STUDENT VISA

Last Update: 04-Mar-2010

To enter Brazil, even if only for a few hours, you will need a visa. However, if you are only in transit through a Brazilian airport on your way to another country and do not plan to leave the transit area of the airport, you will need no visa, although it would be advisable to apply for one, considering that it is always possible that an international flight may be delayed or even cancelled due to unforeseen reasons and you might be interested in leaving the airport transit area. Please note that the following information applies to citizens residing in the states of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, which is the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Brazil in Boston. If you reside in any other state, you must apply at the Consulate of Brazil of that geographical area. To check other jurisdictions follow the link:  http://www.consulatebrazil.org/jurisd.htm.

STUDENT (Temporary Four) visas apply to non-Brazilian secondary or post-secondary students who have been accepted or invited to enroll in a school, college or other academic institution in Brazil, on a regular or international exchange basis.

PAPERWORK:

Visa applicants will only be served by appointment. For tourist visa, the following documents are required:

1)      Your U.S. passport (the actual document, not a photocopy), valid for a minimum of six months from the date of intended arrival in Brazil. Please note: this does not mean that you need to have had the passport for over 6 months when applying for a visa - you may actually apply with a brand new passport that was just recently issued. This requirement has to do with the expiration date of your passport. The passport cannot expire within 6 months of the date of your arrival in Brazil. (i.e.: if you apply for a visa in April, your travel itinerary shows arrival on June 1^st, 2006 and your passport expires on Nov 10^th, 2006, then this passport is not acceptable for visa issuance and you will need to obtain a new passport before applying for your Brazilian visa). Additionally, your passport needs to have at least two blank continuous visa pages available for the Brazilian visa stamp (the last pages, reserved by the US government for amendments, cannot be used for visa issuance). In order to process your visa we must retain your passport;

2)     Visa application. Please fill out electronically in the following website(https://scedv.serpro.gov.br ). Once you have done it, print it out and sign it;

3)       Two recent 2” X 2” color photographs, facing forward, against white background to be attached to the application form;

4)       evidence of enrollment in a school, college or other academic institution in Brazil;

5)   proof of means of subsistence in Brazil (e.g.: letter of support from parents);

6)   if you stay over 90 days, a "Good Conduct Certificate" (the original form must be legalized by the Consulate at US$20.00 per document) issued by the Police Department with jurisdiction over the applicant's place of residence. The student's residence must be within the jurisdiction of this Consulate General (States of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont).

*     Non-US citizens are additionally requested to present one of the following:
- a US resident alien card or
- a valid entry visa to the US.
 

COSTS:

Applications submitted by mail: US$ 210.00 per application (US$ 130.00 processing fee + US$ 60.00 consular fee + US$ 20.00 handling fee). Notice: The US$ 20.00 handling fee does NOT pay for the return of your passport. You still have to provide us with a self-addressed, stamped, pre-paid envelope. Please read the "PICK UP AND TURN AROUND TIME" section below for more information.

Applications brought in by a third party: US$ 210.00 per application (US$ 130.00 processing fee + US$ 60.00 consular fee + US$ 20.00 handling fee).

Applying in person for yourself: US$ 190.00 (US$ 130.00 processing fee + US$ 60.00 consular fee).

In addition, if you stay over 90 days, you will need to legalize the "Good Conduct Certificate" in the Consulate at U$20.00 per document. (see item 6 above)

METHODS OF PAYMENT:

Consular fees are payable ONLY in money order, issued by the United States Post Office, to the order of the Consulate General of Brazil. Personal and company checks and credit cards are NOT accepted. CASH will no longer be accepted.

PICK UP AND TURN AROUND TIME:

When applying by regular or express mail, a self-addressed prepaid envelope for return of the passport must be enclosed. The Consulate does not accept responsibility for delayed, lost or stolen mail.

Starting June 1st, 2008, only stamped USPS Express Mail will be accepted as pre-paid mail option. UPS, Fedex, DHL or other carriers will no longer be accepted for applications submitted by mail.

If you come to the Consulate in person to apply for a visa, the document will be ready for pick up after 6 working days. You may come to the Consulate personally to pick up your passport or send someone else with the receipt. If you lose your receipt, you will be required to show your ID to pick up your passport and the Consulate will not turn it in to anyone else but you.

If you prefer, you can apply for the visa by mail or through a courier office.

OFFICE HOURS:

The Consulate’s visa office is open to the public Monday through Friday between 10 AM and 12 PM by appointment only.  We strongly encourage visa applicants to do so by mail, whenever possible.

The processed visas may be picked up Monday through Friday between 1:00 and 2:00 PM.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

If you are interested in applying for a different type of Visa (i.e. Tourist, Academic, Student, Employment, Press Correspondent, Missionary, Research or Permanent visa) or if you need further information about the issuance of Tourist visas, please refer to our website (www.consulatebrazil.org), send us an e-mail (cgbos@consulatebrazil.org) or call 617-542-4000, extension 3130 between 3 PM and 5 PM.

Go to Entry Visas Page