The REAL Scoop On Brazil | No Punches Pulled

Read This Only If You Want The REAL Scoop On Brazil That You WON’T Find Anywhere Else!

Now that I've gotten your attention...

Below is advice from one dude to another.

I haven’t made any posts on this site for a while.  I’ve been pretty busy lately, traveling and living offline.  I needed to write this post though as I receive a ton of mail from different people asking a lot of similar questions.

 (if you want to hear this from a female's perspective check out my wife's post on her blog here)

First off, I just want to thank all the people who follow this blog as well as the new readers and even the folks who just found this site while looking for pictures of Brazilian women or some other Brazil-related topic.

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, the reason I wrote this post is to answer questions for anyone looking to move to Brazil (or any other 3^rd world country overseas).

Every week I receive emails from people who are intrigued by the possibility of living overseas, in particular in Brazil.  I’m cool with that as I can relate and understand where everyone is coming from.

To be honest after so many years of receiving these types of emails I am no longer motivated to answer this type of question over and over again so I am writing this post.  From now on I can refer people who are asking about moving to Brazil here and also to help people looking up this type of info online.

Interested in Living Abroad in Brazil?

One of the MAJOR traits shared by 90% of the people who contact me about moving to Brazil is that the person has NEVER visited the country before.  Some of the people have traveled outside of their country of birth but many have not done so before.

Here’s my advice.

If you are considering moving to a country such as Brazil you need to do a couple of things if you are serious.  You absolutely need to physically visit the country.  I cannot tell you if you will like living here and neither can anyone else.  Brazil is very different from countries like the USA in multiple different aspects.

BRAZIL: BEST TIME TO VISIT AND TRAVEL

Disclaimer:

Before I list the seasons and different regions in Brazil it should be noted that the Equator runs through the Northern region of the country.  Most areas are very nice ALL YEAR including the Northeast (which includes Bahia), the Amazon, even Rio de Janeiro to the South.  Typical four season models do not apply.

Brazil Travel: main destinations

Amazon (the rainforest)
Pantanal (for bird and animal life watching)
Iguassu Falls (the world largest waterfalls)
Rio de Janeiro (the capital of fun and beach life)
Salvador da Bahia (musical and beach life in an afro-american style)
Bahia, Fortaleza, Recife: hubs for TOP WORL tropical beaches
Sao Paulo (the business and industrial heart of Brazil)
Brazil's South (Florianopolis, Santa Catarina and other south destinations)

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO TRAVEL TO BRAZIL

Someone recently emailed me asking for travel requirements. Here is my response.

Here is an example of what the visa looks like.

You need a passport and visa (click here to get both) to travel to Brazil if you are a US citizen. You apply for your passport through the Post Office. The visa is a stamp the goes in your passport. You can get a Brazil visa at the Brazil Consulate for the state that you live in. (Click here to see list of countries that do not need visas, Trinidad for example) You do not have to appear in person, you can send your passport and visa application in the mail and the Brazil Consulate will mail it back to you.


I will put more detailed instructions on visa &

BRAZIL CONSULATE LIST FOR THE US & OTHER BRAZILIAN CONSULATE INFO

This is the most comprehensive list for Brazilian Consulates in the United States.  For some reason the information online is spotty and incomplete.  Even the other Brazil Consulates do not have all of the correct info for each other.

Brazil is gearing up for a MASSIVE increase in American tourists from all over the United States from Hawaii to Alabama and everything in between.  Brazil has nearly doubled the amount of consulates located in the US in the last year!

Soon the US and Brazil will be removing the visa required to visit each other for their citizens. This means that you will be able to visit Brazil (or if you are Brazilian visit the US) without first paying for a visa stamp in your passport from the Brazil Consulate.

Okay if you live outside of the United States jurisdiction just do a Google search for your country and the words "Brazil Consulate".  This is a list for all the Brazil Consulates in the US.  The Consulate you are supposed to go to depends on what state or territory you live in.  This list will get you pointed in the right direction.

