All the Info on 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.