BootsnAll Travel Community

I am trying to apply for a Brazilian Visa from Buenos Aires. Called the consulate today and they would not allow me to ask any questions over the phone. Has anyone done it in BA before? Is it very difficult? What exactly do you need to bring as I have heard conflicting reports of exactly what is needed (and consulate website has a giant list including bank statements etc.). Leaving on May 1 for Rio - is this enough time? Many thanks!!

The requirements for what you need to include with the application are easy: http://www.brasilemb.org/index.php?option=com_content&t...view&id=167&Itemid=1

The requirements may be slightly different in the consulates in Argentina, but they shouldn't be more strict. For instance, I doubt they will require proof of ownership of a flight ticket out of Brazil.

You may also see if getting your visa from the consulate in Puerto Iguazú (near Iguazu Falls) is an option for you. It's a smaller consulate, so they may do things quicker there...

Good luck!

Bjørn

Thanks - I did go to the consulate and they are processing the visa paperwork - said I should have it by Friday. For any of you that may be considering this option though be SURE to have the following information:

1. Address and phone number in Argentina
2. Address and phone number and contact person in Brazil
3. Bring copies of your 2 latest bank statements (with your NAME on them)
4. Copy of your credit card (yes they demand this)
5. Proof of travel into Brazil
6. Proof of travel out of Brazil (they did not ask for 5 or 6 after I gave them my credit card and bank statement info, but I have heard they sometimes do ask for it)

We saw MANY people turned away at the window because they didn't bring copies of the proper info or know their address/phone number etc. for the application. Also you MUST get there before 12:30pm or they will not help you.

Oh - and the fee was very expensive - close to 500 pesos for US Citizens and you must pay in cash so be sure to start taking out pesos at the ATM if you have a daily limit (mine is 300 pesos per day).

quote:

Originally posted by traveler.dude:
Oh - and the fee was very expensive - close to 500 pesos for US Citizens and you must pay in cash so be sure to start taking out pesos at the ATM if you have a daily limit (mine is 300 pesos per day).

That's fairly steep, but the good news is that it's just for US citizens, and it's that expensive because it exactly matches the amount Brazilians have to pay to get a visa to the USA. Or it did, before the dollar started tumbling.

Just in case some Europeans and people from South America read this thread, I'd just like to note that most of you don't need this visa at all, so you can visit Brazil "for free". #8D) For other countries it's more or less like this: Canadians pay half of what Americans pay. Australians pay half of what Canadians pay. Russians and Japanese pay about US$50, Mexicans US$30, and most other countries US$20.

I saw this post and decided to follow your advice on getting a Brazilian visa here in BA.

Consider yourself lucky--one woman there is one nasty b*tch! I always try to be extra cooperative and nice when dealing with people at the consulate and border crossing because they can make your life a living hell if they choose to. She chose to.

I already have a visa for Brazil and had zero trouble getting one. I needed to get one for my wife since we have a flight out of Rio on June 9th. We brought everything you listed above but forgot copies of our credit cards (although we had them with us). I thought that would be the problem but no...

The woman took one look at our bank statement and told us it was not dated for today so no good. And we needed copies of our credit cards--Okay, fair enough. But then she immediately circled the "employer" box on the form and told us she needed a letter from my wife's employer. We tried to explain my wife owns her own business but the woman insisted my wife needed a letter from her employer. My wife offered to write a letter explaining she is the business owner--no, need a letter from her employer.

Where do they find idiots like this?!?!?

So, after many dollars in cab fare, we returned later with everything the colsulado website asks you to bring: photos, cash, passport, plane ticket, banks statements dated for today, application form (which they make you fill out on the computers there anyway).

We were smoothly dealing with a different person until the evil one saw us and cut in insisting we needed a letter from my wife's employer. I can understand this if you show a bank statement with $5 in it, but we have enough funds for our RTW trip and expenses back at home. The only thing I can guess is she saw the amount and decided to harass the "rich" gringos.

I very nicely explained that we have everything listed on the website. She then handed me a copy of the website pointing to "The consulate may request additional information and/or documents as deemed necessary" and said "CAN YOU READ?"

So hard to be nice now but I was. I remembered her saying in our first visit she was not the one who would review the application, so I reminded her of this and said we would like to submit our application and see what happens. I think I pushed the magic button because she then told me that I needed to sit down and she would only deal with my wife.

So, we got pushed out the door until we have a letter from my wife stating that she works for herself although she can't write it or sign it.

Anyone have any experience like this? I can see if the application was denied but they will not even allow us to submit it!! I really don't know what to do next...

WanderWhy,

It really is a small world - We were actually behind your wife in line today at the consulate and chatted with you as we rode down in the elevator! We felt so bad for you guys - they seemed to be giving your wife a difficult time for no apparent reason and everyone left confused about what would satisfy their unreasonable requests - we simply said we were not employed (guess we really aren't right now) and they just wrote "Self" in the employer section for us and didn't give us a hard time at all. The only things they requested from us were the bank account statements, credit card info, the pictures and our passports. They processed them in three days and we picked them up today. I think they send everyone away at least once or twice - let me know how it all works out.

Follow our travels at
www.tktraveltheworld.blogspot.com

LOL!!!

Now this is funny. Four "Booties" meet online and off without knowing until much later. I'm so glad you guys had a fairly smooth transaction.

Really, we were nothing but nice to the psycho-tron behind the counter. The worst part is having to bite your lip no matter how nasty they are (or ignorant). I would think being a business owner or freelancer is not such a obscure living that she would understand it. I'm sure if she just submitted our paperwork to the people that do the actual processing there would have been no problem. But how to get past her?!?!?

You are right--a bank statement with plenty of cash, credit cards, and the photo is all they really need (hell, we even have the plane ticket out of the country). From this information alone they can tell plenty about you. I can't for the life of me figure out what her story was... maybe just bored with her job and needed to create drama instead of just filing applications all day.

I'm tired of wasting time with this and just want to enjoy this great (really great!) city. We may just head to Iguazu and try to get a visa there. It's supposed to be a bit easier, but I think you can only get 30 days... then we'd have to file for an extension. Sounds like more pain and suffering with another possible dragon lady.

We'll keep you updated on the visa saga. Happy travels to you both.

My wife says she is sorry for holding you up online.

Anyone else out there have ideas?

Just an update for anyone reading that may be going the same route. Getting a visa for Brazil at Puerto Iguazu is MUCH easier than the Buenos Aires consulate.

Scratch the list of requirements in the previous post and just bring:
Passport
$468 AG Pesos
a photo

Done in 3 hours.

Unfortunately they can only give out 30 days but you can renew up to 90 days with the Federal Police here--hopefully that will go smoothly too.

The BA consulate is a nightmare. If I had the name of the nightmare who works there I would send her a postcard from here now