Apply Visa to Brazil in Lebanon

F.A.Q. concerning visa demands:

Q 1. Where should I present my visa demand? Do I need an appointment?

Ans 1. All visa demands should be presented to the Brazil Visa application Center. An appointment is needed, and the applicants should be aware of the working hours and other procedures.

Q 2. Where and how should I pay the consular fees?

Ans 2. Consular fees should be paid cash at the Brazil Visa application center.

Q 3. May I keep my passport while the Consular Section of the Embassy of Brazil is processing my visa demand?

Ans 3. Passports may be withdrawn from the Consular Section while awaiting for the processing period.

Q 4. When presenting my visa demand, could I just present a copy of the letter of invitation ("compromisso de manutenção")?

Ans 4. No. Only the original document can be presented with your visa application, according to all instructions available in this website.

Q 5. Can a visa be fast-tracked?

Ans 5. No. Visas are usually issued in no less than five working days. Visas for certain nationalities (including Lebanese) may take up to three weeks to be issued, as they are subject to prior approval by the Ministry of External Relations in Brasília.

Q 6. When my visa is issued, can someone else collect it?

Ans 6. Yes, provided that the person collecting the visa presents the slip issued by the Brazil Visa application Center when the application was lodged.

Q 7. What is the validity of an Authorization for the Consular Section to grant a work visa?

Ans 7. Counting from the day the authorization reaches the Consular Section, the applicant has six months to obtain his visa.

Q 8. What is the maximum length of time a tourist can spend in Brazil?

Ans 8. A tourist can stay in Brazil for a maximum of three months in any twelve-month period. He must first have obtained a visa for 90 days. Once in Brazil, he may apply for a single extension of up to 90 additional days. At the end of the extended stay, the tourist must leave the country, and may only return to Brazil as a tourist after another six months have elapsed.

Q 9. Can I have my visa extended while in Brazil?

Ans 9. Most Brazilian visas are extendable, and if they are the extension may be obtained while in Brazil. Extensions are granted by the Brazilian Federal Police (DPF). The DPF has offices in the capital city of each state. Applications for extension must be made no more than one month and no less than two weeks before the visa expires. Please bear in mind that approval of a request for a visa extension is entirely at the discretion of the Brazilian Federal Police.

Q 10. Is a ‘business visa’ the same as a ‘work visa’?

Ans 10. No. A ‘Work Visa’ requires the approval of the Brazilian Ministry of Employment. The procedure has to be initiated by the prospective employer in Brazil. Once approval is given, the relevant authorization is relayed to a Brazilian Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence, which will then issue the visa.
A ‘Business visa’ is only granted to applicants wishing to do business in Brazil and not to applicants seeking employment in Brazil.

Q 11 .Is a holder of a ‘student visa’ allowed to work in Brazil?

Ans 11. Holders of ‘student visas’ are not allowed to work in Brazil.

Q 12 .Is a tourist allowed to buy property in Brazil?

Ans 12. Yes. However, owning property does not give a tourist a right of residence in Brazil. Only investment in a business may give a tourist a right of residence.

Q 13 .Can property in Brazil be considered an investment if, for example, it is rented out, or if people are employed to look after it?

Ans 13. No. A ‘Permanent Visa’ based on investment may be granted to the applicant who wishes to establish himself in Brazil with the purpose of investing no less than US$50,000.00 of his own foreign currency resources in productive activities in Brazil. The Brazilian Immigration authorities may exceptionally authorize that a ‘Permanent Visa’ is granted to an applicant who cannot invest the minimum amount, but who is able to submit a business plan anticipating the creation of at least ten new jobs over a five-year period, to be filled by Brazilian workers.

Q 14 .Can a ‘permanent visa’ based on investment be applied at Consular Section of the Embassy?

Ans 14.No. This type of visa can only be applied for in Brazil, either by the applicant, or by a representative of the applicant with a power of attorney. Anyone wishing to apply for this visa should contact the Brazilian National Council for Immigration (ConselhoNacional de Imigração), at the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The Ministry of Labour and Employment has offices in the capitals of each State. Once approval is granted, the ensuing visa authorisation is relayed to the Brazilian Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence, where the ‘Permanent Visa’ will be issued. Always bear in mind that ‘Permanent Visas’ cannot be issued in Brazil.

