US Citizen Cruising to Brazil - Wondering About Visa

[weaselville]

Hello! I'm new here and this is my first post, so here goes.

I'm a USA citizen who will be sailing aboard a French boat this autumn from France to Brazil. I would like to disembark in Brazil and spend a few weeks touring the country overland, and then fly back to the USA.

The problem is that, as far as I can tell, I need to provide flight tickets ahead of time to get the visa. As we don't yet know when we will arrive in Brazil, this is rather difficult. Even worse, they seem to want to see a flight ticket or cruise line ticket IN to Brazil. Obviously, I don't have such a thing.

Is there a special visa for sailors arriving on private vessels? Does anyone have experience with sailing in to Brazil (as USA citizen)?

Thanks a lot for any help you can give me.

-jw

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, jw.

“... According to the Brazilian Consul in Las Palmas, visas are no longer required by UK and US citizens arriving on their yachts, but the actual situation is not clear and Consulate in San Francisco contradicts this ...”

More ➥ Noonsite: Brazil

[capn_billl]

Call the Brazilian consulate. I have traveled to several countries that weren't on good diplomatic terms with the US. The procedure I followed was call the consulate, he will give you the procedure, (fees, bribes, etc...). Mail my passport with several copies and a letter describing purpose of visit and why he should allow me in his country. Several weeks later my passport was returned with visas attached. In one case I had to have a second passport as one country would not allow me in if my passport was stamped with the other one. People travel to Brazil all the time, shouldn't be a problem if you arrainge in advance.

[MarkJ]

I'm Austraalian and I had a little difficulty with the Brazilians when I sailed in about 12 years ago without a visa. I had been advised by their consulate in the Canaries that I did not need a visa.

I certainly did need one and things got a bit messy with me, eventually, being confined to the marina for a few days till the boat sailed. But we had a good few weeks before then!

I think you are wise to ensure you have the full facts before wafting in there. (Also Brazil has a bit of an anti American thing after that Iran thing 6 months ago)

[bstreep]

JFYI, Brazil also requires a somewhat expensive visa when you fly through Brazil, and simply change planes there.

[dpons]

Originally Posted by bstreep

JFYI, Brazil also requires a somewhat expensive visa when you fly through Brazil, and simply change planes there.

So does the US, BTW.

Brazil has no hostility towards the US, it just has a policy of reciprocity. The US makes things very hard for Brazilians travelers and other third world nationals as well.

[J Ventura]

If you are flying in , get a visa. If you are sailing in , just show up at a port of entry