Visa for Brazil Cruise?

[Captain Cosmo]

Hi - we are taking a cruise from Buenos Aires up the coast of Brazil and then back to Buenos Aires. I spoke to someone at Celebrity Customer Service and they said that if you are on Celebrity's shore excursions you don't need a Brazilian VISA but that if you want to go ashore on a private tour or on your own you would have to get a Brazilian Visa in advance. Anyone know if that's true?

[greatam]

Hi - we are taking a cruise from Buenos Aires up the coast of Brazil and then back to Buenos Aires. I spoke to someone at Celebrity Customer Service and they said that if you are on Celebrity's shore excursions you don't need a Brazilian VISA but that if you want to go ashore on a private tour or on your own you would have to get a Brazilian Visa in advance. Anyone know if that's true?

 

As a frequent SA business traveler, I don't think they know what they are talking about. Brazil is strict about their visa's. Just plan on getting one. I have never heard of being allowed into Brazil without a visa.

 

And you most likely will need a yellow fever shot. It may not be required for the cruise itself. However, there are quite a few countries that will require proof of vaccination if you have a Brazilian visa.

 

It is often hard to tell where you were in Brazil and if you were in an endemic zone. So immigration officers see the Brazilian visa, ask for the yellow fever vaccination record. Peru, Ecuador and China are three countries I personally know that turn people away with a Brazilian visa and no vaccination record.

 

Think about your future travels.

[Keith1010]

I agree that you will need a visa for Brazil. In fact, even if you don't get off the ship you will still need a visa for Brazil.

 

Keith

[lwnbwlr]

I have a current Brazilian visa that is stamped into my passport. The passport itself, however, has expired and has been replaced. Question: Can I use the VISA, which is still current, in the expired passport?

[sultan_sfo]

See answer to question 20 from SF Brazilian Consulate FAQ:

 

http://www.brazilsf.org/visa_faq_eng.htm

 

I have a current Brazilian visa that is stamped into my passport. The passport itself, however, has expired and has been replaced. Question: Can I use the VISA, which is still current, in the expired passport?

[lwnbwlr]

Thanks Sultan. You saved me a "c" note!

Jim

[Lolis1]

Just got back from a HAL cruise in So. America. A Visa is required prior to boarding your ship - we got ours in less than a week. The ship will not allow you to board w/o it. Yellow fever shots were not required. I met a cruisemate that had the shots - said the group's travel agency had informed that the cruiseline required the shots. They later found out it wasn't a requirement, and the travel agent had to refund the cost of the shots to each group member. Don't know if different ships have different rules.

 

By the way, we have also been in China and Peru and the shots have not been required.

[Aussie Gal]

It does depend on what part of Brazil you are going to re Yellow Fever injections. When you are cruising up the Amazon, you do need the injections.

 

We did the Amazon trip in September/October last year and HAL made sure that we all had our yellow fever vaccinations before boarding in Vancouver. If we didn't have them, then the passengers had to go to a doctor in Seattle (next port) and have them there.

 

Earlier in the year we had been to Rio and did the Antarctica cruise. We had to have them for that, as we were going on to other South American countries which would not let you in unless you had the vaccination. If you were only going to Uruaguay and Chile, they probably weren't needed.

 

It does depend a lot on your travel plans whether they are a must. Also, a requirement of travel from our country, is that if you have been to South America no later than 10 days before returning home, you have to have been vaccinated against yellow fever.

 

Jennie