Layover in Brazil without a visa..

[autumnquarantotto]

So perhaps this is already public knowledge and I appear to be a little foolish BUT just in case there is anyone out there finding themselves in the same position, I figured I would write a quick forewarning about traveling via Brazil, as to avoid the long and tiring situation I found myself in..

I had a layover in Brazil that was 10 hours and had researched, went to TAM airlines website, and even talked with a man who works with TAM airlines who is from Brazil, and they all told me the same thing: a visa is not required when having a layover in Brazil. However when I got there it was a whole different story. They were extremely not happy that I didn't have a visa or another passport and they had me sit with the Brazilian police while they debated what to do.

In the end they told me it was fine but that normally if you enter Brazil without a passport, they will send you back to the United States. A layover is only allowed if it is only a "couple" of hours. While waiting the whole ten hours I had to sit next to the gate while someone who works at the airport had to sit with me the whole time, I wasn't allowed to even get up to go to the bathroom by myself (not even kidding). Anyways, this isn't to complain about Brazil, visas, or put blame on anyone. Obviously it was up to me to take responsibility for my travel plans, however I thought speaking with someone who works with the airline would have been enough. I thought it would be a good heads up for anyone planning a layover in Brazil without a visa, I would honestly just suggest planning a layover somewhere else or just going ahead and getting your visa.

 

[sivan]

in my experience people who work for the airlines are completely clueless. always best to check with the embassy or consulate before you travel to a country.

 

[surfing]

I don't understand. In order to "enter" Brazil you must go through immigration. If you remained airside for a direct flight connection I don't see how this would even come up.

 

[kurtdillard]

I don't understand. In order to "enter" Brazil you must go through immigration. If you remained airside for a direct flight connection I don't see how this would even come up.

Really? Let me guess, you're from the USA, right? Transiting rules vary by country, the US is one of the strictest countries. Its very frustrating for people trying to fly from countries that aren't part of the visa waiver program to the Caribean, Canada, and a lot of other places where all or nearly all flights stop in the US. Brazil chose to punish US citizens for their government's policies by imposing reciprocity over the last 7 or 8 years. had the OP done the same thing while transiting the US they would have been deported, the Brazilian authorities were actually quite generous in this situation. This situation has repeatedly caused lots of people a great deal of frustration becuase when flights destined for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, or Uruguay get diverted they often get sent to Brazilian airports, the US citizens have to be held in some sort of isolation since few of them are able to enter Brazil officially. This was a recurring mess when that Chilean volcano was errupting over several months a couple of years ago.

I'm from the US and I disagree with many of my government's immigration policies, I also disagree with Brazil's but I understand why they impose reciprocity.

 

[autumnquarantotto]

Yes, this was exactly my line of thinking as well. However when I went through immigration they pulled me aside and questioned me for a while. It made it even worse that only two people I talked with spoke English, although I was even relieved with just that but everyone else I talked with didn't. Which, not that everyone should speak English, of course but even when I asked them if they could speak a little Spanish they all said no. All in all it was extremely stressful and not worth it.

 

[autumnquarantotto]

Really? Let me guess, you're from the USA, right? Transiting rules vary by country, the US is one of the strictest countries. Its very frustrating for people trying to fly from countries that aren't part of the visa waiver program to the Caribean, Canada, and a lot of other places where all or nearly all flights stop in the US. Brazil chose to punish US citizens for their government's policies by imposing reciprocity over the last 7 or 8 years. had the OP done the same thing while transiting the US they would have been deported, the Brazilian authorities were actually quite generous in this situation. This situation has repeatedly caused lots of people a great deal of frustration becuase when flights destined for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, or Uruguay get diverted they often get sent to Brazilian airports, the US citizens have to be held in some sort of isolation since few of them are able to enter Brazil officially. This was a recurring mess when that Chilean volcano was errupting over several months a couple of years ago.

I'm from the US and I disagree with many of my government's immigration policies, I also disagree with Brazil's but I understand why they impose reciprocity.

Kurt, I am from the U.S. as well and agree completely. It was one of those situations I entered knowing that the reason this is imposed is because of my government's policies and how strict they are with foreigners coming in. So of course I was extremely generous when they let me stay even though it was kind of awkward to sit with all these different people I didn't know and couldn't even go to the bathroom by myself. But, as I said I was more than gracious to do that than the alternative of having to take a long flight back to the U.S. I was writing this just as a heads up for anyone thinking about doing the same thing, because all in all if it can be avoided, it saves a lot of time, frustration, etc. on both ends.

 

[BednBreakfast]

That's crazy. My husband is from US and we have stopped at Sao Paolo airport and he's been allowed to wander around freely, without going through immigration of course....poor you, sounds horrible, maybe they have changed the rules!

 

[autumnquarantotto]

Well they said if it was a few hours, it was fine (although they never clarified what a few hours was), but because it was 10 hours that was too much. Which sounds crazy even as I write it, that I was willing to wait 10 hours, but I had a few books, my computer, and music, so it was fine. But in hindsight would have avoided it if I could.

 

[LaurenW]

i tried to buy a flight with TAM through sao paolo a couple months ago. The layerover was 1.5 hours, getting in at 11;30 and leaving at 1am. After purchasing the flight, TAM calls me saying that I need a Brasil visa for staying a "whole day" because apparently if you cross over into two days (aka your layover occurs during midnight) you need a visa. No clue if this is BS but thought i'd pass it along. I ended up canceling the flight cuz i didn't want to pay for a visa or deal with Sao Paolo airport.

edit: soy yanqui

 

[surfing]

Really? Let me guess, you're from the USA, right? Transiting rules vary by country, the US is one of the strictest countries. Its very frustrating for people trying to fly from countries that aren't part of the visa waiver program to the Caribean, Canada, and a lot of other places where all or nearly all flights stop in the US. Brazil chose to punish US citizens for their government's policies by imposing reciprocity over the last 7 or 8 years. had the OP done the same thing while transiting the US they would have been deported, the Brazilian authorities were actually quite generous in this situation. This situation has repeatedly caused lots of people a great deal of frustration becuase when flights destined for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, or Uruguay get diverted they often get sent to Brazilian airports, the US citizens have to be held in some sort of isolation since few of them are able to enter Brazil officially. This was a recurring mess when that Chilean volcano was errupting over several months a couple of years ago.

I'm from the US and I disagree with many of my government's immigration policies, I also disagree with Brazil's but I understand why they impose reciprocity.

Why are you blaming me for asking a question? I have nothing to do with any government policies nor do I defend them.