Travel Documents You Will Need For Your Trip to Brazil

There are several documents that you should take with you on a trip to Brazil.  Some of these are required and others are simply a good idea.

Required Travel Documents

Passport: Everyone entering Brazil is required to have a passport from their country of origin that is good for at least 6 months after the date you will enter the country.  Your passport should be carried on your person while traveling, but we recommend using a copy of your passport when walking around Rio.
Visas: Americans, Canadians , and many other countries also require a visa to enter.  In fact, you will not be allowed to board your flight until the airline has seen your passport and visa.  If you are not sure, check with the Consul General of Brazil in your country or area.  See Brazil Entrance Requirements for more information.  The visa is stamped inside your passport.
Tickets: Most people use electronic ticketing these days, but sometime paper tickets are still used.  Don't forget these.  You may also need vouchers for your travel package, airline identification cards (are you a lounge member?), and frequent flier information.

Recommended Travel Documents

Driver's License
This is a very handy alternate method of identification, although it will not take the place of a passport.  If you want to drive in Brazil, you may also want to obtain a Pan American Driver's License.  See Brazil Entrance Requirements for details.
Emergency Home Contact Information
You should always carry on your person a method of contacting your friends, family, or business associates in an emergency.  This should include names, relationship, phone numbers, addresses, and email if possible.  This should be simply stated, keeping in mind that it may be used by a doctor or a hotel employ should you become ill.  Include your full name and passport number on this document.
Brazil Contact Information
How do people in your home country find you in an emergency?  Include hotel names, addresses, and phone numbers.  This list is left with trusted persons in your home country.
Reservation Information
Do you have reservation numbers?  Telephone numbers for a driver, friend, or business associate in Brazil.  Perhaps you were given directions.  Be sure to include as much information as possible about the hotel, including a complete address.  Sometimes you can just show this to a taxi driver that does not speak English.
Itinerary
This is at least a copy of your flight schedules.  If you will be staying at more than one place in Brazil, this should be merged with your Brazil Contact Information and your Reservation Information.
Phone List
Want to give your cousin Susie a call from Brazil on her birthday?  Don't forget to include a printed copy of the phones numbers that you might need to use from Brazil.
Shopping List
Planning to bring back purchases from Brazil?  Maybe you have thought of a list of people that your want to surprise with a souvenir.  Don't forget the list.
Portuguese Phrases
While you will find English in most tourist areas in Brazil, the majority of people in Brazil speak only Portuguese.  You should have with you a small Portuguese phrase book or a list of common Portuguese phrases.  For the latter, check out http://www.sonia-portuguese.com/text/phrases.htm .  There are other links in our links section.
Money and Credit Cards
Don't forget your cash, credit cards, and debit cards.  See the separate section on Brazil Money Matters for full recommendations.  Make a copy of the front and back of all credit cards that you take in case they are lost or stolen.  This will facilitate reporting to your credit card company.
Miscellaneous Documents
Other things that generally fall into the document classification include your health insurance card, your driving insurance card, and perhaps a long distance calling card.  There may also be other documents necessary for your trip.  Maybe these include business cards, business documents, password lists, or local business numbers and addresses.
Copies
We recommend that you make copies of certain documents.  This makes it easier to safeguard the originals and to leave copies in helpful places.

How you should carry your Travel Documents

The table below summarizes our recommendations for travel documents and where they should be kept.  What documents should be copied are also indicated.

Document	In Transit	In Brazil
Passport and Visa*	on you	in safe.  Carry a copy on you.
Tickets*	on you.  Copy in carry on if you have a paper ticket.	in safe.
Drivers license*	on you	in safe.  Carry a copy on you.
Emergency Home Contact Information*	on you	In hotel room drawer.  Carry a copy on you.
Brazil Contact Information*	carry on	not critical
Reservation Information*	carry on	not critical
Itinerary*	carry on	not critical
Phone List*	carry on	not critical
Shopping List	carry on	not critical
Money - dollars	on you	in safe
Money - reals	on you	in safe.  Carry only what you think you will need.
Credit/Debit Cards*	on you	in safe.  Carry only when you think you will need it. Leave copy of numbers in safe.
Portuguese Phrase Book	carry on	on you

* Leave a copy of these items back home with a trusted person