Documents to Carry When You Land

The best place for your important documents on arrival day is a single folder in the bag you carry off the plane. Not your checked luggage, not scattered across three email accounts, and not on a phone with 4 percent battery. If an officer asks for something, you want to hand it over in seconds.

This is a checklist, organized from must-have to nice-to-have. It draws on the Brazilian consulates' general information pages and the Federal Police. Requirements can change, and airlines may apply their own checks at departure, so confirm on the official pages before you travel.

Must have

A valid passport. The consulates state that your passport must be valid for the entire intended stay. If your expiry date is close, renew first. Make sure there is room for stamps. How many blank pages you need is stated differently on different official pages, so check the official page for your consulate and the US State Department's Brazil page, and if in doubt, renew.

Your visa. For most US citizens visiting, that is the electronic visitor visa. See Visa types for Americans. Carry a printed copy as well as the email. If you hold a temporary visa, carry the visa and any document the consulate told you to present on arrival.

If you are a dual Brazilian and US citizen, the consulates say you must enter and leave Brasil on your Brazilian passport. Carry it.

Have ready, because you may be asked

The Federal Police and the consulates list the kinds of supporting documents an officer may request at entry. Have these ready:

• Where you are staying. A booking confirmation, or the address and contact of the person hosting you.
• Your way out. A return or onward ticket. The visitor rules limit your stay, so a ticket shows you plan to respect them. See Tourist stay rules.
• How you will pay for the stay. A recent bank statement or a card in your name is the usual idea. The official pages do not set a single amount for US visitors; check the official page if you want to be precise.
• Your purpose and itinerary. For a business trip, a letter or meeting details. For a conference, your registration.

Customs-related papers

• The e-DBV, if you are bringing goods above the allowance or items that must be declared. See Customs basics.
• Receipts for valuable new items, so you can show what they cost.
• Cash above US$10,000 or its equivalent must be declared. Have the declaration done.
• Pet documents, if you are traveling with a dog or cat. See Moving with pets.

Copies and backups

A lost passport abroad is a bad week. Copies make it a less bad week.

• A photo of your passport photo page and your visa, saved offline on your phone.
• A second copy in a secure cloud folder you can reach from any device.
• One paper copy kept in a different bag from the original.
• Emergency contacts written on paper: someone at home, your lodging, and the nearest US consulate.

For people staying longer

If you are arriving on a temporary visa to live in Brasil, bring the originals of the documents that supported your visa, with their apostilles and translations where applicable. You may need them again for registration with the Federal Police, which the Chicago consulate says temporary visa holders must do within 90 days of first entry. See Apostilles and sworn translations and Getting a CPF.

The one-folder checklist

• Passport, valid for your whole stay
• Visa, printed and on your phone
• Brazilian passport, if you are a dual national
• Lodging confirmation or host's address
• Return or onward ticket
• Proof of funds
• Purpose of trip: letter, invitation or registration
• e-DBV, if you have goods to declare
• Receipts for valuable new items
• Pet certificates, if applicable
• Copies of everything, stored separately
• Emergency contacts on paper

Put the folder in the bag that never leaves your side, and charge your phone before landing. The rest of arrival day is covered in Arriving at the airport, and the weeks after in the First 30 days checklist.

Common questions

Is a digital copy enough? For copies, a digital version is useful. For the documents an officer asks to see, have the original passport and a printed visa. Phones die and screens crack.

Do I need proof of funds if I have a credit card? The official pages do not give a single answer for every case. A card in your name plus a recent statement covers most situations.