Health
SAMU (Mobile Emergency Medical Service): 192
Health Tips
- Drink lots of water. Brazil is a tropical country, so we recommend that you keep hydrated at all times.
- Wear comfortable clothes. Protect your skin from the sun by wearing a hat, a cap, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Avoid staying in the sun between 10 am and 4 pm.
- Brazil continues to follow all security protocols to combat COVID-19. In order to reduce the risk of contamination, wear protective masks and wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Also, use hand sanitizers that contain 70% alcohol, especially after using public transport or visiting tourist attractions where there are crowds.
Vaccines
In order to enter Brazil, it is not mandatory to be vaccinated against any specific type of disease. However, there are some regions in the country where there is a Recommendation for Vaccination (ACRV) before the visit. For example, in the regions where cases of yellow fever have been documented.
Covid-19
The world was forced to slow down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as vaccination advances, your next trip to Brazil can already happen!
Safety
The Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, is creating the Safe Tourism Program, a national program to increase tourist safety focused on several fields of action. This way, visitors will be able to enjoy all the wonderful attractions Brazil has to offer.
If there are any incidents, there are police stations all over the Brazilian territory. Most capital cities have specialized police stations to assist tourists. If you happen to be in a city where there is no specialized police station for tourists, you can contact any regular police station to file your incident report. This means more safety and attention for tourists who come to Brazil.
The world was forced to slow down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as vaccination advances, your next trip to Brazil can already happen!
Specialized Police Stations to Assist Tourists
Aracaju
Specialized Tourist Police Station
Address: Av. Santos Dumont, S/Nº – Atalaia
Phone: +55 (79) 3198-1118 | +55 (79) 3255-2155 | +55 (79) 3226-1400
Campo Grande
Specialized Tourist Police Station – DECAT
Address: Rua Sete de Setembro, nº 2.421 – Centro
Phone: +55 (67) 3325-2567 | +55 (67) 3382-9271
Florianópolis
Specialized Tourist Police Station – DPTUR
Address: Avenida Paulo Fontes, 1101 – Centro
Phone: +55 (48) 3665-5723
Visas and Travel Papers
Citizens of Mercosur member states do not need a visa to enter and stay in Brazil, the need only a valid passport or national identity document. Citizens of Australia, Canada, the United States of America, Japan, and the European Union are also exempt from visas to enter the Brazilian territory, and only need a valid passport. Visitor visas may be granted for different purposes, such as tourism, business, transit, and artistic or sports activities. Visitors on this type of visa are allowed to stay for a maximum of ninety days.
Do you need a visa?
To find out if you need a visa to travel to Brazil, click here.
Brazil’s visa policy is based on the principle of reciprocity. This basically means that most countries that require visas from Brazilian citizens to enter their territories will also need a visa to travel to Brazil. Under current Brazilian immigration law (Law 13,445 of 2017), visa exemption may only be granted by the Brazilian authorities on a reciprocal basis, and through mutual understanding on the matter, except for the circumstances described in Decree 9,731 of 2019. Brazil currently has bilateral agreements on visa waivers with approximately 90 countries.
Where to apply for a visa:
Itamaraty, the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazil, is the government agency responsible for granting visas. This occurs through its Embassies, Consulates General, Consulates, and Vice-Consulates abroad.
Foreigners who wish to apply for a visa to travel to Brazil should contact Brazilian Consular Representations abroad in order to obtain more information on the application process.
Emergency Numbers
You can call these toll-free numbers from any phone. Most of them are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- 190: Military Police
- 192: Public Paramedics (SAMU)
- 193: Fire Department
- 191: Federal Highway Police
Power Voltage
Power voltage in Brazil varies between 110V and 220V, depending on the location you’re in. Many Brazilian hotels offer electric outlets in both voltages, and you can easily find portable voltage transformers in electrical supply stores.
Power outlets in Brazil are type N and have the standard 3-pin sockets. For safety, the outlets are recessed. This way, plugs have to be fully inserted into the outlet for power to pass through, thus preventing accidental contact with live plugs.
Power outlet adapters can be easily found at electrical supply stores or at airport convenience stores.
