I can’t believe I’m already on my third Brazilian visa. The visa cost has certainly gone up ($140?? – oh well, the U.S. started it) but at least the visa duration has gone up too. Good for 10 years instead of 5. So that will well cover this trip for the Rio Capoeira Forum, PLUS World Cup (2014) and the Summer Olympics (2016). That visa may even give me juuuust enough time to get my Brazilian B&B started…though I suppose that will be a whole different business visa…and a crap load more paperwork. This tourist process was relatively easy with a few basic forms.

I’m glad to say the whole process was fairly simple as long as you can follow directions. Of course I CAN’T, so I had a minor run in with a Notary Public (not affiliated with the Brazilian Consulate) who had no sense of humor about the fact that it was a tad bit egregious to charge $1.00 for a single photo copy of my Driver’s License (lighten up, lady). But otherwise all is well, and my visa is now safely pasted in my passport. Just over two weeks to go!