Rio de Janeiro
Av. Presidente Wilson, 231 / Salão 902 Parte - Centro
CEP 20030-021 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ
+55 21 3942-1026
The invitation letter is a document in which the host (caller), in Brazil, explains the invitation made to a citizen of another nationality, with details about the purpose of the trip, duration of the visit, expenses with food, accommodation, transport, etc. The letter must contain the guest's identifying information, including passport number, nationality, date of birth, occupation, and home address in the country of origin, as well as host data, such as identity document, home address, telephone number for contact, profession and company details (in case of business trip).
The invitation letter is one of the documents required for entry into Brazil. The letter confirms that the person entering the country has received an invitation from a lawyer to do business in Brazil.
When you apply visa to visit Brazil, if requested, you must present the letter of invitation and maybe other proof that you have booked accommodation.
The document can be used to prove accommodation, one of the requirements that can be requested at the Brazilian consulate. It can replace, for example, proof of reservation in a hotel, hostel, or housing rental.
The invitation letter must be written in Portuguese.
Make sure to inform travel data, such as return date.
You can present an invitation letter, hotel reservation, hostel, Airbnb, Booking, or proof of rent of an apartment.
Mandatory documents to present at the Brazilian consulate:
Valid passport (valid for at least 90 days after the return date);
Proof of accommodation;
Invitation letter;
Financial proof that you are able to support yourself during your stay;
Travel insurance;
Return ticket.
We recommend that you have the required documents organized in a folder. That way, when you arrive at the Brazilian consulate you will have peace of mind to find everything that is requested by the inspector who decides about your visa.
What is the validity period of the invitation letter?
The law does not set a specific deadline for the document. Therefore, the term of the invitation letter corresponds to the duration of the trip.
To ensure that it is accepted, it is interesting that is issued a little before the date of your trip. I also recommended that travel information be specified in the letter.
Should the invitation letter be typed or handwritten?
Although there is no rule about it, it is better to type the invitation letter, as it makes the document look more formal and makes it easier to read.
Therefore, to avoid the letter not being accepted by immigration officials, we recommend that the document be typed.
Invitation to foreigners for business, congresses, fairs, or other technical or professional activities
Any lawyer or legal entity based in Brazil may invite foreigners to attend business meetings and carry out professional activities in Brazil.
Our law firm for invitation letters may pare a note or letter of invitation to send to you to bring to the consular authority abroad. Said note must be of a formal nature and constitutes an important element in the processing of the visa application, but it does not initiate or guarantee, under any circumstances, the granting of the visa to the foreigner.
The procedure begins when the foreigner communicates with the consulate, requests a visa, and presents the corresponding documentation. At that time, and not before, the consulate will verify that the note has been received correctly.
Clarification: If you wish to invite a group of foreigners who are going to apply for their visas at the same Brazilian consulate, you can prepare a list of travelers and include it in the invitation note. This list must contain the surname and name, date of birth, nationality, type, and a number of travel documents and contact information (telephone and email address) of the foreigners invited.
Invitation letters are frequently used as part of the documentation that is submitted to the Brazilian consulate when applying for a tourist or business visa to Brazil.
It is frequent because it can help the consular officer decide to approve the visa that is requested. But it is important to understand that, by itself, the invitation letter is not enough to obtain the visa, but rather it is one more element to take into account and to tip the balance in favor of the applicant.
This article informs about who can write the letter of invitation, who is the recipient of it, what the proper format is, and what additional documents can be included in support of the veracity of the letter.
Who can write the invitation letter to get the tourist visa?
The invitation letter is not written by the person applying for the visa, but by a different person who is going to visit Brazil, as a lawyer registered in the Brazilian bar association.
At this point, the immigration status and bar registration as a lawyer of said person in Brazil are essential, since it determines if they have the capacity to draft this type of document.
For example, if any nationality citizen is married to a Brazilian woman and wants to invite his mother-in-law to visit Brazil for their child's baptism, he must include not only proof of his Brazilian citizenship but also proof of being married to his Brazilian wife and a copy of her passport.
Recipient of the invitation letter to obtain the tourist visa
The letter is sent to the person you want to invite and not to the consulate or embassy that must process the visa. This point gives rise to a lot of confusion since it is common to believe that the consulate is the recipient of this letter. However, that belief is wrong.
In all cases, the person who invites must send the letter to the person invited.
Format of the invitation letter for the tourist or business visa to Brazil.
There is no specific form that expressly says how the letter has to be. That is, each lawyer can write what he or she wants, but using formal, respectful, and clear language.
Av. Presidente Wilson, 231 / Salão 902 Parte - Centro
CEP 20030-021 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ
+55 21 3942-1026
Travessa Dona Paula, 13 - Higienópolis
CEP -01239-050 - São Paulo - SP
+ 55 11 3280-2197