This List Has Been Updated to Include the Honorary Consulate Locations in The United States As Well!

Just Scroll Down to View The Honorary Consulate Info.

If you have any questions contact me here: admin@mooraboutbahia.com

Brazilian Consular Jurisdiction in the USA

Consulate General of Brazil in Miami, FL 80 SW 8th Street - 26th Floor Miami, FL 33130-3004 Phone: (305) 285-6200 Fax:     (305) 285-6229 www.brazilmiami.org   Jurisdiction: Florida, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands Consulate General of Brazil in Atlanta, GA 3500 Lenox Road, suite 800 Atlanta, GA 30326 Phone: (404)949-2400/2470 Fax:    (404)949-2402 www.atlantaconsulatebrazil.org Email: info@atlantaconsulatebrazil.org   -   consuladoatlanta@gmail.com Jurisdiction: Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and Tennessee

Consulate General of Brazil in Boston, MA 20 Park Plaza, Suite 1420 Boston, MA 02116 Phone: (617) 542-4000 Fax:     (617) 542-4318 www.consulatebrazil.org Email: cgbos@consulatebrazil.org Jurisdiction: Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont

WORLD TRAVELER: INTERVIEW WITH DJ ETC LIVE FROM BAHIA

An interview with DJ ETC live from Salvador, Bahia in Brazil. Listen to his parting take on the country and his advice for the Brothers and Sisters out there interested in widening their horizons and traveling abroad.

www.mooraboutbahia.com

www.bahiabraziltours.com

Brazil Entry Requirements

Brazil Entry Requirements

Visa and Passport

Both passport and Visa are required for all U.S. citizens traveling to Brazil for any purpose. Brazilian visas can only be obtained from a Brazilian embassy or consulate and must be obtained in advance: there are no "passport visas". Entry into Brazil will be denied to anyone without a valid visa.

All visas must be used within 90 days of the issued day; dated visas are not valid.

Exemption from Tourist Visa:
Travelers from countries listed below are not required to obtain a tourist visa:
Andorra*, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas*, Barbados*, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia*, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Morocco, Monaco, Namibia*, Netherlands, Norway, Panama*, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Surinam, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago*, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vatican, Venezuela.
* These countries require a business visa, though they are exempt from a tourist one.

In response to the US-VISIT program introduced in January 1, 2004 the Brazilian government began to fingerprint and photograph all U.S. citizens arriving in Brazil. Fines, averaging $15,000 each based on stated income, were handed out within the first six weeks of the new policy, for obscene gestures made while being photographed. Please be advised that local law is in act, and disrespecting and showing contempt for a government official is an extreme offence in Brazil.

Visitors who have recently visited infected-Yellow fever areas (listed in the Immunization section) may be required to present their inoculation card or they may be denied entry into Brazil.

Minors

Minors- under 18- traveling alone/with one parent/with third party- must have written authorization by the absent parent(s)/guardian stating permission to travel alone/with one parent/with third party. This must be in Portuguese and authenticated by a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate.

Dual Nationality

U.S. citizens who also hold Brazilian nationality must obtain a Brazilian passport from a Brazilian Embassy or Consulate, for a Visa will not be issued. They may be subject to Brazilian laws outside of those affecting U.S. citizens.

Salvador International Airport

Here is a link to a very helpful site about the Salvador International Airport.

http://www.aeroportosalvador.net/en/salvador-airport-guide

There is a mall in the airport as well as two cambios (foreign exchange stores).  Banco do Brasil, the central bank in Brazil also has a branch in the mall.  The Federal Police have a station located near the airport entrance.

There are plenty of restaurants, travel agencies, and pretty much anything else you may need upon arriving or passing thru the Salvador airport.

As long as you aren't trying to smuggle in anything illegal you should have a pretty pleasant and relatively easy trip.  The airport is fairly modern and convenient.  ALL of the Policia Federal detectives speak fluent English.  Don't let them fool you, LOL.

