One way ticket into Brazil

Hey guys!

Anyone who had no problems to enter Brazil on a tourist visa without the return flight? My fiance is moving to Brazil, we're going to get married and he's going to live here for a while, so we'd like to save the extra money if possible. On the other hand, we don't want to take any chances so it would be really helpful to hear other stories.

Thank you!

On Tourist Visa it necessary buy the Return Ticket because the immigration will not allow to him travel to brazil so it better to buy the Return ticket and when he came here then cancel the return ticket its better for him to not take a risk.

If he is coming from the US, he can book a ticket with American Airlines.  They will HOLD your ticket for 24 hours, giving you time to photocopy the round trip itinerary, then remember to cancel within 24 hours.  It is safe and works as you can cancel within 24 hours, but print out the itinerary to send or show for the visa.  American Airlines is the only one that does this in the US.

That's a great idea - thank you. I'm just worried about him being held in the US by the airline. I've read they usually check this information. Maybe one possibility would be booking the flight to Brazil with another airline and the flight back with AA...

I know you want to save money, but it's cheaper to buy the round trip ticket on sale, with the return flight being open ended, which means you can change the selected return date without penalty.  The selected return date, for the initial entry on the tourist visa, (if you come from the U.S.), needs to be within 90 days. If you don't present a return ticket, it will look weird.

Being that the tourist visa (if you are from the U.S.), used to be, and still may be, 90 days only, and then extendable for another 90 days, with permission from the Brazilian government, you would then, after arrival, ask for an extension, about a week before the 90 days expires.   

At that time, you would change the return date of the ticket you already purchased, to fit within the second 90 day tourist visa extension period.  The return trip ticket shows intention to honor the 2nd 90 day period, and then you will also be asked to present documentation for funds to support the additional stay, which can be easily shown by a current credit card.

Once you and your fiance get married in Brasil, his permission to stay is no longer based on a tourist visa, and then the above time periods become totally irrelevant.

ryeguy29 wrote:

If he is coming from the US, he can book a ticket with American Airlines.  They will HOLD your ticket for 24 hours, giving you time to photocopy the round trip itinerary, then remember to cancel within 24 hours.  It is safe and works as you can cancel within 24 hours, but print out the itinerary to send or show for the visa.  American Airlines is the only one that does this in the US.


I also intend to travel to Brazil, intending one-way only to get married and get a permanent visa.
I've been monitoring fluctuations in airfare prices. I'm seeing US->Brazil as low as $550, Brazil->US as low as $800, and RT fares as low as $1350. Therefore no discount for a RT ticket compared to two one-way tickets.
I like your idea of buying a RT, printing it, then changing to a one-way... provided the US->Brazil leg is identical in both cases.
Has anyone ever done it successfully?

Len,

It's smart to keep monitoring fares, both one-way and round trip.  When I flew down for the permanent move (on American), one-way was $1700 - and round trip was $1300!  I bought the round trip, canceled the return, and banked the credit for future travel.  It ended up expiring before I could use it, but I still saved $400.

First I heard you need to show Health Insurance value of over 30,000 coverage here in Brazil to enter on tourist Visa. I came in on a one way ticket but that been over  3 years ago and I was using air miles. So not sure if that was the difference. Now what been said you probably have to show return ticket. Good luck thing aren't back to normal here and getting documents process could take longer. For example it took me 4 months to get my permanent residence card. That was 3 years ago.  They gave me a extended visa for 6 month during that time. Good luck again

I contacted the Brazil embassy in San Francisco. They told me that when I travel on a tourist visa, which is required in my situation, Brazil customs might ask to see proof of a return trip or other exit from Brazil within 90 days.
Having said that, my last trip in 2019 started with a one-way ticket, and ended with another one-way ticket back home. They could have denied my entry, but nobody asked.