VITEM VII - Missionary visa

Publicado em 20/07/2022 10h40 Atualizado em 19/08/2024 05h24

Foreigners interested in applying for a Missionary Visa to partake in a religious mission in Brazil must observe the following procedures:

1) AT HOME:

1.1. Fill out the visa application available on the web address https://formulario-mre.serpro.gov.br attaching all required documentation;
1.2. Print out the RER form at the end of the electronic visa application;
1.3. Sign the RER form (signature must match that of passport), write down name and telephone contact info ;
1.4. Attach to the RER form a recent, 5x7, colored, frontal photograph of face, taken against white background;
1.5. Book an appointment online via e-consular;
1.6. Bring in the following documentation:

ATTENTION: All visa documentation must be submitted to the Consular Section in Portuguese, in English or in Spanish. In case the documents are in Hebrew, they must be translated prior to the application submission. Bilingual documents (e.g. English/Hebrew) may be accepted on a case-by-case analysis, provided the essential information is offered in both languages.

1.6.1. Original passport, signed, valid for at least 6 months with minimum 2 blank pages for stamps and visa;

1.6.2. Birth certificate, translated and notarized/apostilled. Israeli nationals may present the bilingual birth certificate, issued by the Ministry of Interior of the State of Israel and apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without need for translation;

1.6.3. Ship or Airline Reservation of round trip in and out of Brazil;

1.6.4. Curriculum Vitae of applicant;

1.6.5. Professional affidavits or academic diplomas and certifications of applicant that attest professional experience and/or religious qualification compatible with the mission to be partaken in Brazil;

1.6.6. Health insurance with nationwide coverage, encompassing the intended period of stay in Brazil;
1.6.7. Criminal clearance certificate issued by the Israeli authorities, issued no earlier than 30 days before date of Visa application.

1.6.8. Original invitation letter from the inviting religious institution, signed and notarized before Brazilian notary public, attesting the following:

1.6.8.1. detailed description of the mission activities to be conducted by the foreign missionary in Brazil;
1.6.8.2. duration of the mission;
1.6.8.3. location, in Brazil, where the mission will take place;
1.6.8.4. formal financial commitment by the inviting religious institution to provide shelter, support and maintenance for the foreign missionary and family, including all medical and hospital costs during their stay in Brazil and, if necessary, repatriation expenses;
1.6.8.5. disclaimer that if the mission work is to be developed within the premises of Indigenous reserves/territory and/or to engage with Brazilian Indigenous population, the proper permits have been obtained with the National Foundation of Indigenous Populations of Brazil (FUNAI);

1.6.9. Charter, Bylaw or Article of Association (AoA) of the inviting religious institution, duly registered before the competent Brazilian authorities;

1.6.10. Formal act of nomination, designation or election of current sitting board of directors of the inviting religious institution.

IMPORTANT: In case any document is issued outside of the State of Israel, it must be notarized or apostilled before it can be accepted by the Consular Section. Documents issued in the State of Israel do not require stamping.

Notarization is required of any document issued in a country that is not a signatory of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the Hague Apostille Convention. In this case, the applicant must seek out the Consular Representation of Brazil in the country of origin of the document and request that the document be stamped. For example, if the document is issued in Jordan, it must be stamped by the Consular Section of the Embassy of Brazil in Amman.

Apostille is required of any document issued in a country that is a signatory of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the Hague Apostille Convention. In this case, the applicant does not need to seek out the Consular Representation of Brazil in the country of origin of the document. They may obtain an apostille directly from the competent local authorities. For example, if the document is issued in the United States of America, it must be apostilled by the competent US authorities.

WARNING: The Consular Section strongly encourages applicants to submit valid reservations and not purchased tickets, in order to prevent loss of money in case an application is refused.

If necessary, the Consular Section may request additional documentation.

2) AT THE CONSULAR SECTION:

2.1. Present RER form + documentation to the Consular Section during regular public attendance hours;
2.2. Pay Visa Fees, in cash (no credit cards or cheques are accepted);

2.3. Schedule interview. Interviews are mandatory, regardless of nationality, and cannot be waived.

2.4. Attend interview at the scheduled appointment hour;

2.5. Wait for the final results of visa application at designated hour.

From date of application submission to final results the visa process takes, on average, 45 to 60 days. It may take longer. All applications must be submitted for consultation to State Department of the Ministry of External Relations of Brazil, regardless of nationality. The Consular Section recommends all interested parties to submit their visa applications at least two months before the intended date of travel.

REMINDER: The presentation of the required documents DOES NOT entitle a foreigner to a visa. The Consular Section holds full discretion to refuse or to deny visas in any case on any reasonable grounds.