Arriving in Brazil: between unexpected challenges and unforgettable moments
When we arrived in Brazil with our sailboat, we thought we would stay only a few months. But like many sailors after an Atlantic crossing, there is often work to be done on board. In our case, we were waiting for the delivery of the blades for our wind turbine — customs fees… a subject in itself that I’ll keep for another article 😉
On top of that, we quickly fell under the country’s charm: the warmth of the people, the beauty of the bays, and above all, after several months spent in Africa, finding clearer waters again made us fall in love with Brazil even faster.
Very quickly, one essential question arose: how could we legally stay more than 90 days in Brazil?
For those who know me, they know I like to investigate directly with the authorities to understand how to extend a stay legally. And even if I don’t speak perfect Portuguese yet, I still found myself discussing the topic… with the Ministry of Justice!
The administrative challenge for foreign sailors in Brazil
Brazil is a welcoming country, but its administration — like many others — requires patience. Between forms, official translations, apostilles, back-and-forth trips to the Polícia Federal, and websites written entirely in Portuguese, the process can quickly become overwhelming… even for the most motivated!
And then there’s the pressure of the penalty imposed by the Receita Federal (Brazilian Federal Revenue Service), which can reach 10% of the value of the boat if you exceed the allowed period by even a single day.
This is exactly what happened to me. But being who I am, I didn’t give up. I kept asking questions, researching, and eventually managed to speak with a Brazilian law firm. I explained my situation and, more importantly, my desire to create a service that could help other travellers — not only sailors — discover this wonderful country without fearing the administrative side.
And that’s how Voiles & Visas was born.
I wanted to simplify the lives of those who dream of discovering or settling in Brazil for a year, by creating a bridge between the passion for travel and the reality of Brazilian administration.
What Voiles & Visas offers
With Voiles & Visas, I brought together a local team of sworn translators, partner lawyers and experienced collaborators to offer a turn-key service.
We help travellers:
- obtain their long-stay visa for Brazil (digital nomad visa or retiree visa)
- translate and apostille their documents,
- correctly fill out all the Portuguese forms
- avoid mistakes and application rejections
- and above all: save time and peace of mind
This entire process can be done without needing a CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física — Brazil’s personal tax number).
You can read our full article dedicated to the CPF to understand its role and when it becomes necessary.
Why the Voiles & Visas support makes all the difference
Applying on your own is possible in theory, but the process is long and uncertain. With Voiles & Visas, everything is centralised: one single point of contact, personalised follow-up, a fully prepared file, ready to sign.
And if you need help deciding, we’ve even created an infographic comparing the advantages of applying alone versus being supported.
Clear pricing and transparent process
The fees at Voiles & Visas are fixed and with no surprises. They always include:
- the fees of our partner lawyers in Brazil
- full preparation of your visa application, tailored to your situation
- the completion of all official forms in Portuguese, pre-filled and ready to sign
- coordination with our sworn translators — the exact translation fee is confirmed after reviewing your documents, but we always share an estimate upfront based on previous clients
- personalised follow-up until the official decision from the relevant Brazilian authorities
- visa fees
- and a human, friendly support to answer all your questions at each step
Apostilles are not handled by Voiles & Visas — you must obtain them directly from your home country, through the appropriate notary chamber or competent authority.
Our pricing is fully transparent and provided to you from the very first contact.
A service created by travellers, for travellers
Voiles & Visas is not a traditional immigration agency. It is a service born aboard a sailboat — designed for travellers, sailors and adventurers who want to discover Brazil differently.
We understand your realities: the weather, the stopovers, the limited internet connection, the unexpected.
Our mission: to help you travel freely, while staying fully compliant with Brazilian regulations.
