit is for the PERSON, not for the PASSPORT he/she holds.

There are all kinds of postings asking this same question, the advice is always the same. Don't try it... the consequences are too great. Did you read any of them?

Cheers,
William James Woodward - Brazil and Canada Expert, Expat-blog Team

I was married to a Brazilian and lived in Brazil for ten years. I had my RNE. This expired and I am also processing my divorce in Brazil (a very long drawn out process!). I go back regularly (within two years)... can i still renew my CIE and return to live in Brazil on it, or have I lost in now?

to add to that. I did get a protocolo...

Hello KVMCIL,

Provided that you were issued a VIPER Permanent Visa and applied for the Cédula de Identidade Estrangeiro (CIE) and did, in fact, receive one then there should be no problems as long as you renew it as needed and do not spend any more than 2 years outside the country.

The VIPER granted based on marriage was your right and was issued correctly. If your marriage terminated after it was issued that should really have no effect on your continued entitlement to permanency. That said, absolutely nothing is truly PERMANENT in Brazil. If, for example, your ex-spouse were the vindictive type and entered in contact with either the Policia Federal or Ministério da Justiça and complained long and loud enough it is possible (but not very likely) that they could revoke your VIPER Permanent Visa. It does happen, but clearly not often.

If you are outside the country for more than two years, for reasons beyond your control such as being hospitalized, you should have no problem in having the permanency restored. Even if the absence was voluntary there are still ways to have the permanency renewed.

Hope this information puts your mind more at ease.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

dear sir ,I have visit visa of 90 days for brazil,but I want to convert my visit visa in permanent visa,please sir guide me how can I do it,thanks fast process ,if marraiging with brasilieñ girl ..............

Hello javed amhed,

Read very carefully the following posting on Getting married in Brazil, Permanent Visa and documents required.

Pay particular attention to my very first posting on the subject, it explains the process for both and the documents you need for both processes.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

hello. we are experiencing issues with finding information about brazilian visas for uk citizens. basically we arrived in.brazil on 15th may and are leaving for peru on 19th july. we are hoping to visit the argentina falls in between those dates. after spending a month or so travelling peru our flight out of south america is from sao paulo to india on sept 30th are we able to re enter brazil using the remainder of our previous ninety day visa-then get the extention or will they issue us with a new visa? or not allow us back into brazil? many thanks

Matt

Hi Matt,

The UK has a Visa Waiver Program Agreement with Brazil that is separate from the Schengen Area Agreement and is basically the same, the difference being that UK passport holders CAN extend their initial 90 day stay for an additional 90 days. So they can have their 180 days consecutively, whereas Schengen Area passport holders according to the legislation cannot extend. It does however appear that Brazil allows them to do so anyway, as I've heard from many of them that they had no problem getting visa extensions.

If you have not used up the initial 90 days then you would be allowed to re-enter Brazil for the balance of the unused days. At that point you could apply for a visa extension (prorrogação de estada).

Just don't forget to include date(s) of entry and of departure as full days in Brazil when making your calculations.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, EB Experts Team

thats great thank you very much!

Hi
How are you ?
I would like  to ask one thing,
Im from Poland and I am in Brazil like a turist, can i make document RNE? or with turist visa this is impossible ?
Thank you
B

No, you can't apply for the RNE; it is only for permanent residents or those here on some type of temporary VITEM visa such as a work visa or student visa.

Cheers,
James   Expat-blog Experts Team