Hey everyone,
I am an American citizen living in Sao Paulo. I arrived on July 23, 2013 on a 90-day tourist visa. I then extended my visa another 90 days, so it expires on January 20, 2014.
From Dec. 17 - Jan. 15 I am back in the USA. I have a flight booked to return to Sao Paulo on January 15th (possibly arriving the 16th). My original plan was to overstay this 180-day tourist visa for three or four months before finally leaving Brazil in April or May.
My question is this:
Will I even be allowed into the country if I try to return 4 or 5 days before my visa expires? What concerns me the most is that it's already extended (I heard once that you cannot enter and leave once it is beyond the initial 90-days and into the second 90-day extension).
I asked the woman working at immigration/customs as I left Sao Paulo a few days ago, and she made it seem like no big deal, and said that, yes, I could re-enter before the 20th of January before my visa expires. Buuuuttt.... I'm not sure if I can really trust what she said - it's a pretty big risk.
Has anyone had this experience before? Or does anyone know the policy of returning to Brazil during the second 90-days of my 180-day visa?
Please help, as I need advice ASAP!
THANKS!!!!!
-Charlie
Urgent TOURIST visa question!
Yes, as long as you haven't used up all of your 180 days in the "rolling" year you can re-enter Brazil with no problems. You might have to come up with some interesting excuse why you're returning for a few days only, but then again they may not even ask. Just remember in calculating your days you must count the day you entered Brazil and the day of your departure as full days, add them all up and subtract from 180, that's how many days you're entitled to.
Hey, thanks so much man!
I figured that would be what the deal was - I already crafted a pretty convincing narrative as to why I'm only going to be there for a few days. Thanks for the advice.
Now with two people telling me it's ok I can be at ease.
Yeah, you can be at ease until the visa expires while you're here. Then you will have to be looking over your shoulder all the time.
Just a word to the wise, here in Brazil if you happen to be anywhere near something bad that happens (wrong place / wrong time and all that neat stuff) and the cops show up on the scene it's routine that they stop EVERYBODY not just those involved. In Brazil you must identify yourself when a police officer demands you to, or you get arrested on the spot.
The law also requires everyone, Brazilian and foreigner alike to carry identification documents and foreigners must carry their travel documents (or at least certified copies of them) at all times. If you're asked for ID and you're a foreigner on an expired visa the game is over, next stop the Superintendência Regional da Policia Federal - Departamento de Estrangeiros.
Also, you really can't let anybody (especially a Brazilian) know you're visa isn't current. Some of them have the crazy idea that if they turn you in they'll get some kind of reward (not true) and they don't seem to know that even for the Federal Police visa overstays aren't taken very seriously, other than the fine.... that they love.
Articles to help you in your expat project in Brazil
In this article, we will give you all the information you need to organize your Working Holiday Visa trip to ...
Finding legal work in Brazil can be difficult. But it's possible if you meet certain specific qualifications and ...
Documents – aside from the foregoing information you must remember that this is a police state, you are ...
Brazil is a huge and diverse country just waiting to be explored. But before you book your hotel and flight, check ...
It's much easier these days to get a cell phone in Brazil, and phones and calling plans are inexpensive ...
Brazil can be a romantic country, and you may want to marry here. Perhaps you even want to remain in Brazil ...
