Brazil
Brazil is the largest country in South America, known for the Amazon rainforest, Carnival celebrations, Christ the Redeemer, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and diverse landscapes from tropical coast to wetlands. Portuguese is the official language. Visitors are drawn to Rio de Janeiro's beaches and culture, São Paulo's urban energy, Amazon rainforest adventures, Iguazu Falls (UNESCO site), Salvador's Afro-Brazilian heritage, Pantanal wetlands wildlife, and vibrant music and dance traditions. Brazil offers incredible biodiversity, cultural richness, and natural wonders across vast and varied regions.
Visa Requirements for Brazil
Brazil offers visa-free entry to citizens of many countries including EU member states, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and most South American nations for tourism or business stays of up to 90 days. United States citizens can apply for an e-visa online, which is processed electronically and typically approved within a few business days. Citizens of countries requiring traditional visas should apply through Brazilian consulates, submitting application forms, passport photographs, travel itinerary, proof of accommodation, financial statements, and yellow fever vaccination certificate if traveling from endemic areas. Visa requirements and procedures can vary, so verify current regulations before planning travel.
Language requirement
No Brazilian visa asks for Portuguese. Foreign degree students on the PEC-G programme sit the Celpe-Bras, the official certificate, and naturalisation asks that the applicant can communicate in Portuguese, proven by Celpe-Bras or by schooling or a degree completed in Brazil.
Certificates, tools and tutorsVisa types
Visa-Free Entry
For tourism, business, or family visits for citizens of EU countries, UK, Australia, Canada, Argentina, and other eligible nationalities.
E-Visa (VITUR)
For tourism, business, cultural events, or sports for US citizens and other designated nationalities through online application.
Tourist Visa (VITUR - Consular)
For nationalities not eligible for visa-free or e-visa who wish to visit Brazil for tourism purposes.
Business Visa (VITEM-II)
For business meetings, conferences, contract negotiations, or establishing business operations in Brazil.
Guides
Brazil is a continent within a country — the fifth-largest nation on earth, covering half of South America, with a coastline that stretches 7,500 km and an interior that encompasses the world's largest rainforest, the world's largest wetland, and some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Rio de Janeiro is the entry point for most visitors and delivers on every promise: Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado overlooking the city, Sugarloaf Mountain rising from Guanabara Bay, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches where carioca culture plays out daily, the Lapa arches and samba clubs, and Carnival — the world's largest street party, where millions dance in the streets for five days each February/March. São Paulo is the counterpoint: South America's largest city (22 million), a financial and cultural powerhouse with the best restaurants on the continent (from Japanese in Liberdade to Italian in Bixiga to contemporary Brazilian at D.O.M. and A Casa do Porco), world-class museums (MASP, Pinacoteca), and a nightlife scene that runs until dawn. Iguaçu Falls — 275 waterfalls spanning 2.7 km at the Argentina-Brazil border — is one of the planet's most overwhelming natural spectacles. The Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million km² and is accessible from Manaus (jungle lodges, river cruises, wildlife spotting) or Belém (the Amazon's gateway city, with the Ver-o-Peso market). The Pantanal — the world's largest tropical wetland — is the best place in South America to see wildlife: jaguars, giant otters, caimans, capybaras, hyacinth macaws. Salvador de Bahia is the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture: Pelourinho's colonial architecture (UNESCO), capoeira, candomblé, acarajé street food, and the most vibrant Carnival outside Rio. The northeast coast from Recife to São Luís hides spectacular beaches (Jericoacoara, Fernando de Noronha — a marine paradise, Lençóis Maranhenses' surreal desert-lagoon landscape). Chapada Diamantina's tabletop mountains and waterfalls, Bonito's crystal-clear rivers for snorkelling, and the gaucho culture of the south (Porto Alegre, wine region of Serra Gaúcha) round out a country where the diversity is genuinely staggering.
Brazil travel guide →
The full guide — the regional kitchens, flights as the default and the pick-one-cluster plan.
Money in Brazil →
Reais, card and ATM reality and the tipping customs — the practical money guide.
Eating in Brazil →
Reading the regions, not the dish list — Bahia's West African kitchen, the gaúcho south, Minas and the Amazon.
Getting around Brazil →
A continent, not a country — domestic flights as the default, city transit and the Amazon where transport is the trip.
Health & safety in Brazil →
Yellow fever by destination, ordinary big-city awareness in Rio and São Paulo, and the sun-and-water basics.
Cities & planning
Plan your trip
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Regions
Embassies & missions
Europe · 6
Asia · 1
Africa · 2
Americas · 1
- CanadaBrasília
- ChinaBrasília
- EgyptBrasília
- GermanyBrasília
- GuatemalaBrasília
- Guinea-BissauBrasília
- IndiaSão Paulo · Brasília
- JapanBrasília
- NamibiaBrasília
- New ZealandBrasília
- PeruBrasília
- Saudi ArabiaBrasília
- ThailandBrasília
- United KingdomBelo Horizonte · Recife · Rio de Janeiro · São Paulo +1
- United StatesSão Paulo · Brasília
Cultural institutes — Brazil
Language courses, exams, libraries and cultural programmes with a local branch.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa for Brazil?
It depends on nationality. Citizens of the EU, UK, Australia, Canada and most South American countries enter visa-free for up to 90 days. US citizens apply for an e-visa online, typically approved within a few business days. Other nationalities apply for a tourist visa through a Brazilian consulate.
How long can I stay in Brazil?
Visa-free and e-visa entries allow up to 90 days, extendable once for another 90 days through the Federal Police, for a maximum of 180 days within any 12-month period.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination certificate?
A certificate is required if you're travelling to or transiting through yellow-fever risk areas such as the Amazon, the Pantanal or Iguaçu, and it's recommended more broadly given how easily itineraries cross into those regions.
How many days do I need to see Rio, the Amazon and Iguaçu?
Realistically at least 10-14 days given the distances involved — Brazil covers half of South America. Plan 3-4 days each for Rio, an Amazon base like Manaus, and Iguaçu, with travel days between them.
Is Brazil safe for tourists?
Major cities need standard urban caution: avoid displaying valuables, don't walk alone at night, use registered taxis or rideshare apps, and only visit favelas with a guide. Popular tourist areas of Rio, São Paulo and the northeast coast are well used to visitors.
When is the best time to visit Brazil?
It varies by region. Carnival (February/March) is Rio and Salvador's busiest and most expensive period. The Pantanal's dry season (May-October) is best for wildlife spotting, while the Amazon and northeast coast are enjoyable year-round.
Planning a trip to Brazil? Check what you need to enter and apply online in minutes.
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.