Tourist Vista to Europe: is it necessary for Brazilians?

Find out if a tourist visa is required for Europe and get ready to travel and visit several countries on the old continent.

Tourist visa for Europe: is it necessary?

Europe is a place of great history and cultural richness, attracting millions of Brazilians tourists every year. After all, taking a trip to the old continent allows you to know a lot of countries and capital in a short time.

Each country has its peculiarities and cultural differences that enrich the trip. For example, some have lush beaches, others have snowy mountains, even the language differs from country to country – it’s so much diversity!

For sure, those who will visit European countries will return with a wealth of knowledge and unparalleled experience. But do you know how to enter European countries? The type of visa and documentation required? The answer you find out below.

Brazilians need a visa to visit?

The answer is no. Brazilians who plan to travel to Europe and want to stay up to 90 days or 3 months do not need a prior tourist visa to travel to Europe. Exists a treaty called the Schengen Agreement or Schengen Area that allows the free movement of individuals (including Brazilians) in the countries included in the agreement.

Although there are countries that have not joined the treaty, such as the United Kingdom and Ireland, they do not require a prior visa for Brazilians to enter the countries. What changes is the time allowed to stay in the country, as we will discuss individually below. For both cases, the issuance of visa occurs at the time of immigration – just be prepared with all the documentation in hand.

What is the Schengen Area?

Currently, 26 European countries are participating in the Schengen Area, which allows the movement of people between member countries, i.e., more freedom of travel. The agreement was created in 1985 by the countries of the European Union (EU) and became part of the EU Law in 1990, in force until nowadays. However, one point is important: not all countries of the European Union are parties of the treaty, and not all countries in the Schengen Zone are members of the EU. A bit complex, but it helps a lot when traveling!

In short, what matters to Brazilians is that, upon landing in one of the Schengen Agreement countries, immigration officers use a stamp in the passport has a “visa” for free circulation by the countries that are members of the treaty. So if the tourist wants to travel from Lisbon (Portugal) to Barcelona (Spain), they do not need to go through immigration again.

Upon receiving the free circulation visa, the tourist has 3 months to travel within the countries of the agreement. Importantly, leaving the country after 3 months and returning is considered irregular. And if an agent notices that the tourist can be deported, banned from returning to Europe for a few years and even pay a fine – it depends on the policy of each country.

In short, the tourist can stay within Europe for 3 months within 180 days or 6 months. After 3 months, the tourist must return to their home country or leave Europe for another country and return after spending 6 months. However, it is not necessary to stay 3 months in the European countries; the tourist can leave and return whenever they want within this visa period – have to go through the immigration process again.

And the tourist visa to other countries?

As stated above, the United Kingdom and Ireland are not members of the treaty and as the same, do not need a prior visa to enter the country. Like the Schengen Area, the circulation permit in the country is granted when the tourist arrival in the country – passing through immigration. In these cases, it is also just a stamp in the passport.

The difference is that these countries have different policies for the length of stay on site. For example, in England, the maximum stay in the country is 6 months, while Ireland only allows 90 days. Whenever you are traveling, it is good to be informed about specifications for each country and to avoid any misinformation.

Required documents across Europe

Regardless of the place of travel, the documentation required to prove a tourist visa for Europe is the same. The five documents needed for travelers to the continent are:

• Valid passport, i.e., it must be at least 6 months before the due date;
• Travel insurance with a minimum of 30 thousand euros for medical and hospital expenses;
• Proof of booking in a hotel, Airbnb or any other place that you are staying;
• Financial evidence, such as credit card statements or cash;
• Return flight;

The return ticket does not necessarily have to be to Brazil; it may be to another country that is not part of the Schengen Zone. So it is just necessary to show the immigration officer that you are leaving Europe. Their goal is to prevent illegal immigration to the continent.

New Electronic Visa – ETIAS

Aiming to speed up the process, the countries members of the Schengen Agreement will start from 2021 to implement a new electronic visa: the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). Therefore, you will need to apply for travel authorization online before you travel.

The process will be similar to what Canada already applies to Brazilian tourists. The application will be from a website, facilitating airport controls – avoiding illegal immigration and terrorist attacks. The individual must complete the form with personal information and the reason for the trip. In this case, the data analyzed will be cross-checked with what the European Union already has in its databases, including international systems.

Also, the visa will have a fee of 7 euros per person and will be valid for 3 years. Visa approval will be given automatically if there is no amendment and will be sent by email.

If you need more information or have questions, please contact us and request a consultation!