7+ months stay in brazil with 2 passports

Hello Chris,

If you had taken some time to look at other topic postings the subject of visa overstays has been discussed extensively.

With all due respect, and I'm not trying to single you out for special criticism, I personally find it strange that Europeans especially are the most prone to trying to find ways to get around immigrations rules and thinking that they aren't important or just don't apply to them. You're not the first and I'm sure you won't be the last either. Many Europeans make elaborate plans to come here for longer periods than permitted by law and I really can't figure out why. Perhaps you could shed some light on this for me, if you don't mind? I'd really like to try and understand this mindset of "rules be damned" which seems to be very European.

My question to you is why would you even go to all this trouble? First of all, if you'd read a bit you would already know that visa overstays here in Brazil are really no big deal, subject to a small fine (R$8,25 per day to a maximum of 100 days) and a big ugly stamp in your passport to ensure you pay it. Beyond that the only possible consequence is that it MIGHT, and that's a pretty big MIGHT at that, give another country reason to deny a visa should you travel during the life of that passport.

On the other hand, If you used up the 180 days you're legally entitled to on the American passport and visa then left Brazil only to try and return a few days later on another passport the risks and consequences are enormous. Yes, you might pull it off. However, there is a greater chance of being caught. Now rather than being able to play dumb and say you didn't intend to overstay the mere fact you try to re-enter using another passport clearly proves the contrary and also ceases to be a simple overstay and falls into the category of an immigrations crime. This can lead to some extra time in Brazil that you're not counting on... like at the hospitality of the Brazilian government with lodgings in something far from being considered a resort. This would surely be followed by deportation which would have a permanent negative impact on your future travels worldwide.

My advise, and I hope you'll see the wisdom of following it, is to either stay in Brazil for your six months, bite the bullet and leave it at the six month stay. The other option is if you are really intent on breaking immigrations laws anyway, just overstay and play stupid when you get caught or leave voluntarily following the overstay. The first is the smartest thing to do, the second while ill advised at best isn't going to get you locked up or screw up your future travel plans forever and a day.

Is there really some burningly compelling reason you must stay exactly seven and a half months anyway???

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

Hello wjwoodward,

Yeah I guess its our culture us Europeans to always try and get around laws. I think its because we just consider that laws are for fools and people who respect them end up being less well off.

I want to go through all this trouble because my girlfriend has her courses in Rio and I would like to be with her the her whole stay.

I though I had searched this forum well but I guess not since I didn't know that you the fine for staying longer was R$8/day (I had understood it was more!). Considering that I will need to stay 45 days after the end of my visa I guess I can afford the fine.

Thanks for the advice, it was exactly what I needed! (I don't want to end up in prison!)

Have a nice day, and don't judge us Europeans too much, its just a cultural thing

Hello Chris,

Just remember that for the last month and a half you are going to be in an "irregular" migratory situation. If you are stopped anytime here in Brazil and asked to identify yourself for any reason whatsoever and refuse to do so that is a crime. If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and police are called to some kind of incident, here they make absolutely everybody produce their identity documents. If that happens after your visa stay has expired they will automatically take you to the Federal Police, so you must be aware of that.

Also to enter the country you must have a return ticket to your origin with a date before the expiry of your 90 day visa stay. If you're going to request an extension you're going to have to change that ticket because you will then need to prove the new return date to the Federal Police, then should you overstay you're going to need to change the date again. These changes are going to cost you a lot of money too.

You will NOT be permitted to enter the country on an "open ended" return ticket and you also will NOT be permitted to enter the country should you just purchase a return ticket dated for the same date as your girlfriend's return and try and use that one on your original entry to Brazil.

So you can see that no matter what you ultimately decide to do there are always going to be consequences and costs that you're going to have to deal with and pay. I still think the month and a half your girlfriend is going to be here without you won't kill either of you and the risks clearly aren't worth the benefits.

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

Hello again wjwoodward,

Yeah I have been thinking about all this as there is nothing definitive about my trip yet. All that is definitive is that I'm landing the 10 of October in Lima and after travelling around in South America, I will be taking off from Rio the 17 of July. Considering that I can spend up to 3 months in most of South American countries, I am now thinking of spending only the last 3 months of my trip in Brazil (for the world cup!). I'll be less stressed about "being caught". Do you have any knowledge on if it is possible to extend a french tourist visa? I think that since 2011, the initial 3 months are no longer extendable (reciprocity principle?).
I appreciate your help!
Chris
Here is what I am planning BTW
[url=http://postimg.org/image/m5sfel2fj/]

not sure the attachment of me previous post worked:

You're correct, Schengen Area countries no longer require a visa to enter Brazil, but the trade-off for this was losing the ability to extend the initial 90 day visit.

Now the visits are limited to three months in a six month period, so essentially 90 days in Brazil, 90 days out, 90 in,90 out. From the date of first entry. Also like visa waiver visits to the USA the clock continues ticking even during short absences to  neighboring countries, so for example if you duck out to  Argentina for a week, that is still a week you will lose from your visit to Brazil.

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