Visa for Brazil: self or service?

[Trainer]

We are on Azamara's Journey cruise beginning in Brazil on Dec. 11. I know we need visas. My question is whether to use a service for about $110 per person extra above the $110 Brazilian fees or mail the visa application directly to the Brazil embassy in Miami (I live in North Florida). The website for the embassy includes all the forms, directions and needed information. Has anyone had experience with 'self service' by mail? What are your experiences with and without a service? Thanks for your help!

[NorCalCruiseGuy]

For our South American cruise a few years ago, we requested the visa through the Brazilian consulate in San Francisco, and it was very easy. We dropped off the forms, etc, and picked it all up in a few days. No sense using the service if you have the time to drop off and pick up.

I guess that would be different if you didn't live near a Brazilian consulate.

[eh2zed]

We are on Azamara's Journey cruise beginning in Brazil on Dec. 11. I know we need visas. My question is whether to use a service for about $110 per person extra above the $110 Brazilian fees or mail the visa application directly to the Brazil embassy in Miami (I live in North Florida). The website for the embassy includes all the forms, directions and needed information. Has anyone had experience with 'self service' by mail? What are your experiences with and without a service? Thanks for your help!

We did the mail in process to the Consulate in Toronto. Worked well except we cut it a bit thin and went down to their office (one hour drive) to pick it up rather than have them send it out. Probably would have arrived on time but we didn't want to chance it.

[Bill S]

We used a service to obtain our Brazilian visas. At the time we both worked and could not take the time to go to the nearest Brazilian consulate (which is not very near). The service was Zierer and they were excellent.

[Keith1010]

I see from you live in North Central Florida. If you can drive down to the Miami Consulate than that is something to consider. We do know people who mailed their passport to them directly and didn't have a problem but if it was me I would not do that. We were in Brazil earlier this year as part of a world cruise and we used the service recommended by our cruise line for the Brazil Visa.

 

Also, from the time you get the visa you must enter Brazil within 90 days so keep that in mind. But don't wait too long on the other end either because with the service it can take a couple of weeks to get the passport back with the visa stamp. Ours took longer but we were getting multiple visa involving other countries.

 

Keith

[FLACRUISER99]

No same day service. http://www.brazilmiami.org/eng/The-Consulate.php

Visa Sector:

for visas application: 9am to 11am - Reception B

for picking up the passaports with visa (when are granted): the follwing business day between 12noon and 1pm - Reception B

Visa inquiries/information by telephone are accepted from 3 to 4pm only by calling (305) 285-6200. Or you can send an e-mail message to visa@brazilmiami.org.

[xpcdoojk]

My wife was travelling for business in Chicago (the Brazilian embassy for our region) and visited the embassy and left our Passports and the paperwork we had printed out from their web page along with the money order for the proper amounts $100, plus their handling fees (which are outlined on the web), and a self addressed stamped envelope.

 

We received the passports with the visa stamp within a week.

 

jc

[SelectSys]

Hopefully Brazil visa requirements will drop soon for US citizens as it looks like the US will be eliminating visa requirements for Brazilians visiting the US:

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1169f782-41eb-11dc-8328-0000779fd2ac.html