Types of Visas
Transit Visa
The Transit Visa might be granted to the foreigner that, in order to arrive at the destination country, has to enter Brazilian territory. The Transit Visa allows the stay for up to the maximum of 10 days in Brazil.
Tourist Visa
The tourist visa is aimed at trips of entertaining or visiting nature, without immigratory purpose, therefore it is forbidden for the exercise of paid activity. This visa guarantees the possibility of multiple entries, with stays that don’t exceed 90 days, with the possibility of extension for the same amount of time, though not exceeding the maximum of 180 days, in a period of 12 months.
The extension of the tourist visa must be requested within the period of stay along the Federal Police, and may be reduced or cancelled, at the discretion of the Ministry of Justice, and its transformation in permanent visa is forbidden.
The tourist visa is valid for a fixed period of 5 years, within the reciprocity criteria.
Temporary Visa
The temporary visa is contemplated in the lines of the Article 13, of the law 6.815/81, according to the foreigner’s purpose of entry:
- Due to a cultural trip or study mission;
- In business trip;
- As an artist or sportsman;
- As a student;
- As a scientist, professor, technician or professional of another category, under contract or at the service of the Brazilian Government;
- As a correspondent of press, magazine, radio, tv network or foreign news agency;
- As a ministry of religious faith or member of institute of consecrated life or of religious congregation or order;
Additional Information as to the Area of Operation
Student
The visa allows the stay for one year, extended for an equal period of time for the conclusion of the program of studies, with guarantee of enrollment in the same educational institution of the program, with proof of the academic performance, from the moment it was requested.
Artists or Sportsmen
It allows the stay for 90 days, extended for an equal period of time, from the moment it was requested at the Federal Police.
Scientists, Professors, Technicians or Professionals of another category, under employment contract
It deals with the so-called foreign work force under employment contract, through authorization from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, allowing the stay for 2 years, with the possibility of being extended only once, from the moment it was requested until 30 days before its expiration date.
The transformation of the temporary visa in permanent may be authorized by the Department of Foreigners of the National Justice Bureu, of the Ministry of Justice, and it must be requested 30 days before the expiration date of the extension and provided that the conditions for its concession are met.
Correspondent of Press, Magazine, Radio, TV network or Foreign News Agency
The visa allows the stay for 4 years, extendable for an equal period of time, and it must be requested 30 days before the expiration date. Its holder is forbidden to keep a work activity paid by a Brazilian source.
Extension and Transformation
Both for the extension and for the transformation, the request must be submitted within the granted period of stay, since Article 38 of the law n. 6815/80 forbids the legalization of stay of the clandestine or irregular foreigner, informing, in this case, that he/she must leave the national territory and request a new visa while abroad.
It is a responsibility of the Department of Foreigners to judge requests of extension of stay for foreigners holders of temporary visa due to cultural trip or in mission of study, students, foreign work force under employment contract, press, magazine, radio, television or foreign news agency correspondent, or representative of religious order, as well as the requests of transformation for permanent visa, where appropriate.
It is the responsibility of the Federal Police to extend the temporary visas due to business trip or as an artist or sportsman.
The documents needed for the extension of the temporary visas, under the responsibility of the Department of Foreigners, and their transformation into permanent ones, when allowed, can be found in the official request form, created by the Ordinance MJ.No.334/88, that the interested party may obtain at the Federal Police or on the following Ministry of Justice’s electronic address: http://www.mj.gov.br
Permanent Visa
The permanent visa is granted to the foreigner who intends to reside definitively in the national territory, whevever he/she meets the special requirements, defined in the regulations concerning selection and immigrants, established by the National Counsel of Immigration.
Definitive Permanence
The Definitive permanence is granted to the foreigners who have children with a spouse of Brazilian nationality. In the first case, it’s necessary that the foreigner proves that he/she keeps the children under his/her care, providing them moral, social and economic assistance. Secondly, the couple must not be de facto nor legally separated.
Courtesy, Official and Diplomatic
The concession, extension or waiver of the courtesy, official or diplomatic visas are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. In any of the visa referenced in the previous paragraph, if the period of stay is longer than 90 days, the holder must request its registration in the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
The Official and Diplomatic Visas may be transformed into permanent ones, by the Department of Foreigners, of the Ministry of Justice, with approval from the Ministry of Foreign Relations and provided the professional qualification of the interested party is evaluated. Where appropriate, the opinion of the Ministry of Labour and Employment shall be requested, as defined in Artcle 39, of the Law 6.815/80.