Visitors Guide to Land in Brazil

Residency, Visas and Passports

Some nationalities will require a tourist visit for visiting Brazil and all nationalities will require a valid passport to enter the country. Most European nationalities require only a passport and a return ticket to enter the country for holiday purposes. To reside in Brazil, there are various different visa types, depending upon the purpose for residence. Short stay visas are available for up to 90 days and temporary residence visas for work purposes longer than 90 days can be applied for. People wishing to retire to Brazil can apply for permanent residency visas and should contact an embassy for the full, up to date details of the required paperwork.

Getting There

The main airport in the north of Brazil is Natal’s Augusto Severo International Airport, with services from various airlines travelling from Europe and a flight time of approximately 8 hours. There is a new airport being constructed and due for completion in 2010. The new airport will be located close to Natal and once completed it will be the largest in South America and one of the largest in the world.

Other airports in the north east include Recife’s Guararapes International Airport and Fortaleza’s Pinto Martins International Airport, providing further convenience to visitors enabling a variety of flight options.

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Local Transport

There are various international hire car companies operating in Brazil and the rental can be arranged from airports and hotels. Public buses are another popular form of transport and also the cheapest means of travelling around cities and between towns, with the main touristic areas well serviced by bus routes. In Natal city there is also a bus route connecting the airport with the city centre.

Taxi fares are regulated by the government, however the fare can differ if travelling to and from an airport. Outside the regular weekday working hours and on weekends, the fares increase by approximately 20%. Most taxi drivers will only speak Portuguese, although hotels are able to provide assistance with arranging a taxi. It is also recommended to only use official taxis for personal safety.

Health & Safety

Natal is considered to be one of the safest cities in Brazil. The north-east is a very safe area to visit, as most of the crimes associated with Brazil occur in the major cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in the slum areas with drug and criminal gangs. While violent crime is rare outside these areas, travellers should be aware of personal belongings and not carry valuables.

While the hospitals in the major cities are good, the cost can be high if the patient does not have medical insurance. Bottled drinking water is readily available as the tap water is heavily treated with a chemical taste.

Vaccinations against some of the tropical diseases found in Brazil are not necessary unless planning to travel into rural areas. The touristic coastal areas of the north-east are not considered to be rural areas.

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