A - PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

a1) Jurisdiction: District of Columbia, States of Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North American bases, excepting Guam.

See other Brazilian Consular Offices in the USA and their Jurisdictions

a2) Address and phone numbers:

Consular Service
3009 Whitehaven Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
Phone: (202) 238-2828
Fax: (202) 238-2818
e-mail: consular@brasilemb.org

a3) Working hours: Open to public: 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (see instructions below  for drop-off and pick-up of documents) Monday through Friday, except holidays

DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP HOURS

a3. I ) RULES FOR PERSONAL APPLICATION DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP

- APPLICATION DROP-OFF FOR VISA AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING BRAZILIAN PASSPORTS AND DOCUMENTS TO BE LEGALIZED : FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:30 PM

- PICK-UP OF VISA AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING BRAZILIAN PASSPORTS AND LEGALIZED DOCUMENTS : FROM 2:00 PM TO 4:00 PM

a3.II ) RULES FOR US GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND OTHER AGENCIES

- APPLICATION DROP-OFF (DOCUMENTS TO BE LEGALIZED) : FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:30 PM

- PICK-UP (LEGALIZED DOCUMENTS) : FROM 2:00 PM TO 4:00 PM

- VISA APPLICATION DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP : FROM 2:00 PM to 4: 00 PM

a4 )  PAYMENT: The only method of payment for visas at the Brazilian Embassy, requested in person, through Visa Services or by mail, is U.S. Postal Money Orders, payable to the "Brazilian Embassy."

a5 ) PROCESSING TIME: (FOR APPLICATIONS FROM  ANY CONSULAR JURISDICTION ) (Effective from September 18, 2007 )

Tourist VISA - 4 business days *

Business Visa and other Temporary Visas - 4 business days

Visa applications made by Visa Service Agencies - 4 business days

Diplomatic/Official/Courtesy Visas - 1 business day

Visa applications made by mail - 15 business days

(* 4 business days - an application submitted on Monday, for example, will be ready on following Friday).

a6 )  MAIL APPLICATIONS: Applications may be submitted by mail only by residents of the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia for the following type of visas only: Tourist and Temporary II (VITEM-II). Please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with appropriate postage for return of passport. US POSTAL SERVICE First Class, Certified, Priority or Express Mail is advisable. Documents will neither be received nor returned via FEDEX.

a7) RNE - Registro Nacional de Estrangeiros: The issue or renewal of the RNE card (Registro Nacional de Estrangeiros, the Brazilian ID issued to non-Brazilian citizens who hold a Brazilian Permanent Visa) is not a service provided by the Consular Section of the Brazilian Embassy. It can only be obtained or renewed at the Federal Police in Brazil (http://www.dpf.gov.br ) .

Foreign Citizens who have a Permanent Visa application’s register number should not leave Brazil until they receive their Permanent Visa and the RNE card. Those who leave Brazil before receiving the RNE and hold only the register number must apply for a Tourist Visa before traveling back to Brazil, because the register number is not valid for entrance in Brazil.

Although the US Department of Homeland Security accepts the RNE as a valid identity document, some airline companies do not accept it nor the register number as a valid travel document.

If you have applied for a Permanent Visa and for a Brazilian RNE and are traveling out of Brazil only with the register number, or if you hold an expired Brazilian RNE or an expired register number, or if you hold a Brazilian RNE but do not have a Brazilian Permanent Visa stamped on your passport, you must to apply for a Tourist Visa.

Please access the link below to find information on how to apply for a Tourist Visa: www.brasilemb.org/consulado/consular_visa_tourism.shtml

B - TYPES OF VISAS

Please note there are ten types of visas. For further information, enter the link in each one.

b1) Tourist Visa (VITUR):

• Tourism trip;
• visit to relatives and/or friends;
• scientists, professors or researchers attending cultural, technological or scientific conferences, seminars.
• participation in artistic or amateur sport competitions, whenever no monetary prize or paid admission is involved.

Tourist visa holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activity in Brazil.

b2) Temporary Visa I (VITEM-I):

• Scientists, professors, researchers, participants in cultural, technological or scientific missions. (services provided must not be paid for by a corporation or other legal entity based in Brazil, except for wages for services rendered, with the submission of a receipt);
• Scientists, technicians, researchers or volunteers under the umbrella of an international cooperation program;
• Interns and other unpaid trainees, bearers of scholarships receiving professional practice in Brazil;
• Exchange students;
• Technicians receiving training in the operation and maintenance of machinery or equipment produced in Brazil;
• Amateur athletes, under 21 year old, participating in training programs in Brazil;
• Provision of services to a religious or social assistance entity, without employment relationship with a corporation or other legal entity based in Brazil.

Temporary Visa I holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activity in Brazil.

b3) Temporary Visa II (VITEM-II):

• Travelers with business purposes, except when the trip involves the provision of services of any nature in Brazil (in which case a Vitem V is mandatory). Business visas are issued to business travelers who possess signed import/export contracts or who are traveling to visit companies, make commercial contacts or evaluate investment opportunities;
• Media coverage or filming;
• Flight/ship crew members not holding an international crew card; and
• Adoption of a Brazilian child.

b4) Temporary Visa III (VITEM-III):

• Paid participation in athletic or performing arts events.

b5) Temporary Visa IV (VITEM-IV):

• Pursuing graduate or post-graduate academic studies in Brazil.

b6) Temporary Visa V (VITEM-V):

• Provision of services to the Brazilian Government, arising from an international agreement, contract or undertaking to which Brazil is a party;
• Employment contract with a corporation or other legal entity based in Brazil;
• Technical assistance services arising from a contract, cooperation agreement, services agreement, or similar instrument signed with a foreign corporation or other legal entity;
• Professional training, without an employment relationship, immediately after the completion of vocational training or university education;
• Medical residency in an educational institution accredited by the Ministry of Education and Recreation;
• Employees of foreign companies admitted to work in Brazil as trainees or interns at a subsidiary or Brazilian branch of the foreign company, provided that they are paid exclusively outside of Brazil by that foreign company;
• Foreign instructors or professors who intend to travel to Brazil for a period of training in foreign language instruction;
• Crew members of foreign vessels traveling to Brazil to operate in waters under Brazilian jurisdiction, as required under a charter, services or risk contract entered into with a Brazilian company;
• Crew members of foreign fishing vessels leased by Brazilian companies;
• Crew members or other professionals who perform paid activities aboard cruise vessels along the Brazilian coast, in the Amazon River basin, or in other inland waters.

b7) Temporary Visa VI (VITEM-VI):

• Media correspondents

b8) Temporary Visa VII (VITEM-VII):

• Travel for religious/missionary purposes.

• Family reunion;
• Transfer of residence following retirement;
• Personal investment in Brazil;
• Intra-company transferees to work as managers, directors, or executives;
• Job offer at a Brazilian research, scientific, or academic organization based on field of expertise;
• Manager or director of a religious or social assistance organization.

b10) Diplomatic and Official Visas:

• Diplomatic or Official mission.