CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION​

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If the Brazilian authorities require a visa for visitors from your country, the most important thing when you get to Brazil is to have a valid visa with at least 6 months remaining before it expires. If a passenger does not have appropriate documentation on arrival (passport, visa), he/she will be deported. Visas are not issued on arrival in Brazil. Always confirm visa requirements prior to your travel. Consult this page for more information.

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When you arrive, you will need to clear both Brazilian immigration and customs. Your airline should distribute both immigration and customs forms for you to fill out before your arrival. However, it is recommended that you download and fill the forms before you travel. See links and explanations below.

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In São Paulo (Guarulhos Airport, GRU) both immigration and customs are on the lower level of the airport.  When you leave you arrival flight, you walk through the terminal, and then downstairs to immigration  Notice that at immigration there will be separated lines for Brazilian citizens and for foreign visitors.

 

At immigration you will have to exhibit your passport and the immigration form you filled. Besides having your passport stamped, you will receive back half of your immigration form, stamped and sometimes with some written comments. You should carefully keep this form because it should be shown when you leave the country. 

 

After clearing immigration, you will pick up your baggage (if you checked any). The baggage delivery belts have clear indications of the corresponding flights. 

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Then you will head to customs, passing through the tax-free shop. If you are interested in buying anything when you arrive to Brazil, then it is recommended that you leave your baggage with attendants (they will give you a receipt) and then you will do your shopping. After shopping you should pick up your baggage and then you will go through customs.

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There are two different doors to customs, as in most airports: the green line ("Nothing to declare") for those who are carrying only permited items (clothes, books, personal equipment, etc.) and the red line ("Goods to declare") for those who are bringing to Brazil some special items, that will be described below. At this point you may be asked to hand to the officers the customs form and to open your luggage, for inspection.

Immigration Form

The official Brazilian immigration form can be downloaded in PDF or Word format. The form has an A4 format, using landscape layout.  

Brazilian immigration form, PDF format

Brazilian immigration form, DOC format 

 

Your can fill the form before printing it, or you can print it and then fill it by hand. You can print it either in A4 or Letter size paper.

In case of handwriting, please write in CAPITALS only and without erasures. We strongly recommend that you download the PDF format and use any PDF editor to fill the form. There are explanations about the way of filling the form, in Portuguese, Spanish and English, at this page of the Brazilian Federal Police.

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At immigration you will have to exhibit your passport and the immigration form you filled. Besides having your passport stamped, you will receive back the right-hand half of your immigration form, stamped and sometimes with some written comments. You should carefully keep this form. This card must be presented to officials upon departure from the country. If you don't have your passport stamped or lose your copy of the entry form, you'll have to be specially cleared by the Federal Police before being allowed to leave the country and you could be fined.

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All American citizens are both photographed and fingerprinted as part of their immigration clearance process. This is because Brazil practices diplomatic reciprocity and processes American citizens entering Brazil the same way the U.S. processes Brazilian citizens entering the United States. This is most assuredly NOT the place to demonstrate any displeasure with this process. If a tourist shows disrespect towards the officials, he/she can be arrested, fined (thousands of dollars) and ejected from the country forever.

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Customs

Most tourists entering Brazil do not have to complete a customs form and they can just pass through the "Nothing to declare" (green line) through customs. In some cases, however, you should fill the EDBV customs form, available at this link and present this form and your luggage for inspection at the "Goods to declare" channel (red line) of customs..

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The following questions will allow you to determine your situation:

Are you bringing in your baggage:

1. animals, vegetables or their parts, seeds, animal or vegetal-products, veterinary or toxic products?

2. medical products, in vitro diagnosis products, cleaning products, biological material?

3. medicaments, except those for personal use, or food of any kind?

4. firearms or ammunition?

5. goods for commercial or industrial purposes or those to be submitted to customs clearance procedures by their ultimate owner?

6. goods worth over R$ 3,000.00 (air or maritime travel) or any value (land, river or lake border crossing), for temporary admission? (Non-residents only)

7. goods subject to taxation (see General Information section)?

8. currency (cash, checks or traveler’s checks) in an amount over R$ 10,000.00 or its equivalent in a foreign currency?

 

If you have answered NO to all questions, you don't have to fill the customs form, and you may choose the NOTHING TO DECLARE channel. If you have answered YES to any of the above questions, you should fill the EDBV customs form and choose the GOODS TO DECLARE channel.

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According to the Brazilian Customs regulations, there is no need to declare the following items:

• books, leaflets and newspapers.

• clothing and traveller’s objects for personal or professional use.

• goods acquired abroad, valued at up to US$500 (this applies to new goods in their original cases).

• goods purchased in duty free shops upon arrival in the country.

 

RESTRICTIONS AND PROHIBITIONS

Prohibited goods:
* narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and similars
* alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, for travellers under 18 years of age
* cigarettes or alcoholic beverages of Brazilian origin, purchased abroad
* counterfeit or pirate goods

 

You cannot bring to Brazil non-industrialized vegetable and/or animal products. It is strongly advisable to avoid bringing any kind of food. If you are carrying any medication, you should also bring its prescription signed by a doctor, with your name and directions of use.

 

Products subject to sanitary inspection or of animal / vegetal origin will only be released after authorization from the National Health Surveillance or the Ministry of Agriculture.

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TAXABLE GOODS

If you bring to Brazil several identical items that suggest you are going to sell them, or if you bring many new things, worth more than US$500, you should fill the customs form and present the form and goods to the customs officers.

 

All newly acquired goods that have been bought abroad, on board of vessels, aircrafts or in duty free shops abroad valued at over US$500 are taxable. The exemption limit is personal. Passengers travelling with family members (spouse and children) cannot combine their personal exemptions. The customs duty / tax is 50% on the value exceeding the exemption limits above mentioned. The tax will be assessed by the customs officials and its payment is a condition for the release of the goods. 

 

CURRENCY (CASH, CHECKS OR TRAVELER’S CHECKS) IN AN AMOUNT OVER R$10,000.00 (about US$3,000)

There is no limit on the amount of money any individual can bring into Brazil but if you're carrying R$10,000 (ten thousand reais) or more, or its equivalent in cash, checks, traveler's check, currency or any combination thereof, you are required to declare thiswhen you enter Brazil. This is not for tax reasons. They just want to know.

 

If you are bringing to Brazil a large amount of cash you should fill the EDBV customs formand choose the GOODS TO DECLARE channel.