Brazil launches officially its e-visa for Canadians
By José Francisco Schuster & Leila Monteiro Lins | Published 28/03/2018
There was an increase of 47% on the issuance of visas to Canadians going to Brazil in February 2018 compared to the same month last year. It can be credited to the starting of the electronic visas (e-visas) on January 18.
The number were disclosed by the deputy consul-general of Brazil in Toronto, Adriana Martins (photo), on the official launch of the e-visa in Canada, promoted jointly by the Consulate and Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism for the tourism trade at Sheraton Hotel, in Toronto, on March 27.
Until March 20, a total of 3,168 e-visas for Canadians were already issued, which means 78% of the Visitor Visas (Vivis). The other 22% are still issued at the consulates in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and the Embassy in Ottawa, as well as other kinds of visas and visas for people of other nationalities.
95,000 visas issued to Canadians
The first country Brazil allowed e-visas was Australia, on November 21 last year, and now 96% of the Vivis are e-visas in that country. In Japan, e-visas started on January 11 (37% use of e-visas) and in United States on January 25, with 87% adoption. Brazil has chosen these four countries once they accounted for 63.74% of the global demand for tourist visas and 58.15% of business visas in 2016. There were approximately 95,000 Brazilian tourist and business visas issued to Canadians in the last four years.
Advances
The new Brazilian Migration Law, in effect since November 21, introduced the Vivis, a new visa category joining tourist, business and transit visas. It allows stays of up to 90 days per year in Brazil and can be used also for other unpaid activities like participation in conferences and seminars.
The e-visa, by the other side, allows the granting of visas in a shorter period, without the need of going to the Consulates and surrendering of the passport for processing: it uses an electronic platform for the application and payment of the fee. Canada, United States and Australia have already adopted similar solutions and the European Union is on the way.
The cost for the travellers is another advantage, once it is only US$ 44.24 (including service fee), instead of the C$ 120 payable at the counter of the Consulates. E-visas, though, have a maximum validity of two years (and never more than the passport validity), while a regular visa for Canadians can reach up to five years.
How to apply
To apply for an e-visa, Canadians must go the website https://formulario-mre.serpro.gov.br, fill all the data and upload picture and supporting documents and pay the fee with a credit card. Applicants must make sure not to go to fake websites and should avoid third parties, one they can be scams. Brazilian consular officers will analyse the application and authorize the visa in five working days. After that, VFS Global, the company hired by the Brazilian government to help on the process, will send an e-mail to the applicant with the visa, which has to be printed to be presented at the check-in and at the border.
Photo: Tourism Structuring National Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, José Antonio Parente and Consul General of Brazil in Toronto, Ana Lélia Beltrame.
“Brazil has a lot of natural attractions, sun and sea”, said the Tourism Structuring National Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, José Antonio Parente , on his presentation. “The country had a 47% increase in the number of tourists in February, compared to the same month in 2017. We are happy with the results, but we want more”, he added. Parente emphasized Brazil’s infrastructure had a lot of the improvements due to the upgrades made for the Soccer World Cup in 2014 and for the Summer Olympic Games in 2016. Added the friendly mood of Brazilians, 98% of tourists approve the hospitality and 95% intend to go back again. “And we want not only tourists, but also investors”, said the secretary.
Photo – Leandro Aragonez – Brazil account manager for North America
The tourism trade had also the opportunity to know better three Brazilian cities with lots of attractions for Canadians: Manaus, the unofficial capital of the Amazon and the rainforest region, the worldwide famous Rio de Janeiro, with astonishing views and beaches and a mesmerizing Carnival, and Iguassu Falls, which enchants everyone with its giant size. The event was concluded with presentations of Air Canada, Copa Airlines and Latam, the three major airlines used by Canadians to go to Brazil.
Photo Gallery:
Vídeo (Discover Magazine): Interview with the Special Advisory of the Ministry of Tourism, Rafael Luisi.
