Visa for Foreign Journalists in Brazil
Journalists are another category of workers who require a visa in order to perform their activities in Brazil. Find out more about the subject in this article.
Although Brazil has agreements with a number of countries in terms of visa for tourists, it is necessary for foreigners to have a work visa in case they want to perform any remunerated activity in the country.
Journalists, (newspaper, magazine, radio, television or agency correspondents), have to request a temporary visa in order to legally perform their activities in Brazil. With this type of visa, the term for staying in the country will depend on the duration of the contract or the services provision, which must be proved at the Consulate. The maximum period for staying in Brazil on a temporary visa, is 180 days per year - the first 90 days plus a renewal of another 90 days
The visa which journalists must apply for is called VITEM II, short for Visto Temporário II, the temporary visa number 2. All professionals visiting Brazil for business purposes require this type of visa, except for Portuguese citizens, who don't need a visa to travel to Brazil for an initial term of 90 days. The stay can be renewed for another 90 days as well, totaling a maximum of 180 days per year.
How to Request It
The visa request must be sent to the Consular Section of the Brazilian Embassy or the Brazilian Consulate in whose area of jurisdiction the correspondent lives. It is recommended that a phone call be made before going to the embassy, in order to get the list of documents required to apply for the visa.
It is possible to check the addresses, email addresses and telephones of the Brazilian embassies throughout the world at the Itamaraty website.
It is important to note that the visa is not granted the first time the foreigner go to the embassy. In fact, it usually takes from two to three weeks to obtain the specific visa for foreign correspondents.
Visa Renewal
In the case of journalists, the visa authorizes the foreigners’ stay in the country for a maximum of four years, which can be renewed for another four years. In this particular situation, it's necessary to send a request for renewal to the Ministry of Justice, before the visa is expired. After this time, the journalist is required to ask for a new visa at one of the Brazilian consular branches abroad.
Journalists who are in Brazil for less than four years should go to the Federal Police service at least 30 days prior to the visa expiration, in order to renew it.
There will be no visa renewal in case the request is made after the current visa is expired. In this case, the foreigner has to leave Brazil and request a new visa in the Brazilian consular branch abroad.