Due to the amount of visas received daily without appointment for the World Youth Day (WYD), the Consulate will, until further notice, be closed for regular visas on Wednesdays. On this day ONLY WYD visas will be received. The Consulate kindly encourage pilgrims to submit their visas on any Wednesday from 9:00 to 12 noon.

Please read all instructions carefully. At the bottom of the page, click on the link that matches the purpose of your trip to Brazil.

• If you are an American citizen, you are required to obtain a visa on your passport prior to entering Brazil. If you are not American, you can check if citizens of your country are exempted by clicking here.
• If you are Brazilian, you should enter and leave Brazil on your Brazilian passport (in this case, no visa is needed). Even if you acquire another citizenship, you still must travel to Brazil using your Brazilian passport. 
• The passport (original) presented at the Consulate with your visa application must show an expiration date of at least six months after the intended date of arrival in Brazil, must have at least one blank visa page (ammendment pages are not accepted) available and must be signed. 
• All applicants under 18 years of age must provide a notarized letter of consent (please see a sample) signed by both parents or legal guardian authorizing the Consulate to issue a visa as well as a copy of the minor's birth certificate. A certificate of vaccination against polio is required for children between ages of three months and six years. A signed letter from the child's physician is required if the child cannot be inoculated.  
• The visa fee must be paid with U.S. Post Service Money Order only, made out to the Brazilian Consulate (bring the money order to the Consulate with your other documents on the day of your appointment). Cash, cards and non-USPS money orders are not accepted. Fees for the same family or group can be combined in a single Money Order. Legalizations must be paid on a separate money order. More information on visa fees and required documents in the links below.   
• All visa applications must be submitted in person, by the applicant, or by a duly authorized third party (for example: a family member, friend, co-worker, travel agency, visa service). Please note that this Consulate does NOT accept visa applications sent by mail. Specific instructions apply to each type of visa.
  Nevertheless, an applicant’s passport may be returned by mail if the applicant or his/her representative leaves a self-addressed pre-paid envelope from the U.S. Postal Service (Express Mail only) at the moment the application is delivered at the Consulate (we can return a maximum of four passports in one single envelope).  
• If you cannot come to the Consulate in person, the application can be submitted by a third party, such as a friend, a relative or a visa agency. Please note that you must be a resident of our consular jurisdiction. An additional absentee fee is charged if you do not bring your application in person. Such fee is waived if you are applying on behalf of your spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister.   
• The Consulate does not recommend or endorse any visa agency. The Consulate is not responsible for the services provided by visa agencies. In order for you to use the services of a visa agency when applying for a visa with the Consulate General of Brazil in San Francisco, you must be a resident of our consular jurisdiction.  
• Plan your visa application in advance, as it takes the Consulate at least 5 business days to issue a visa. Longer periods may apply, especially in the high season. There are no rush or emergency fees. Visas will not be issued on the same day the application is received. 
• Visa applications are received at the Consulate every business day from 9:00 a.m. to noon, by appointment only. The consular agent will tell you the date and time your passport will be returned and will hand you a receipt. On the specified date, anyone can pick up the passport(s) on your behalf, provided that he or she have the original receipt and brings a simple letter (no need to notarize it) authorizing the person to pick up the passport.  
• A visa shall be denied to any foreign citizen who, when submitting his/her application, behaves in an aggressive, insulting or disrespectful way.
• Long-duration visas (valid for 5 or 10 years, for instance) are valid from the day they were issued. Short-duration visas (valid for 30 or 90 days, for example) are valid from the date of first entry into Brazil. All visa holders, regardless of nationality or visa validity date, may only stay in Brazil for up to 90 days a year, unless otherwise noted on the visa. An extension of the original 90 days may be granted by the Federal Police Department in Brazil, yet total stay cannot exceed 180 days a year, unless otherwise noted.
• If your visa requires legalization of documents it must be legalized prior to your appointment date.
• If your Brazilian visa is still valid and your passport expires, you can get a new passport (from the authorities of your country) and carry both the new (valid) passport and the old one (with the visa) when you travel to Brazil.
• As of May 2010, Brazil does not require a yellow fever International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis for entering the country. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers who plan to visit the following Brazilian states: Acre, Amazonas, Rondonia, Roraima, Amapá, Pará, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Maranhão and Minas Gerais, in addition to the south of Piauí, the west and south of Bahia, the north of Espírito Santo, the northwest of São Paulo and the west of the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Keep in mind that most of the coast of Brazil is not a risk area for yellow fever, from Rio Grande do Sul in the south all the way up to Piauí, except for the north of Espírito Santo and the south of Bahia. Also keep in mind that the vaccine should be taken at least 10 days prior to departure.  
• Citizens of countries with which Brazil does not maintain diplomatic relations, applying for any type of visa, will receive a special travel document – “LAISSEZ-PASSER”- issued by the Consulate to each individual, with prior approval of the Brazilian Government. Approval of visas for citizens of countries with which Brazil does not maintain diplomatic relations usually takes from 2 to 4 weeks. After approval, the processing time is 5 (five) business days. Please make your travel plans accordingly! The "Laissez-Passer" and the corresponding visa are good for multiples entries, for the duration of the visa.  
• The Consulate General of Brazil in San Francisco does not process same day visas (no rush fee!).
• You must schedule an appointment to apply for your visa at the Consulate General of Brazil in San Francisco.  Appointments are scheduled online only. After you read all the specific instructions for the type of visa you are applying for you will be offered a link to take you to the scheduling page. 
   

Please click on the link below that best matches the purpose of your trip to Brazil for specific visa instructions and procedures: 

• Tourist Visas (VITUR)
• Business Visas (VITEM II) 
• Work Visas (VITEM V)
• Exchange Student Visas (VITEM I) 
• Student Visas (VITEM IV) 
• Religious or Missionary Visas (VITEM VII)
• Permanent Visas: Family Reunion (VIPER)
• Permanent Visas: Retired Persons, Researchers, Foreign Investors and Senior Executives (VIPER) 
• Scientific Research Visas (Vitem I)   
• Visas for Artists or Professional Athletes (VITEM III)  
• Voluntary Work (VITEM I)   
• Visas for World Youth Day
• Frequently Asked Questions about Visas