Q 15 .Can a tourist apply for a work permit without having to leave the country?

Ans 15. No. Tourists are not allowed to change their visa status while in the country. Prospective employers must apply for a work permit on behalf of the tourist they wish to employ; if the permit is granted, the tourist will have to leave Brazil and return to his country of residence, where his ‘Work visa” will be issued by a Brazilian Consulate.

Q 16 .Can a journalist / correspondent have his/her visa’s validity extended while in Brazil?

Ans 16. No. He has to return to his country of residence and apply for a new ‘Correspondent Visa’, following the same procedures as were followed for obtaining the original visa.

Q 17 .Can a tourist work in Brazil?

Ans 17. Holders of ‘Tourist Visas’ are not allowed to work in Brazil. “Working Holiday Visas” do not exist in Brazil.

Q 18 .Is a visa required for filming in Brazil?

Ans 18. For some nationalities a visa is not required. Citizens of those countries for which a visa is not required need simply to have a certificate of exemption stamped in their passports.
For some other nationalities, a ‘Temporary-Item II Visa’ is required. In either case, prior approval of the project is required: the person intending to film in Brazil must seek assistance from a Brazilian co-producer, who will apply to the Brazilian National Cinema Agency (ANCINE) on his behalf for approval. Once ANCINE’s approval to film is granted, the relevant authorization is relayed to the Brazilian Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence, either by ANCINE itself or by the Brazilian co-producer. Upon receipt of the authorization and presentation of the applicant’s passport, the Consulate will issue the visa, or the certificate of exemption, as applicable. For ‘Temporary-Item II Visas , a consular fee of LBP 120.000 is charged. Certificates of exemption are issued free of charge.

Q 19 .Does an artist need a visa to perform in Brazil?

Ans 19. If the artist is charging a fee to perform, a ‘Work Visa’ will be required. If the artist himself is not receiving payment, but tickets are sold at the box office, a ‘Work Visa’ will be required. In the event that neither fees are paid to the artist nor box office proceeds are charged by the organizer, the artist is allowed to perform as a tourist, i.e. without a ‘Work Visa’. Such cases are rare and usually limited to festivals.

Q 20 .Is a holder of a ‘student visa’ allowed to stay in Brazil after the end of his/her course?

Ans 20. No. When a student finishes his/her course, he/she has to exit the country no later than the visa expiry date. The former student may re-enter the country as a tourist, provided that he/she has obtained a tourist visa (if applicable), and depending on Brazilian Immigration at the port of entry.

Q 21 .What is the validity of a Certificate of Prosecution/Conviction History/Criminal record?

Ans 21. This certificate is valid for three months only.

Q 22 .Can a non-Brazilian who is legally married to a Brazilian apply for permanent visa in Brazil?

Ans 22. Yes. If he got married in Brazil, he must submit his original Brazilian marriage certificate; if he got married abroad, he must submit the marriage certificate issued by the Brazilian Consulate in the country where the marriage took place. The non-Brazilian applicant must also present a Certificate of Prosecution/Conviction History from his/her country of residence, issued no more than twelve months prior to the application. To be valid in Brazil, his Certificate has to be duly legalized by the Brazilian consulate in his country of residence.

Q 23 .Is an Authorization to Travel to Brazil required for a minor (under 18)?

Ans 23. Yes. Both parents must give their consent for a minor to travel alone. Their authorization (in English or Portuguese) must include the minor’s full name, passport number, approximate dates of arrival in and exit from Brazil, and the name, address and telephone number of the person with whom he/she will be staying in Brazil (if applicable). The parents’ signatures on this document have to be certified by a Notary, and after that, legalized by the Consular Section.
The minor has to submit this document to Immigration upon his arrival in Brazil, whenever travelling inside Brazil, and upon exiting the country. If the minor is travelling to Brazil in the company of only one parent, a similar authorization from the other parent must be submitted.
If a visa is required from a minor, the authorization to travel alone must be submitted at the same time as the visa application.

Frequently Asked Questions - Revenue and Customs

If you are traveling or moving to Brazil and have questions about what you can bring into the country without paying custom duties, check the following link towards the website of the Brazilian Revenue Bureau (Receita Federal):
http://receita.economia.gov.br/orientacao/aduaneira/viagens-internacionais/guia-do-viajante/guia-do-viajante-versao-ingles