They want you to at least try to speak Portuguese and many times will not let it be known that they speak English however they do or else they would not be working at the airport station.  Just wanted to share that because anyone who stays longer than 90 days will have to visit the Policia Federal at the airport to get show them their visa.

These bamboo trees form a tunnel at the entrance to Salvador's airport.

THE INTERACTIVE TRAVEL GUIDE

Source
Article by VacationRentalPeople

Lonely Planet may very well have given up. So it seems anyway. In the burgeoning (some zealous journalists seem to think ‘revolutionary’) world of travel apps, their offering seems fairly meagre. Yes it’s free to download, and by yesterday’s standards may have been sufficient, but it pales in comparison to other apps.

It seems that the company may be naively holding on to the idea of selling book travel guides. While the travel book market may not be dead, they are likely to see diminishing returns if they don’t watch what their
competitors are doing.

Smart phones seem to be leading the way in most technological matters, offering a new way to access and consume information, half way to an autonomy device to rule them

How to Receive Wire Transfers From Brazil

By Calla Hummel, eHow Contributor

updated: August 11, 2010

Both banks and international transfer services send money from Brazil to almost any other country.

dollars image by peter Hires Images from Fotolia.com

Transfers coming from Brazil are primarily sent using one of the major banks, such as Banco do Brasil and Banco Real, or one of the international banks operating there, such as Santander and HSBC. Transfers from Brazil may also be sent through a major international wire transfer service, such as Western Union or Money Gram.

Difficulty: Easy

How to Send Money to Brazil Online

By Tricia Chaves, eHow Contributor

updated: June 4, 2010

Send money quickly to a recipient in Brazil with Xoom.

brazil map image by Goran Bogicevic from Fotolia.com

There's no need to wait in line or pay a hefty fee to send money to a friend or relative in Brazil. You can send $25 to $2,999 US online using Xoom.com. The company waives the transfer fees on transactions of $500 or more when funded with a U.S. bank account. The recipient receives funds for cash pick-up at a branch location in one day or directly into select bank accounts in four business days.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

HOW TO CALL BRAZIL FROM THE UNITED STATES

(To Dial Outside the US) 011 + (Country code) 55 + (City Code) ## + (Phone Number) ####-####

SECRET LOOPHOLES TO GET CHEAP AIRLINE TICKETS

I'll bet you thought you were getting a great deal by purchasing your flights through cheapoair.com or priceline.com.

Think again...you can fly way cheaper than you have ever imagine.  You can even get money back on the flight that you just booked!

An Ex-Airline Pilot Reveals How To Get Dirt Cheap Airline Tickets. Save Up To $500 Or More On Your Next Flight! GUARANTEED!!!

So How Cheap Can It Get?

NEW FLIGHTS FOR US-BRAZIL ROUTES

There are now more direct flights from the US to Brazil.  TAM Airlines added more direct flights to Salvador, Bahia from Miami (and other int'l cities) as well.

View Complete Article here

New Flights for US-Brazil Routes

Posted: 26 Oct 2010 05:01 PM PDT

By Sibel Tinar, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Already holding the title of the Southern Hemisphere’s most popular tourist spot with around 2.8 million visitors each year, the appeal of Rio de Janeiro for holidaymakers has been increasing along with its global prestige as host of the 2016 Olympics, and the key role it will play in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

TAM Airlines currently offers direct flights to Rio de Janeiro from New York, Miami, and Houston in the U.S., and from London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Lisbon in Europe, photo by Sibel Tinar.

The number of visitors to the city has been growing at a rate of 7.8 percent each year, and the Ministério do Turismo (Ministry of Tourism) foresees that number increasing by fifteen percent from 2015 to 2016 as a result of the Olympics.

In a bid to keep up with the increase in demand, the world’s major airlines have been adding new flights, making it now possible to reach Rio de Janeiro from most places without having to do multiple transfers.

