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Travel Information

Visa and Vaccination

Some foreign citizens need a visa to enter Brazil. The particular situation for all nationalities can be found at this table. The different symbols mean:

  • S: Visa is required
  • N: Visa is not required for a unlimited period
  • Visa is not required for a stay up to 30 (M), 60 (W), 90 (X) or180 (Y) days
  • Z: Visa is issued under Brazilian “laissez-passer”
  • L: Brazil does not have diplomatic relations and diplomatic or official passport are not accepted.

See also the Ministry of Tourism website: http://www.braziltour.com/site/en/dicas_turista_passaporte/materia.php

The tourist visa provides coverage for attending scientific conferences, seminars, or meetings. It is valid for multiple entries for five years from the date it was first used (unless otherwise noted in ink in the visa). So, if you entered Brazil within ninety days from the date it was issued, it remains valid for other visits during the next five years. The only restriction is that you cannot stay in Brazil for more than a certain number of days each time (see above table). Note that tourist visa holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activity in Brazil. When requesting the tourist visa, it may happen that you were asked whether you will be paid by us or not. Please, recall that in this context, "payment" is understood as "work payment" rather than "financial support". Please be sure to answer "no" to this question otherwise they will require another kind of visa (see FAQ).

If you are going to the most famous touristic destinations in Brazil such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, the south
region (Foz do Iguaçu) or North East (Fortaleza, Salvador, Recife, Natal, etc), do not worry about vaccination.

Vaccination against yellow fever is recommended for all travellers when visiting the following states of Brazil: Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Distrito Federal, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins. Please note that yellow fever vaccinations take approximately 10 days to become effective.

An international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory for travellers who, within the three months prior to their arrival in Brazil, have visited or been in transit through any of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Venezuela and Zaire.

Air Ticket

Make your ticket reservation to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) Airport as soon as possible. Late reservations may be very expensive. Please check the price of the ticket with and without the stay during the weekend.

If we were unable to pick you upon the arrival, please give the hotel address to the taxi driver. The cost of the ride is around US$ 50.00. Make sure you bring some cash and change it to the Brazilian currency right after arrival if possible, as taxi cabs and some small stores do not accept traveler checks or credit cards. You can also withdraw money  using your bank debit card if it is associated to Maestro, Plus or Currus.

General Informations

São Paulo Coordinates:

  • Latitude: 23° 34' South
  • Longitude: 46° 38' West

Time Zone

  • Standard time zone in São Paulo is GMT -3.
  • Daylight Saving Time starts on the third Sunday of October and ends on the third Sunday of February. During this period the local time in São Paulo is GMT -2.

Currency and Credit Card

The Brazilian currency (Real) is equivalent to ~ US$ 2.50. The daily exchange rate can be found at the Central Bank website

All the major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Dinners) are accepted nationwide. Debit cards (Cirrus, Plus, Maestro) can be used to make a withdrawal from ATM machines.

Electrical Power

The voltage in Brazil is 110 V and the frequency is 60 Hz. The electric outlets in general fits two types of plugs: 2 parallel flat prongs (American type) and 2 parallel round prongs (French type).

Measurements

Brazil uses the metric system and the Celsius scale:

  • Fahrenheit =  (9/5) * Celsius + 32. For instance: fever: 98.6 F = 37 C
  • 1 inch = 2,54 centimeters
  • 1 mile = 1,6 Kilometers
  • 1 gallon = 3,8 liters
  • 1 ounce = 28 grams
  • 1 pound = 454 grams

Phone Calls

  • To call a foreign country from Brazil dial: 00-21-country code-area code-phone number. For instance, to call Geneva, Switzerland, dial: 00-21-41-22-###-####
  • The entry code to Brazil is 55 and the area code for São Paulo is 11. For instance, to call from US dial: 011-55-11-####-####

Car Rental

Rental car companies offer their services at the main airports of all large cities. A

  • Drivers License. Brazil accepts any valid driver license from foreign countries
  • Traffic: Try to avoid peak hours (07:00 to 10:00, 17:00 to 20:00).because ot the heavy traffic in the large cirties.

Consulates

Some Consulates in São Paulo:

  • Argentina: 3284-1355
  • Australia: 3078-6281
  • Austria: 3082-6223
  • Canada: 5509-4321
  • Chile: 3284-2044
  • Denmark: 3061-3625
  • Finland: 3167-3685
  • France: 287-9522
  • Germany: 3814-6644
  • Great-Britain: 3816-2303
  • Holand: 3813-0522
  • Israel: 3815-7788
  • Italy: 3826-9022
  • Mexico: 3081-4144
  • New Zeland: 3288-0307
  • Norway / Sweden: 3061-1700
  • Portugal: 3154-1800
  • Spain: 3059-1800
  • Switzerland: 3253-4951
  • USA: 3081-6511

Subway

São Paulo has the most extensive subway coverage in the country and it is very clean, safe and modern. For the subway map see the Metro website. .

Postal Service and Addressing

The postal service is very efficient in Brazil. All major courier companies like DHL, FEDEX and UPS are also available. The express door-to-door mail service in Brazil is known as SEDEX and operates from most of the main post offices. There is also an Express Mail Service (EMS) for international mail and this is often as fast as a courier service and a lot cheaper.

Addresses in Brazil are written as follows:

Street name, Number
ZIP Code  - City, State
Country

The following abreviations are used: R. (Rua) Street, Al. (Alameda) Alameda, Av. (Avenida) Avenue, Pr. (Praça) Square

Business Hours

The majority of shops are open from 09:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and from 09:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays, and are
closed on Sundays. However, many Shoppping Centers stay open until 22:00 from Monday to Sundays. Banking hours are from 10:00 to 16:00, although all the large banks offer 24 hour ATM’s

Restaurants

At your own risk, see my personal view on some of the best places to eat in São Paulo at A Taste of São Paulo (under construction).

Taxis

A large number of taxis are available in all major towns and cities. Common taxis can be hailed in the street or can be ordered by phone. Taxi is a very reliable mean of transportation in São Paulo. Be aware that taxi drivers.in general do not speak any language other than Portuguese (some Spanish is understood country wide). Make sure you have a written copy of the destination address always with you.

Weather Forecast

The weather conditions in São Paulo can be found at:

Tourist Information

General tourist information about São Paulo can be found in the links below:

Tours

  • Easygoing Brazil