90-Day Multiple Entry Visa for Brazil With United States Passport?
Dec 23, 2006, 10:37 am
#31
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Southern California LAX, BUR
Programs: AA Plat; UA.
Posts: 262
Dec 27, 2006, 2:23 am
#32
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,106
San Francisco consulate gave my girl a 5 year multiple entry tourist visa. I'll be going in there tomorrow (anticipating the 1 - 2 hour wait that it can take to get through there) and hopefully I'll get the same visa.
Dec 27, 2006, 7:46 am
#33
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,481
I think you will find better luck (in terms of how you are treated, wait times, length of visa, overall pleasantness of the process) applying in countries outside the US that have small Brasil consulates. If the opportunity presents itself (trips other than Brasil) I recommend trying this.
Jan 4, 2007, 11:05 pm
#35
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 693
I escorted my parents to the consulate, made sure they told him they would be going often with me, and he did the same. As another poster stated, IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT, DO IT YOURSELF! If you're ever in Houston or a city with a consulate, make a special trip and handle it. I'd never waste money on a visa service for a Brazilian visa, especially after what I've read on this thread.
Jan 10, 2007, 9:15 pm
#36
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ORD; AA Exec Plat (MM), SPG Plat (Lifetime Plt), other minor status
Posts: 81
Very frustrating that it's such a crapshoot between 90 day and 5 year visas. My first tourist visa was for 5 years - obtained through an agency even though my office is walking distance to the Chicago consulate. It expired this past summer, so I renewed it this fall in person at the consulate, but this time only received 90 days. When I picked it up, I tried asking the person behind the counter but was curtly told "Only 90 days visas. No 5 years visas." and she then looked to the person behind me in line.
Told my wife when we returned from Brazil last week that we're not returning to Brazil within the next 5 years anymore. There's plenty of other places to visit.
Told my wife when we returned from Brazil last week that we're not returning to Brazil within the next 5 years anymore. There's plenty of other places to visit.
Jan 11, 2007, 9:36 am
#37
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: The Jersey Shore
Programs: UA *G MM, AA G MM
Posts: 1,866
Very frustrating that it's such a crapshoot between 90 day and 5 year visas. My first tourist visa was for 5 years - obtained through an agency even though my office is walking distance to the Chicago consulate. It expired this past summer, so I renewed it this fall in person at the consulate, but this time only received 90 days. When I picked it up, I tried asking the person behind the counter but was curtly told "Only 90 days visas. No 5 years visas." and she then looked to the person behind me in line.
Told my wife when we returned from Brazil last week that we're not returning to Brazil within the next 5 years anymore. There's plenty of other places to visit.
Told my wife when we returned from Brazil last week that we're not returning to Brazil within the next 5 years anymore. There's plenty of other places to visit.
While I agree with you that their "power trip" is despicable sometimes... not going to Brazil anymore??
...and miss all that caipirinha?? nah...
Jan 11, 2007, 4:07 pm
#38
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: ORD; AA Exec Plat (MM), SPG Plat (Lifetime Plt), other minor status
Posts: 81
Next time I think I'll just use a visa service - even though I live in Chicago, I probably still spent $30 in taxis back and forth to drop off my passport and to pick it up again. Since they only deal with visas between 9am and 1pm, it can sometimes be problematic pulling myself away from the office during those hours, and it would probably take me an hour in total to walk there, wait in line and walk back to the office. So might as well pay the visa fee and deal with it on my time, right?!
Tchau
Jan 19, 2007, 9:06 am
#39
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA, USA
Programs: UA 1P emeritus; Hhonors Silver; Marriott Rewards Silver
Posts: 610
For those of you Brazil travelers with a business purpose...
Do you always get the business visa? I'm going just for a couple of quick meetings. The business visa seems like a lot more hassle than a tourist visa would be.
Do you always get the business visa? I'm going just for a couple of quick meetings. The business visa seems like a lot more hassle than a tourist visa would be.
Jan 19, 2007, 11:24 am
#40
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,481
Tourist visa is easier. You'll need a letter of invitation for a business visa and they can be picky about who signs it. I personally know of a case where a Brasil consul was demanding a signature from a "Vice-President or above" of the company to be visitied in order to issue a business visa (this was a Fortune 500 company) ... pretty absurd. Business visas vary in time also for no apparent reason ... 30 days ... 2 years ... others?
Feb 28, 2007, 10:17 am
#41
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Hellsea - NY, NY, USA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,994
So, I just went to get my visa today from the NY Consulate office. I asked the agent how long the visa would be valid for, and she said 5 years without hesitation.
I think that it must depend on the office you go to. So if you find yourself in NY, then it might be beneficial to get your visa here.
You show up from 10a - 12p to submit your application, and come back the next day from 2:30p - 4:30p to pick it up.
You need a USPS $100 money order ($110 if you're applying for someone else), a 2"x2" passport photo, a completed application, your passport, and your RT ticket (or electronic ticket receipt).
I think that it must depend on the office you go to. So if you find yourself in NY, then it might be beneficial to get your visa here.
You show up from 10a - 12p to submit your application, and come back the next day from 2:30p - 4:30p to pick it up.
You need a USPS $100 money order ($110 if you're applying for someone else), a 2"x2" passport photo, a completed application, your passport, and your RT ticket (or electronic ticket receipt).
Feb 28, 2007, 10:32 am
#42
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA, USA
Programs: UA 1P emeritus; Hhonors Silver; Marriott Rewards Silver
Posts: 610
Following up with my own experience at the DC consulate from a couple of posts above...
No trouble getting the tourist visa in person, but it's just a 90-day visa. I did not ask for a 5-year.
The guy in line ahead of me apparently got a 5-year visa, which surprised the Brazilian bureaucrat behind the glass as she said, "Five years? Oh, you're very lucky! Very lucky!"
Based on her mild state of surprise, it seems 90-day visas are standard issue at the DC consulate.
No trouble getting the tourist visa in person, but it's just a 90-day visa. I did not ask for a 5-year.
The guy in line ahead of me apparently got a 5-year visa, which surprised the Brazilian bureaucrat behind the glass as she said, "Five years? Oh, you're very lucky! Very lucky!"
Based on her mild state of surprise, it seems 90-day visas are standard issue at the DC consulate.
Feb 28, 2007, 10:55 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ELP
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLAT, Marriott Titanium/LT PLAT
Posts: 4,120
I sent them a letter specifically asking for one....
Feb 28, 2007, 10:55 am
#44
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ELP
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLAT, Marriott Titanium/LT PLAT
Posts: 4,120
it is a huge hassle...just get a tourist visa....
Mar 2, 2007, 7:05 pm
#45
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
Wrt getting the 5 year visa it's not an issue I encounter but over the years I've heard a few Americans discussing it over beers in Rio. It's still a hit and miss YMMV situation but the general consensus was that it doesn't do any harm to turn up alone and dressed fairly respectably as opposed to in a group wearing shorts giving each other high fives and loudly proclaiming how much booty you're going to tap whilst in Brasil.