With Rio’s Galeão International Airport increasingly becoming a direct destination and a new hub for Brazil following the lead of São Paulo’s Guarulhos International, the airports are currently forced to handle flights and passengers well above their capacity.

This has led to airlines having to offer direct flights to other major destinations in Brazil such as Salvador, Recife, Manaus, Brasília, and Fortaleza to reduce the burden on São Paulo and Rio.

In another attempt to increase direct flights from the United States to Brazil, Delta Air Lines launched the first non-stop flight from Detroit to São Paulo recently, the first flight from Detroit to the Southern Hemisphere. The flight will operate twice weekly before switching to five times a week on December 15th in order to meet the demand for the peak tourist season.

Brazil Trip Planning

My Son chillin in Amaralina

Brazil Trip Planning

Brazil is such vast country that you may easily get overwhelmed by the numerous attractions it offers. Where to go? What to do? What to see? This section of the Brazil Travel Information website provides an outline for some popular vacation choices and helpful planning information to get you started in putting together your trip.

When to Travel
High season is one week before Christmas until Carnaval (February or early March.) This is the most popular time to travel. The festivals during parts of this time period are unforgettable while all the towns and resorts are bursting with vacation travelers. The downside is that hotels are more expensive and availability is quite limitted. Visiting Brazil in September through November promises summer weather and a savings on high-season rates. All the other months are usually pleasant but carry a somewhat greater possibility of rain.

Seasons:
Summer is December through March
Winter is June through September

Since Brazil is such a vast country, temperatures vary significantly from region to region. The Amazon is hot and humid year round; while in the Pantanal, most of the rain falls

Now That We've Got The Specifics Out The Way!

Okay now that we've covered some info needed before coming to Brazil its time to have fun.  Time to start planning your trip!

If you are leaving from the United States the cheapest and quickest way to get there is to leave from Miami.  Miami has direct flights to Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and other cities.  Their is even a Brazil Air Pass which allows the holder to fly to different cities within Brazil.
 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF VISAS

There are different visas each with certain amounts of time the holder is allowed to stay legally within the country.  The tourist visa is good for a maximum of 3 months at one time before you are supposed to exit the country.

Processing time for most visas:
By mail, third party or courier: 15 business days.
In person or through a household family member: 5 business days.

IMPORTANT!!
EACH VISA HAS ITS OWN LIST OF REQUIREMENTS.  CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CONSULATE TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY REQUIRE FOR THE VISA YOU APPLY FOR.


WE CAN ASSIST IN OBTAINING VISAS.  OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED IN SALVADOR, THE CAPITAL OF BAHIA, BRAZIL.  CONTACT US BY EMAIL (admin@mooraboutbahia.com)
OR JUST LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS PAGE IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE VISA PROCESS!

Types of Visa     Tourist Visa - Stay in Brazil for up to 90 days for tourism purposes.      PROCESSING TIME      Cultural Visa - This visa allows the bearer to stay in Brazil from 60 days up to 2 years depending on the purpose of the trip. For exchange students and interns the validity of Vitem I is limited to 1 (one) year not extendable.     This type of visa can be issued to persons who wish to travel to Brazil for cultural, study or training purposes, such as:

So You Wanna Come to Brazil?

Okay this is my first blog post. Yay!

So if you are reading this.  For whatever reason you have decided you want to visit the beautiful country of Brazil.  Whether you are planning on visiting for tourism or planning on coming down here for good you need to know some important things first.

First and foremost depending on what country you are coming from you will more than likely need to acquire a Brazilian visa from the Brazil Consulate in your home country.  (If you are coming from the United States jurisdiction this is gonna run you at least $200 USD)  Later on I will post a list of countries that are not required to get visas.  I will also post info and links about what type of visas are offered and the requirements.

Off the top of my head I know that most people will want a tourist visa which costs around $200 USD and is not to difficult to get.  However before the consulate approves a tourist visa they want to see proof of your round trip tickets!  Just so you know.