Visa application from within Brazil?

[ZambeziDave]

Oi a tudos!
I wonder if anyone knows anything about this - is it possible to submit a visa application while you are already in Brazil? And if so, where?
I tried to apply before I left but the organisation (voluntary so I have to do it myself!) sent poor copies originally which the consulate in London would not accept. As I knew I would be out here (on holiday!) by the time the proper papers arrived the consulate kindly authenticated the copy of my passport, so my daughter could reapply. However when she went the consular official said they NEEDED to see my passport!
Now short of an extra trip back to the UK sooner than expected (and at the additional cost of another return flight) I was hoping that there was an easier way. My police certificate expires January 8th (I got that nice and early but then had to wait for the charity documentation),and with another taking up to 6 weeks to acquire, I am rather pushed for time.
As applications usually are at your home country Brazilian Consulate (i.e. UK) I wondered if it was possible to apply directly to the Ministry for Foreign affairs (MRE) here in Brazil? I guess that they are in Brasilia, but that is a trip preferable to a round trip to the UK before January 8th.
Any free advice will be gratefully received - as I here on voluntary duties I will not be receiving any payment for two years so have extremely limited funds.
Regards,
Dave.

 

[JMBroad]

Hi Dave

You should be able to at the Polícia Federal of the city you are living in - for example I handled my visa directly with the Polícia Federal here in Natal (well not really "directly" as I had a lawyer handle everything for me but you know what I mean)

You still have to leave the country to pick up the visa once it is approved but if you are in Brazil you should be able to have the visa delivered to the UK embassy in Buenos Aires for example and save yourself a trip back to Europe.

Also, as a UK citizen, you are allowed to remain in Brazil on your first visa for 90 days. Once that is close to expiring you just need to renew it for another 90 days - you do not need to leave the country and can renew it (at least here in Natal) within about one hour. All I had to do was go to the Polícia Federal and say I wanted to stay longer - they stamped it and all in all the process took about an hour, an hour and a half... If you go after it has expired, you may have to pay a fine. I'm not sure if there is a limitation on how soon you need to renew it but six weeks seems excessive.

Something else to keep in mind is that Brazil very rarely deports people - if you stay longer than the 180 days you are allowed to stay without a permanent visa, you will certainly be fined but as long as you pay the fine BEFORE you leave the country, there will be no problem getting back into the country at a later date. If you leave without having paid your fine, then you may get stopped at the airport trying to leave or have problems trying to get in again in the future.

The challenge with applying from within the country is that to apply you need several original documents (student diplomas, letters of reference, etc) - These have to be original documents authenticated by the Brazilian embassy in your country - so unless you have those documents with you in Brazil it may be impossible to do from here.

 

[ZambeziDave]

Thanks, JMB.
I was going to get my daughter to Fedex all the paperwork to me, which includes all the original documentation, but not authenticated copies! The only one they authenticated was the copy of my passport, which the Embassy then refused to accept when my daughter went!
Am I right in assuming that the PF here won't authentcate the documentation? (That is if I supply originals and copies) So I may have to return to Blighty anyway early January - assuming the charity here find the missing documentation!!!
If this works then it is a much better bet than a return trip to the UK, or a jaunt down to Brasilia (though that is on my "to do while in Brasil list"!). I was at the airport in Salvador - where my local PF is - earlier today and had my netbook with me so wish I had checked then!! I could have had a chat with the PF - maybe do it tomorrow before I head back to the peace of the Chapada.
One bit of info for anyone transferring money from the UK to an account here - the recipient has to ask for the funds, they do not automatically transfer them into his/her account upon arrival - something my bank only told me when I asked where the money had gone!
Ciao,
Dave.

 

[JMBroad]

Hi Dave

The PF here won't authenticate any documents from the UK - they need to be authenticated by the Embassy in the UK. For example school certificates or diplomas - the PF here in Brazil have no idea if they are the real deal or not but the Embassy in the UK will know and can authenticate it.

I had to get the Brazilian consul to authenticate my documents then take them to the Brazilian Embassy for a second authentication.

 

[ZambeziDave]

Looks like a New Year trip back to England then!
Thanks, again.
Dave