The Brazilian Government has just made it much, much easier for Australian passport holders looking to travel to Brazil with a new online visa which features a response time of 72 hours. The new electronic visa takes some of the hassle out of planning a trip to the highly sought after desintation, which is ranked number one for natural attractions and eight for cultural resources according to the Competitiveness Study of the World Economic Forum.
Up until a few weeks ago, Australians looking to travel Brazil would have to obtain a pre-arranged visa through the Consulate-General of Brazil in Australia. The new electronic visa moves away from that often stressful and time consuming process via the VFS Global website, which handles applications on behalf of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
When granted, these electronic visas are valid for two years and multiple entries into Brazil, which allows holders to spend up to 90 days in the country per year. This is a prospect more than welcomed by the Minister of Tourism of Brazil Marx Beltrão who explains that “Brazil and Australia are very similar”.
“The climate, the passion for sports and the social hospitality make us sister nations,” said the Minister, who was in Australia recently to launch the new electronic visa. “Online visa facilitation is one of many steps the Brazilian Government is taking to strengthen ties between Australia and Brazil. Our [two] countries have everything to gain from the intensification of the flow of tourists”.
The total cost to apply for one of these visas if you’re an Australian passport holder is AU$58.68, which is payable in US dollars by Visa or Mastercard only. If applications are successful the applicant is sent a PDF file containing the eVisa via email or online download, and they must present the printed document at airport check-in and at passport control when landing in Brazil.
This year has also seen the Brazilian Government introduce similar online visa applications for travellers out of the U.S, Canada and Japan.
To apply for an eVisa just visit the VFS Global website by click HERE.
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