Best travel period

In principle, Brazil can be visited at any time of the year, but there are large regional differences in climate. In the vicinity of the equator, the climate is the most constant (tropical).

High season:
The main tourist season for domestic and foreign tourists is between December and early March, the Brazilian summer months. The temperature in Rio de Janeiro then rises to more than 40 degrees. From March to November, the climate is more comfortable, but still warm with average temperatures of about 30 degrees per day and about 20 degrees at night. In addition, July is the main travel period.

Low season:
In the low season (spring and autumn), most resorts are quieter and cheaper. In the north-east of the country, the climate is also tropical. In the south and south-east, it is cooler and drier. During the Brazilian summer, it is warmer throughout the country; in the northeast and Amazon region, rainy season, it is stuffy and raining more. During the Brazilian winter, from June to September, the weather is pleasant in the northeast, while it can be very cold to the south and south-east. (Low temperatures of 10-15 degrees are possible.)

Entry requirements (updated August 2021)

• All travelers must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test on arrival in Brazil. Children under 2 years and children between 2 and 12 years of age are exempt from taking the test, provided their companion meets all the requirements fulfill.  Unaccompanied children between the ages of 2 and 12 traveling alone must have a negative PCR test
• Entry by plane is possible
• Not allowed: Flights from or via the UK, Northern Ireland, India and South Africa
• Entry by ship or by land is currently not possible
• No specific occasion or reason for entry required
• Completely normal entry for tourists and business travelers

Important!
For all travelers, health insurance is required for the entire duration of the trip, which must have a minimum coverage of R$ 30’000. Proof of insurance must be in Portuguese or English.

Visa regulations:
Business travelers and tourists from EU countries or Switzerland do not need a visa for their trip to Brazil. Entry can be made with a passport that is valid for at least 6 months. For all other countries, the respective visa regulations must be observed.  Contact the Brazilian Consulate General or Embassy in your country for Visa information.

Travel documents required to enter Brazil:
• Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
• For children: children’s passport
• Ticket for return or onward journey
• Travelers must fill out the “Travelers’ Health Declaration”. This declaration can be requested under the following link https://formulario.anvisa.gov.br/?lang=en  and a further link will then be sent by e-mail. The form must be completed electronically before arrival.
• The traveler receives the usual entry form for foreigners either on the plane, at the arrival airport or can be downloaded from the following site: www.pf.gov.br/servicos-pf/imigracao/cartao-de-entrada-e-saida/FORMULARIO-ENTRADA-  SAIDA-Padrao-Confederacoes.pdf/view
• Sufficient funds for the stay
• After entering the country, the authorized length of stay is a maximum of 90 days. A longer stay must be requested from the Brazilian Police (Polícia Federal). However, it is not possible to stay longer than 90 days. A 90-day stay is only possible once every 6 months.

Important!
It can happen that the length of stay is limited to 30 days at the discretion of the official. This is visible on the entry stamp.

Immunizations/Vaccines

No vaccinations are required to enter Brazil. Depending on the travel destination within the country (e.g. the Amazon region), it is advisable to contact the local institute for travel medicine or your family doctor.

Time zones

Brazil has three different time zones. The time difference is therefore very dependent on your country of origin and the areas to be visited

Money and credit cards

The Brazilian currency is called Real (Plural: Reais, R$), 1 Real equals 100 Centavos. In order to get money at the ATM, a bank card with the Maestro / Cirrus symbol is usually sufficient. Otherwise, you can even pay the smallest amounts with a credit card. The most common are Visa and Mastercard. In remote areas with no Internet connection, eg. on Amazon, you sometimes have to pay in cash. For pocket money, especially immediately after arrival, it may be good to take small notes in US dollars. In the country, it is always worth keeping a little change.

Smartphone and internet 

In cities and tourist places, there is almost everywhere a Wi-Fi reception. The best way to do this is to use Skype or WhatsApp. Roaming costs can be very high. At Claro, Oi, TIM or Vivo, you can buy prepaid cards for your mobile phone, but be careful: networks are regulated in a federal state so you can pay high roaming costs once you change state!

Power

The voltage in Brazil is sometimes 110 volts, sometimes 220 volts.  There are often sockets for both voltages, but if you want to be safe, you only have to bring devices (razor, hairdryer, etc.) switching buttons for both voltages, Brazil uses N-type plugs. An adapter is required.

Tips

In restaurants, the bill usually shows 10% for service. (If not, the invoice is: “gorjeta não incluída”). Tipping is not expected, but you should round up the total amount. Many hotels charge tax rates of 5 to 15%. Reasonable for room staff and luggage carriers: about R$ 10.

Potable water

Tap water is not drinkable. But you can use it without hesitation to brush your teeth. You should only drink bottled drinks, filtered or boiled water.

Important contact – your local representation 

Brazil Insider Incentives & Tourism
Avenida Pasteur 110 – 7th floor – Botafogo
CEP 22290-240  Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
[email protected]
+55 21 99555 1134
+55 22 99755 1134