|
Workshops and Meetings
Phase III of LBA-ECO does not support collection of field data in Brazil. Investigators may travel to Brazil to participate in NASA-sponsored meetings or conferences.
When you attend LBA-ECO Synthesis workshops or the 11th Science Team Meeting in September 2007, you may use a valid Vitem-1 visa or you will need to either:
- Apply for a tourist visa
or
- Apply for a new Vitem-1 visa
|
WARNING: REQUIREMENTS VARY
Requirements for obtaining tourist and VITEM-I visas appear to vary from consulate to consulate.
|
There has been inconsistency among Brazilian consulates issuing visas to foreign participants attending previous LBA-ECO meetings in Brazil. Some consulates issued tourist visas. Others issued Vitem-I visas, even though activities authorized under a tourist visa include "scientists, professors or researchers attending cultural, technological or scientific conferences, seminars".
It may be prudent to apply for the less complicated tourist visa FIRST rather than raise the VITEM-1 issue. Leave time in your application process to re-apply, if you get turned down for a tourist visa.
Tourist Visa (back to top)
Tourist visa requirements can be obtained through local consulates and have fewer requirements than VITEM-1 visas. DO NOT visit field sites or collect scientific data when traveling on a Tourist Visa!
General procedures may be found on the following web page: http://67.222.33.191/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=155
Contact your local consulate to review the instructions before submitting your application.
Invitation letters for these visas may be obtained from the LBA Central Office.
The period for requesting invitation letters from INPA for your Visa Application has been extended until August 30th.
By August 30th, you will need to send a 2-page CV and the completed
INPA Letter Request Form (edit this example request form) to the LBA Central Office,
Attention: Erika Schloemp,
lbamao@inpa.gov.br.
You should receive your letter in approximately 7 days. PLEASE NOTE: Delays are always a possibility, especially with the Brazilian Independence Day
holiday coming up (September 7th). It is critical that you do not wait until the last minute.
TIPS ON COMPLETING YOUR TOURIST VISA APPLICATION FORM:
- Check with your consulate and make sure to send the proper form, or your application could be denied.
- For question pertaining to - Purpose of trip (check item that is the most applicable to the circumstances of your trip):
Answer: Attend conference, seminar or workshop (note under “Comments” below whether attendee, paid/unpaid speaker, trainer, and provide name of event sponsor)
- For question pertaining to - Name and address of person, institution or company through whom you can be contacted in Brazil:
Answer: Erika Schloemp - INPA - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas na Amazonia, Manaus Brazil
|
|
You may wish to include a copy of Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 65, (in Portuguese, pdf format) in your tourist visa application, in case there are any questions raised. The document includes the text translated below:
Translated excerpt from Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 65:
"A tourist visa may be granted to the foreign scientist, teacher, or researcher intending to visit Brasil to participate in conferences, seminars, or meetings in the area of scientific-technological research and development, not receiving remuneration for his/her activities..."
VITEM-1 Visa (back to top)
Continue using a valid VITEM-1 visa for entry into Brazil until it expires. It is permissible for the VITEM-1 to expire during your trip, as long as it is valid on the date of entry.
To apply for a new VITEM-1, general procedures may be found on the following web page: http://67.222.33.191/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=155 Contact your local consulate to review the instructions before submitting your application together with either 1) a letter of invitation from the LBA Central Office or from your counterpart's institution. To request a letter from the LBA Central Office, please complete and send the INPA Letter Request Form (SEE TOURIST VISA INFO ABOVE) along with your 2-page CV to Erika Schloemp <email:lbamao@inpa.gov.br> ; or 2)
a CNPq scientific expedition license and letter of invitation sponsored by your Brazilian counterpart. Discuss these options with your Brazilian counterpart to obtain detailed guidance.
When traveling using a newly-issued VITEM-1, you must register with the Brazilian Federal Police within 30 days of first entry into Brazil.
Who Must Register with Brazilian Federal Police? (back to top)
Those who travel on a Vitem-1 visa must register with the Brazilian Federal Police.
Use No Abbreviations/All Names Must Match (back to top)
This applies to visa applications and Federal Police application papers:
- In order to avoid a time consuming delay in registering with the Brazilian Federal Police, applicants must write out all names in full without abbreviation. Do not use initials. This applies to the full name of the individual applying for the visa, as well as other names on the application such as that of parents.
- If names are abbreviated or incomplete on the application forms, the federal police will only accept the paper work with a letter from the US consulate in Brazil (a time consuming process) stating the full names.
- Registration with the federal police should only take half a day, but if forms are filled out incorrectly or with abbreviations, it can take up to 2 additional days.
- If you accidentally abbreviated names on one application or form, you should follow that same format when writing the names on all other forms. The most important element is consistency.
Civil Servant Visa Options (back to top)
- Official Visa (30-90 days) - Follow your agency's instructions for obtaining an official visa, valid for up to three months. Any civil servant who is traveling on an official government visa does NOT need to register with the Federal Police.
- Visa VITEM-1 (1 year) - If you are listed as a participant on an approved scientific research license, and expect to travel to Brazil repeatedly over the course of a year, you may request a Visa VITEM-1, valid for one year.
- A civil servant traveling on a VITEM-1 instead of an official visa will need to register with the Brazilian Federal Police.
Apply for a U.S. Visa (non-immigrant) (back to top)
Link to US Embassy Brazil forms and requirements for Brazilian residents.
|
