Brazil Has Turned Down My Visa Application

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Brazil Has Turned Down My Visa Application

By Thomas Keyes
July 20, 2005

On Monday, July 17, I went to the Brazilian consulate on Calle General Díaz here in Asunción, Paraguay, in order to apply for a visa to return to Brazil for three months. All along, I had wondered in the back of my mind if I wasn’t reapplying too soon, but somehow I convinced myself that all would be all right. But when I applied, I was told that tourists may remain in Brazil only 180 days out of 365 successive days, whether in the same or different calendar years. Since I had been in Brazil from August 1, 2005 to January 29, 2006, my 180 days were all used up. They told me I could reapply in 3 months, but I am assuming that if I were granted a 3-month visa at the end of October, it would not be renewable, because of the 180-day rule. So if I want to stay in Brazil 6 months, I will have to wait till the end of January, 2007, to reapply. And this is what I may do, though there’s time to consider other options.

I decided then instead to renew my visa for Paraguay, which is due to expire on July 29. I found my way, with a lot of footwork, to the Ministerio del Interior. Unless your a seasoned Paraguay-hand, you don’t know up front what the name of the competent agency is. It could be ‘ministerio’, ‘departamento’, ‘dirección’, 'secretaria', etc. Finally I found it and they sent to the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores to have my visa certified. They merely check the number and stamp your passport. This Ministry sent me to the Police to have an alien registration ID card made. I provided photographs, filled out an application and was fingerprinted. Once I had the certification and the ID card, I went back to the Ministerio del Interior. They sent me across the street to a notary to get all my copies authenicated. Then I returned and handed everything, including my passport, over, along with the fee of 203,300 guaraníes. I was given a receipt and returned the next day to collect my passport. So now I may remain in Paraguay till October 27. I was a little upset to learn, when everything was all over, that I could have applied for 6 months. The fees, including charges for copies, photographs and so forth, amounted to about US $50 in all.

At any rate, the main reason that I am in Paraguay instead of Argentina right now is that it is a little cool down there. By October 27, Buenos Aires will be warming up nicely, just as if it were April 27 in Los Angeles. Entry into Argentina is virtually hassle-free. You just show up at the border with a US passport and you’re in, free of charge. Not only that, but the bus fare is only $29. The only problem will be to tote my baggage. Once in Buenos Aires, I can stay for 3 months or maybe even 6 months, until it starts getting cold again, and then head for Brazil. Owing to high prices in Brazil, bus fare from Buenos Aires to Belém, on the Amazon, is around $300 each way, still cheaper than air fare with Varig, which amounts to about $900 round trip. So maybe I won’t go all the way back to Belém.

The big disappointment is that I’ll have to wait 6 to 9 months to visit Foz de Iguaçu, Brazil, on the Paraná River. This is the city which features the twin attractions of the great Iguazu Falls and Itaipu Dam. Once I arrive in Foz de Iguaçu, I may just stay, if I like it, instead of going all the way back to Belém. But that’s next year.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagen:Iguacu-004.jpg

http://www.solar.coppe.ufrj.br/itaipu.html

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About the author Thomas Keyes: I have written two books: A SOJOURN IN ASIA (non-fiction) and A TALE OF UNG (fiction), neither published so far.

I have studied languages for years and traveled extensively on five continents.

Email: udikeyes@yahoo.com

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