Brazil Visa Application For Americans in South America

We left the United States without a Brazilian tourist visa because we did not have an actual date of arrival and we were traveling slowly in South America for nine months. You do need to show your round trip tickets or a signed letter from a travel agent confirming your airline ticket for visa application.

Two and half months into our travels, we made a major decision to go on a 46 day guided overland tour starting in Rio de Janeiro through Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. This tour requires us to apply for a Brazil visa, Paraguay visa and a yellow fever shot for Bolivia (many different opinions on yellow fever vaccination) since we hold American passports.

So what do you do if you don't have the necessary visas for Brazil and Paraguay while traveling in South America? Apply for visas in Montevideo, Uruguay! That's what we did. It was not an easy process because it takes time, some knowledge of the Spanish language to find out the direction to the consulate and get the correct size of photos and more.

Here is what we learned through the process and we would like to share with you the necessary steps to get a Brazil tourist visa in Montevideo Uruguay:

1. Fill out the electronic form at https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/ We tried to do that several times but could not get it done from our apartment in Montevideo. The whole website was in Spanish or Portuguese. I didn't find the English version online. Another thing is you need to print out the filled application form.

2. What we did was visit the Brazilian Consulate General in Montevideo, located at Convencion, 1343, piso 6 (level 6) in downtown Montevideo, just off Avenida 18 Julio (the main street in Montevideo before Plaza Independencia) about 10 minutes walk from Plaza Independencia.

3. Upon arrival at the consulate, you need to get a ticket to meet up with a visa application consultant (thankfully the attendant at the counter spoke a little English).

4. Your number will appear on a TV screen in the waiting room. You can let the visa application consultant know your intention and she or he will let you fill out the online application form at the consulate. In our case, we did not bring enough cash or the passports with us when we visited the first time.

5. Remember to bring

• 2 recent passport size photos (to be exact 3x4 cm) and don't smile for your photos. The photo must have a white background
• your passport must be valid for at least six months and must have at least one free page
• round trip ticket to enter and leave Brazil (for our travels, we had bus tickets from Montevideo to Florianopolis and an invoice and itinerary from the tour operator)
• proof of international credit card with your name and financial means

• cash of 4320 Uruguayan pesos per person (US$227)

If you meet all their requirements, it takes 48 hours or two business days to process the tourist visa. According to the Consulate, visa fee varies and depends on the nationality of applicant. All fees must be paid in cash, in Uruguayan pesos at the Consulate while applying for visa.

Minors under 18 years old are required to be present and parents must authorize the application.

It is cheaper to apply for the visa in the United States.

The visa is valid for 10 years.

The Brazilian Consulate in Montevideo is open on Mondays through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm.

Here is their website: http://cgmontevideu.itamaraty.gov.br

All the best. Did this help? Let us know.