Brazil has opened its borders to millions of tourists. As tourism and the economy grows, people from all over the world live and work there. The high quality of education, attractions, tourist, and multicultural atmosphere has made it a choice for students. If you want to continue your education in this tropical country, you need a Brazilian student visa.
In this blog, we will explain all Brazil student visa requirements, Who needs it, types, applications, validity, fees, processing time, interview questions, FAQs, etc.
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A Brazil student visa permits you to be a student in Brazil. It also gets called VITEM IV. Almost all international students need a student visa to study in Brazil.
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Brazil Student Visa
Who Needs and Does not Need a Brazil Student Visa?
The answer to this question depends on:
- Your nationality
- The duration of your stay in Brazil
A few nationalities are exempt from Brazil’s short-stay visas. In case you are a national of one of these countries, and your study course takes less than 90 days (three months), you don’t need a Brazil student visa. If your nationality needs a Brazil short-stay visa, then you need a Brazil student visa. Even your course indeed takes less than 90 days.
Brazilian Immigration Authority (DPMAF)
Please bear in mind that you should register with the Brazilian Immigration Authority (DPMAF) within 30 days of your arrival in Brazil. If not, your stay will be illegal, and it will have heavy consequences.
Requirements for Brazil Student Visa
Acceptance letter
You should provide the official acceptance letter from the Brazilian university or institute you have applied to. It must state the duration of your course.
Paid fee receipt
It must indicate that you have paid all the tuition fees.
Passport
It must have been issued in the past ten years. It must be valid, at least, for six months over the date you will leave Brazil. There must be two blank pages in it as well.
Proof of residence
You must state where you will live during your stay in Brazil. IF you will be staying with a friend/relative, provide a copy of his/her ID card or passport.
A copy of the return ticket
Brazil student visa application form
You can download it from the nearest Brazilian embassy or consulate in your home country. Please be careful when you complete it. Pay attention to details. Then print, date, and sign it.
Photo.
You have to provide two 3×4 photos. They must have been taken in the past three months. The background must be white and clear. Your face must cover %60-%70 of the photo.
A valid certificate of good report.
It must have been issued in the past 90 days, not older. The issuing authority must sign and stamp it.
Birth Certificate.
You should provide the original form and a copy of your Birth Certificate. The copy must include both your parents’ names.
Health insurance
It must be valid in Brazil and cover your medical expenses for at least 30.000 EUR. It must also cover the expenses for repatriation.
Proof to have enough funds.
You must prove to have enough money to cover your expenses in Brazil. You could prove this item through:
- Bank account statement.
- Scholarship proof.
- Bank account balance.
- Letter issued from the bank.
- Credit card limit.
- Paycheck.
Full police check official certificate
You have to provide a certificate of Criminal background or an equivalent one issued by the judicial authority of the place you have lived for the past five years.
Consent letter.
If you are under 18, you need a consent letter signed by both parents
Clean record proof
You have to provide a certificate of clean record from the Police or judication authorities in your country.
Please bear in mind that you should have the documents in your native language translated into Portuguese.
If you are traveling with another country’s passport, you might need to provide different documents. Please check it with the nearest Brazilian embassy or consulate.
Brazil Student Visa Application Process
Acceptance Letter
The first step to applying for a Brazilian student visa is to get a formal acceptance letter from a Brazilian university or institute. If not, you can not start the procedure. Please bear in mind that you should have the receipt for paid tuition fees.
Application Form
You should download the Brazil student visa application form from the Brazilian embassy or consulate in your home country. Please be careful when you complete it. The information you put in the application must be the same as your documents. Then print, date, and sign it.
Requirements
Now you have to collect all the requirements for a Brazil student visa, as we explained above. While gathering, it’s wise to be fussy and careful. Pay attention to even small-unimportant details. If there is a fault with your documents, your application process could take longer or get rejected.
Please bear in mind that the Brazilian authorities in your country might ask for more documents. The requirements vary by every embassy or consulate.