Power outlets in Brazil have the standard 3-pin socket for type-N plugs:
Local Weather
Brazil has tropical weather. The average annual temperature is 28°C in the North region and 20°C in the South of the country. Brazilian winter is between June and September, and in some cities in the South and Southeast of the country, temperatures drop below 0°C, with frost and snow. In the summer, it is possible to enjoy the 40°C heat in cities like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, for example. Summer in Brazil is the best time to go to the beach, drink coconut water, swim in the sea, and sunbathe.
When packing for your trip, please choose light and comfortable clothes. Items such as hats, caps, sunglasses, and sunscreen are useful to protect your skin from the sun. In forest areas, such as the Amazon and the Pantanal, we recommend the use of closed-toe shoes, long-sleeved t-shirts and shirts (preferably in light colors), long pants, and a hat to keep insects away.
THE SEASONS IN BRAZIL
Summer: December to March.
Fall: March to June.
Winter: June to September.
Spring: September to December.
Telecommunications
The National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL) is the Brazilian authority responsible for phone operations in the country.
The country code for Brazil is +55.
All Brazilian cities have their own two-digit area codes. Land lines have 8 digits in the whole country. Cell phones, on the other hand, have 9 digits.
- For long distance calls in the country: 0 + two-digit operator code + two-digit city code + desired telephone number.
- For collect calls, all you have to do is change the 0 for 90 at the beginning of the number you will call.
- For international calls from Brazil: 00 + two-digit operator code + country code + city code + desired telephone number.
- For service lines (900, 0800, 0900, 0300, 800), the operator code is not necessary.
The use of foreign cell phones in Brazil depends on the technology used and its compatibility with Brazilian operators. Check with your operator what is required to use your cell phone in Brazil, especially because usage rates vary.
Language
The official language in Brazil is Portuguese, which comes from Portugal, but ours has a different accent and some different idiomatic expressions. Many Brazilians speak English and Spanish, and it is also possible to meet people who are fluent in other languages, such as German, Italian, indigenous dialects, and other languages.
The list below comprises some basic words and local expressions which may help you to get by on your trips to Brazil:
- Hi = Olá
- Bye = Tchau
- Yes = Sim
- No = Não
- Maybe = Talvez
- Please = Por favor
- Good morning = Bom dia
- Good afternoon = Boa tarde
- Good evening / Good night = Boa noite
- What’s your name? = Qual é o seu nome?
- My name is… = Meu nome é…
- Do you speak English or Spanish? = Você fala inglês ou espanhol?
- Thank you = Obrigado
- I’m sorry = Desculpe
- You are welcome = De nada
- Excuse me = Com licença
- Can you give me some information? = Pode me dar uma informação?
- Can you help me? = Pode me ajudar?
- I am lost = Estou perdido
- I don’t understand = Não entendo
- Can you speak slowly, please? = Pode falar mais devagar, por favor
- Could you please repeat that? = Pode repetir por favor?
- I don’t speak portuguese = Não sei falar português
- Is there a bank/restaurant/hotel/taxi stand nearby? = Há algum banco/restaurante/ponto de táxi/hotel perto daqui?
- How much does this cost? = Quanto custa isso?
- Where can I get… ? = Onde posso conseguir…?
Currency and Exchange Rates
The currency in Brazil is the REAL (R$). It can be exchanged at banks, exchange brokers, travel agencies, and authorized hotels. The official exchange rate is published daily in newspapers and specialized websites.
Both travellers checks and cash are easily exchanged at exchange counters. International credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants, shops, travel agencies, car rental companies, and other companies that provide services to tourists.
As for the REAL, bills and coins have distinctive features and security elements that facilitate their identification. Brazilian banknotes are printed in denominations of 2 reals, 5 reals, 10 reals, 20 reals, 50 reals, 100 reals, and 200 reals. Brazilian coins are minted in denominations of 5 centavos, 10 centavos, 25 centavos, 50 centavos, and 1 Brazilian real.
BRAZILIAN BANKNOTES
BRAZILIAN COINS
Useful Links
- Brazilian Consular Affairs
- Airports in Brazil
- Passenger Guide
- Brazilian Federal Government
- Ministry of Tourism
- Brazilian Vaccination Page
- Brazilian Government Agencies
- How to Make Calls in Brazil
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