APPLY FOR A VISA
Nonimmigrant visas are required for travel to the United States on a temporary basis, including tourism, temporary employment, study, and exchange.
All Brazilians need a visa to travel to the United States, including transit passengers making an international connection. Tourists with eligible dual-nationalities, however, may be able to enter without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program using their non-Brazilian passport.
To learn more about the different types of nonimmigrant visas and how to begin the visa application process, please visit our official Visa Appointment Service website.
You must apply for the correct visa category based on the purpose of travel to the United States.
How to Start
DS-160 Application Form – Print your confirmation page with the barcode. Each family member must complete a separate DS-160.
Tips: Save the application ID and your security question answer. You will need them to access your DS-160 later. You are responsible for verifying that everything is true and accurate.
Visa Appointment Service website – Pay the fee and schedule your appointments. You will also select an option for the return of your passport after processing.
Visa Appointments
Some visa applicants must schedule an appointment at our our Applicant Service Center (ASC) for a digital photo and fingerprints. At the U.S. Consulate General in Porto Alegre and Recife, applicants will complete both the biometrics process and the visa interview in one appointment at the Consulate.
First-time visa applicants between the ages of 14-79 must schedule two appointments: the first is at the Applicant Service Center (ASC) and the second is at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Prior to the appointments, applicants must collect the required documentation for their purpose of travel. Please, review the Required Documents Page.
Interview Waiver
If you already have a valid U.S. visa, or your visa expired within the last 48 months, you may be eligible to renew your visa without an in-person interview. Applicants under the age of 14 or above the age of 79 may also be eligible to apply for a visa without an in-person interview.
The ASC application process includes questions that will tell you if you are eligible for the interview waiver application process.
General Conditions for Eligibility
- Be a Brazilian citizen or permanent resident currently in Brazil.
- Be under the age of 14 or above the age of 79 or have a valid U.S. visa – or one that expired within the last 48 months – issued when you were between the ages of 15 and 80.
- Your previous visa was not lost, stolen, cancelled, or revoked.
- You were not refused on your last U.S. visa application.
- You have never been arrested or convicted of a crime; deported from or denied entry to the United States.
Note: The consular officer will determine whether you are eligible for a visa. If further information is required, you may be asked to appear for an interview. To avoid travel delays, start the process as early as possible and do not make final travel plans until the visa has been approved and delivered.
Expedited Interview Appointment
When you request an expedited appointment, you will see the list of acceptable circumstances such as an immediate relative’s death, grave illness, or urgent medical treatment in the United States. To request an expedited appointment, first schedule a regular appointment on the closest available date. Then, sign-in to your account, click “Continue,” select “Request Expedite” and follow the instructions. The consular section grants expedited appointments at their discretion.
Important Notice: For security reasons, visa applicants and U.S. citizens are not allowed to enter the Embassy or Consulates with cell phones and other electronic devices (including but not limited to, smartwatches, activity monitoring devices, such as fitbits, tablets, laptops, and other recording devices). Liquids/drinks are also not allowed (except for applicants with children that require a bottle). Bags, except for one small purse or equivalent, are also not allowed. All visitors and items brought into the Embassy or Consulates are subject to a complete search. Neither the Embassy nor the Consulates have storage facilities for such items. We strongly discourage our customers from bringing these devices when they come to the Embassy or Consulates to conduct business. If you must bring these devices with you, there are private companies that provide storage facilities for a fee. These companies are not sanctioned by or otherwise affiliated with the U.S. government, and the U.S. government takes no responsibility for devices left in their care.
After the Interview
All issued nonimmigrant visas will be delivered via the ASC. You may choose to have your visa delivered, or you may pick it up at the nearest ASC branch. The ASC will keep the document for 30 days only. If you choose to have your document delivered to your home or other designated address, the scheduling system will tell you how to proceed.
*Consulate pick up is only offered at the U.S. Consulate General in Recife.
For additional passport delivery information please go to the Visa Document Courier Services Page.
Pending Documentation
The consular officer may require additional information to determine whether you meet the qualifications for a visa. If you need to submit additional information, your visa will be refused under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This does not mean the visa has been refused permanently. It means that more action is required before a final decision can be made. You will be informed during the visa interview on how to provide the additional information requested.
Administrative Processing Information
Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. Learn more.
Application Status
You may track the adjudication status of your visa application at https://ceac.state.gov/CEAC
Ineligibilities
Certain conditions and activities may make an applicant ineligible for a visa. Examples of these ineligibilities include drug trafficking, overstaying a previous visa, and submitting fraudulent documents. If you are ineligible for a visa, you will be informed by the consular officer. Learn more.
Visa Denial
If you applied for a nonimmigrant visa and were refused under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the decision cannot be reviewed or appealed. However, you may reapply if you have additional evidence to demonstrate your qualifications for a visa. Learn more.
Lost or Stolen Visas
If your passport with a valid U.S. visa has been stolen or lost, use the Contact Us form to report it missing. The process of applying for a new visa must be done through the regular process.
VISA CATEGORIES
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. When you apply at a U.S Embassy or Consulate, a consular officer will determine, based on laws of the United States, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate. Some visa categories have additional reciprocity fees.
| Purpose of Travel | Visa Category |
|---|---|
| Diplomat or foreign government official and their immediate family members and their domestic employees | A1 – A2 – A3 |
| Foreign military personnel stationed in the United States | A2 |
| Tourism, vacation, medical treatment, and business travel | B1/B2 |
| Athlete, amateur or professional (competing for prize money only) | B1/B2 |
| Domestic or personal employee (must be accompanying an eligible employer) | B1 |
| Transiting through the United States | C1 |
| Crewmember | C1/D |
| Treaty trader/Treaty investor | E1 – E2 |
| Student: academic or vocational and their dependents | F1 or M1 – F2 or M2 |
| Employee of a designated international organization and their domestic employees | G1 – G4 – G5 |
| Specialty occupations in fields requiring highly specialized knowledge and their dependents | H1B and H4 |
| Temporary agricultural worker | H2A |
| Temporary worker performing other services or labor of a temporary or seasonal nature | H2B |
| Training in a program not primarily for employment | H3 |
| Media, journalist | I |
| Exchange visitor, professors, researchers, teachers, physicians (in exchange visitor programs) and their dependents | J1 – J2 |
| Au pair, Summer Work and Travel | J1 |
| Intracompany transferee and their dependents | L1 – L2 |
| Foreign national with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, their support staff, and their dependents | O1 – O2 – O3 |
| Performing athlete, artist, or entertainer and their dependents | P1 – P2 – P3 – P4 |
| International cultural exchange visitor | Q1 |
| Religious worker and their dependents | R1 – R2 |
| Victim of human trafficking and their dependents | T |
| Victim of criminal activity and their dependents | U |
Note: This chart is not a complete list of all travel purposes for the visa category. Select a visa category webpage for more information. The chart lists almost all nonimmigrant visa categories. Refer to the Bureau of Consular Affairs Website for additional information.
CONTACT INFORMATION
We encourage you to carefully read the information provided on this website for answers to your questions. If you have additional questions, inquiries are typically answered within 3 to 5 business days.
Please contact the Applicant Service Center (ASC) for information on the following topics:
- Assistance with the appointment website, including name errors
- Appointment scheduling
- MRV fee payment
- Document delivery
Please complete the Contact Us form for information on the following topics:
- Lost or stolen passport with a nonimmigrant visa
- Providing requested documents or information
- Specific inquiries related to a current visa application.