Schedule Visa Appointment
You should reserve an appointment with the Brazilian embassy or consulate you apply at. You don’t have to submit the requirements in person in a few Brazilian Brazilian embassies or consulates. Check it with them.
Please bear in mind to bring the requirements, application, and your passport.
Fees
During the visit, you should pay the fee for processing your application. The fee is different and depends on the country you apply from.
Interview
You might also have to pass an interview. The visa officer will ask you a few questions about your background and the purpose of your visit. Try to be friendly, tough, and honest. It will help if you wear something a bit formal.
Waiting for Processing
Once you finished everything at the Brazilian embassy, the time for patience comes. You must wait until your visa gets processed. The required time depends on your case and the embassy workload. The earliest time you can apply is six months, and the latest time is 15 days. The processing time can take from five days to 45 days.
If your visa gets approved, the officials will send it to your address. If it gets denied, they will send you a letter explaining the reason. When you have an acceptance letter, it is unlikely that your application gets rejected. But, who knows what will happen.
If you reside in your home country, you should apply to the Brazilian embassy or consulate. But, if you are in Brazil, you can apply at Polícia Federal. You don’t have to be in your home country to apply for a Brazilian student visa.
Brazil Student Visa Processing time
The processing time for a Brazil student visa depends on:
- Your special case
- The country you apply from
- The Brazilian embassy or consulate’s workload
- Political situation
If everything is right and there is no fault with your documents, the processing would be about five working days. Yet, depending on the items we mentioned, it might take up to 45 days. So it’s wise to start the application as soon as possible.
If you need a Brazil short-stay visa and want to study in a course that takes less than 90 days, you could apply for a Brazil tourist visa. The application process is much easier.
How Much Does Brazil Student Visa Cost?
The fee for a Brazil student visa depends on the country you apply from. The cost varies from embassy to embassy.
Video description
Find the extra links and information explained in the video here:
Online application form when you are inside the country
https://servicos.dpf.gov.br/sismigra-internet/faces/publico/tipoSolicitacao/permanenciaRegistroEmissaoCie.seam
Can You Extend Brazil Student Visa?
The validity of a Brazil student visa depends on your course of study. The Brazilian authorities will grant you a valid visa for the entire duration of your course. The visa can get extended as many times as the course continues. Please bear in mind that the requires to extend a Brazil student visa must be made at least 30 days before the expiration to the:
- Federal Police Department
- The Ministry of Justice
The requirement to extend a Brazil student visa is to make progress in your studies and have enough funds to cover your expenses.
An Important Point to Remember
When you receive the Federal Police Department or at the Ministry of Justice, you have only three months to enter Brazil and start your course.
When you enter Brazil, you must register with the Federal Police Department of the city you will live in. You must do it within the first 30 days of your arrival. Otherwise, your stay will be illegal.
Can You Work Under a Brazil Student Visa?
You may not work in Brazil under a student visa. You should have enough funds to cover your expenses during your stay.
Brazil Student Visa Interview Questions
During your visa appointment, you will pass an interview. The visa officer will ask you a few questions about your background and the nature of your visit to Brazil. The question might include:
- The place you live
- Family
- Background
- Marital status
- Your hobbies.
- Your children, etc.
- Previous studies
- Training or study certificates
- Does anyone will travel with you
- Financial means
- The place you will stay in Brazil
- Scholarship or sponsorship
- The reason you have chosen Brazil, university, or course
- The course you will be taking
- The university you will study in
- Insurance
- The plans for further studies
- Will you return to your home country when your studies finished
- Your plans after finishing your studies
- Etc.
Let’s sum up….
In this blog, we explained all you need to know about a Brazilian student visa.
We covered whether you need a Brazil student or not, requirements, application, validity, processing time, FAQs, interview questions, etc.
In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences as comments is a great help for applicants.
- Published by
- Max-B.
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I have been applied to go on a visa student thanks to your site. I’m gonna Brazil, baby!
Thank you for the detailed information. Do you have to get all the documents (background check, bank statement, birth certificate, health insurance) translated for your Embassy interview?
You nee to have the documents translated that are not in English. Bank statements are often in English.