Rio Info - Visas & Vaccinations

Passports & Visas

Travelers to Brazil need a passport to enter the country. Once you enter, you will also be given an entry/exit slip that should be kept in a safe location. This slip will be stamped upon entry and again once you leave. This helps avoid any problems that can arise with regards to your visa. Some travelers (check with your nearest Brazilian Consulate) will also need to obtain a visa from a Brazilian Consulate before entering the country. (Note: for most visas you will need to enter Brazil within 90 days of issue). Most visas allow you to stay for 90 days. If you want to extend your visa for an additional 90 days you will need to go to the Federal Police and pay a small fee. By law, foreigners using a tourist visa are allowed to stay for a maximum of 180 days in any 12 month period. Check with your nearest Brazilian Embassy to see if you need a visa. (Note: American and Canadian travelers do require a visa to enter Brazil.)

Vaccinations

An international certificate of vaccination against polio is compulsory for children aged between three months and six years.

An international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory for travelers who, within the three months prior to their arrival in Brazil, have visited or been in transit through any of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Venezuela and Zaire.

Additionally, vaccination against yellow fever is recommended for all travelers when visiting the following states of Brazil: Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Distrito Federal, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins. Please note that yellow fever vaccinations take approximately 10 days to become effective.

If there is any doubt about the need for vaccinations, please contact your Brazilian Embassy.