What great information on this site. Maybe somebody can help me with some questions?
My wife and I (both US Citizens) travel to Brazil a few times a year, usually for only a week or two at a time, but are presently on a sabbatical where we hope to stay for a total of about 8 months here. We actually entered Brazil on tourist visas in late July, and left 90 days later, returning to Rio after a few days in Buenos Aires. We knew that the 180 day issue would become a problem, so we got enrolled in a school, and I flew back up to the United States with both of our passports -- leaving my wife in Brazil -- applied for student visas for both of us, received the passports with the newly issued student visas, and flew back with both of our passports 10 days later, entering on my new student visa (and my wife's passport in my luggage). I have two questions that I am hoping you can help me with:
1) My wife entered Brazil on a tourist visa on October 27. She has never entered the country on her student visa -- remember, I brought it with me while she stayed in Brazil -- which was issued by the Consulate on November 14. Does she need to exit and re-enter Brazil using her student visa? Or can she go to the Federal Police and register without this hassle and expense? She is still within 30 days of her most recent entry.
2) If my wife needs to leave and re-enter, I would like to go with her on a short trip to Santiago. May I do this before I register with the Federal Police, and then register together upon our re-entry to Brazil? Or will I somehow compromise my visa if I leave Brazil before I have registered with the Federal Police?
Many thanks to anybody who can shed light on this question.