Frequently Asked Questions - Brazil FAQ's
U.S., Australian, and Canadian citizens require a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry, a stamped visa that is valid 90 days from the date of issue, an onward or return ticket, and sufficient funds to cover their stay. Please visit http://www.brazil-help.com/brazil-emb-consul.htm for current requirements and fees. We are happy to help you find your appropriate information.
EU Citizens (except Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta, which require a visa) only require a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry, an onward or return ticket, and sufficient funds to cover their stay. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Brazilian embassy in their country before traveling.
The only required vaccination for entry to Brazil is Yellow Fever if you have traveled to an infected country within 90 days of your trip to Brazil. However both Yellow Fever and Malaria are widespread in Brazil.
Please visit the Center for Disease Control website: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/brazil.htm , and read carefully their recommendations for vaccines and medications based on the states and regions you will be visiting. Discuss these recommendations with your physician. The CDC phone number is 800-232-4636.
A tourist can stay in Brazil for a maximum of six months in any twelve-month period. He must first have obtained a visa for 90 days. Once in Brazil, he may apply for a single extension of up to 90 additional days. At the end of the extended stay, the tourist must leave the country, and may only return to Brazil as a tourist after another six months have elapsed.
While tap water will be o.k for cooking, it is certainly not be suitable for drinking or for washing food such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Although in some areas, restaurants etc., might well have a safe drinking water supply, err on the side of caution and only drink bottled mineral water, which is inexpensive and widely available
Brazil’s high season runs from December to March. This is when the country fills with both foreign visitors and vacationing Brazilian families (school holidays run from mid-December to Carnaval, usually in February). Prices rise during this time and you’ll face more crowds, though this is also the most festive time in Brazil. Brazil’s low season runs from May to September. With the exception of July, which is also a school-holiday month, this is the cheapest and least-crowded time to visit the country.
There is no standard voltage in Brazil. Most states use 110V, but some states in the north and some hotels use 220-240V.
Two types of adapters and outlets are used: Type A (US flat blade), Type B (US flat blade with grounding pin)and Type C (European 2 round pins)
It is recommended that you travel with a voltage converter in Brazil.
The currency is the Real.
Click here for a current exchange rate for the Brazilian Real.
There are notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 reals.
There are coins of 1 real and 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos(cents).
It is not necessary to exchange currency before traveling to Brazil.You can easily change your home currency via ATMs (bank signs saying Cartão or Saques por Cartão). You just need your bank or credit car and PIN.
Staying Connected in Brazil
Telephone:
Rio's airport provides 24-hour telecommunication services. Public telephones accept telephone cards (cartões telefônicos), which can be obtained from newspaper kiosks. International calls from Brazil are expensive.
Mobile phone:
Mobile coverage is generally very good. Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies, but travellers should check with their service providers as typical roaming fees are very expensive. An unlocked GSM tri- or quad-band cell phone works in Brazil, with SIM cards widely available. Minutes can be added via cartões pre-pago (prepaid cards), available at newspaper kiosks.
Brazil has an excellent network of private hospitals in the major metropolitan centers. Private medical care is expensive, so it is advisable that all visitors take out medical insurance prior to their arrival. Even without insurance, Brazil has a public health service that will look after foreign visitors in an emergency.
In the unfortunate event you should fall ill, you can pay to have a private doctor visit you or you can visit one .
You can find information and a list English, German and French- speaking private health care doctors in Brazil at local tourist offices and at some hotels in the larger cities and tourist areas. In smaller or more remote areas, you will most likely have to rely on your Portuguese speaking abilities.
Regular business hours are M-F 9AM - 6PM
Public Holidays:
Jan 1 New Year’s Day
Jan 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan 20* Founding of Rio de Janeiro
Jan 25* Founding of São Paulo
Feb 15 Presidents’ Day
Feb 21-24 Carnival
Varies between Mar 22 & Apr 25 Good Friday
Apr 21 Tiradentes
May 1 Labour Day
Jun 10 Corpus Christi
Sep 7 Independence Day
Oct 11 Columbus’ Day
Oct 12 Our Lady Aparecida, Patron Saint of Brazil
Nov 2 All Souls’ Day
Nov 11 Veteran’s Day
Nov 15 Proclamation of the Republic Day
Dec 24 Christmas Eve (half day)
Dec 25 Christmas Day
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve (half day)
It is customary to tip your highly trained, bilingual guides and/or tour director about US $3 to $5 per person per day, and your coach driver about US $2 to $3.
Taxes on Goods and Services — ICMS — Impostos Sobre Circulação de Mercadorias e Prestação de Serviços
While there is no sales tax per se in Brazil, every manufacturer, distributor, retailer or provider of almost every type of merchandise or service pays the state ICMS and passes the cost along to the consumer. While there are some exemptions (mainly pertaining to goods bound for exportation, raw minerals and interstate transmission of electricity and fuels), the only exemption that really impacts consumers is an exemption on newspapers, magazines and books.
Because this tax is largely a "hidden" tax—in that it is not noted on any receipt nor directly on the price of the goods—most consumers have no idea how much the ICMS is actually costing them, but you can be sure that 18-80% of the costs of goods and services are attributed to the ICMS tax.
Packing List
Remember your passport and visa. Make a copy of the front page of your passport, and copy of your
visa and store these in a separate location.
Tag your luggage inside and out.
Don't overpack.
Carry a change of clothes, your medication, camera and expensive equipment in your carry on, in case
your luggage is delayed.
Carry a money belt or other system to store your valuables on you in a safe place (not in your day pack,
shoulder bag or back pocket.) Do not wear flashy, expensive jewelery.
Items to remember:
(This is not meant to be a complete packing list; it is a compilation of past travelers 'must haves')
Clothing
Tropical forests are home to millions of biting and stinging insects and other creatures. Most are harmless and many are rarely seen. Mosquitoes can carry malaria and dengue, so it's important to protect yourself. Escaping the Amazon without a few bites is nearly impossible—some anti-itch ointment will help you sleep at night.
Mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, biting flies and other insects can distract travelers from the enjoyment of their trip. Taking a few precautions and using common sense will serve the traveler well, such as:
If you're allergic to stings, carry an adrenaline kit.
Use screens on windows and doors, and sleep in rooms with air-conditioning, if possible.
Apply strong repellents containing picaridin or DEET (diethyl toluamide) when hiking in rural or forested areas.
A mosquiteiro (netting for hammock or bed) helps tremendously at night—to be effective it must reach the floor and not touch your skin.
