Brazil visa?

Sorry to bring the bad news to you, but visas are notoriously hard to get in Brazil. Easiest route is through employment by a multinational (not your case) or investment in the country (doesn't seem to be your case either). For a student visa you need to be enroled full-time in a university. You must apply for your visa before you enter the country.

Your starting point should be the section on Foreigners at the website of the Ministério da Justiça.

Here you will find all the legislation on the topic.

If you have a look at the Resolução Normativa CNI n º 47, de 16 de maio de 2000 you will see there is a provision for visas for foreigners carrying out charitable work.

Sorry all the links I've given to you are in Portuguese, but if you are serious about living in Brazil, you need to get used to the fact that all the information you will find, all the paperwork you will have to sort out (and believe me, there will be tons of it) and all the interviews you will have to conduct will be in Portuguese.

Good luck!

Hi,

I am going to live in Brazil mid Aug so have been trying to swot up in various info for a while now.

A great site to take a look at is www.gringoes.com - it is full of info on Brazil and also has a forum that you can join to ask questions or use the search option to see previous information posted.

It answered most of my questions onvarious things such as visas, teaching English, everything really so have a look!

I believe that you are allowed to enter Brazil on a 3 month tourist visa (obtained on entry), and then apply at the police station for a 3 month extension on this, so you can stay legally for 6 months. Any overstay after that you are fined a certain amount of Reais a day, which I believe you have to pay on leaving the country.

Hope this is helpful!

The following is a previous post:

* The fine is US$ 4.00 per day, and is up to a maximum of 100 days. If you overstay your visa, when you are leaving the airport they may notice your overstay and fine you. By doing this they will put a big stamp in your book, etc.. However, you are not obligated to pay that fine on the spot.... just tell them that you do not have enough money with you. If you get away, and leave the country, you will be required to pay that fine if you return with the same passport. If you change passports, there is no way of them knowing, as it is not entered into a computer system or anything. Trust me, as I have been fined the maximum fee of US$ 400.00 on two separate occasions. I was able to appeal one successfully but the second time I was forced to pay.

Jorge Daniel Barchi.
Buenos Aires.

Working for pay while in the country on a tourist visa is, of course, illegal. You might try to contact NGOs which have a presence in your home country and in Brazil and see if they have suggestions. Most charities want people qualified in specific skill areas, and preferably with a decent knowledge of Portuguese. Well, what they will usually request first is money (they need it). Also check with your countrys embassy in Brasilia. You might check the nearest Brazilian embassy or consulate to see if they have ideas on charity work (they will certainly have info on visa requirements). Hope you have enough funds to live for the year without necessarily depending on finding work.

Anyway, OP will never get a tourist visa as he is an EU national. A visa is one thing, the entry card you get on arrival in Brazil when on tourism a completely different one. You apply for a visa before travel, and you can only get it outside Brazil. Your tourist entry card is granted automatically on arrival. No need to do any previous paperwork.

As Bubbak says, NGOs are looking for volunteers with specific skills. But by all means do contact them and find out what they can do for you - and you for them.

Ah; it appears that I am a little confused myself then on the whole visa thing!

Capercaillie, does the entry card you are granted on arrival allow you to stay for 3 months, and then be extended for a further 3 months?

Thank you

Vidal, that's correct, 3 months on arrival, if you want to stay a further 90 days you have to go to a Federal Police station to get an extension - do that before the initial 90 day period expires.

Your best bet is to in pregnate a Brazillian when on your tourist visa. That will guarentee you a lifelong stay in Brazil ;)