馃尨 Brazil

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 46% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Official guidance is on the site below, as visa rules vary by passport. Before booking, ask a Brazilian embassy, or the foreign ministry, to confirm the position. Carry evidence of lodging and of funds, a passport with 6 months of validity and an onward or return ticket. For many regions - in particular the Amazon and the north - a yellow fever vaccination is recommended and may be asked for. Official health advice, as well as a doctor, should be consulted.

Culture and safety - take note

People speak Portuguese in Brazil, not Spanish. Informal and warm, Brazilians tend to stand close and greet with hugs and kisses on the cheek. Restaurants often add 10% for service. Watch the clock, because plans are loose. Carnival falls in February or March; it gets crowded and prices rise. Big cities call for care over safety: leave flashy jewellery at home, keep phones out of sight, take ride-hailing apps, stay away from empty streets and from beaches after dark, and visit favelas only on a local tour that is licensed. Strong currents mean beaches call for attention to the lifeguard flags. Amazon and Pantanal trips should go through a licensed operator. Large cities and Sao Paulo offer the easiest access to halal food.

Emergency

Police 190. Ambulance 192. Fire 193.

Good to know

Cards, cash machines and cash

The currency is the Brazilian real. Canadian advice says credit and debit cards are widely accepted in cities, restaurants and stores, but less so in rural areas and informal markets. Cash machines are scarce in the countryside, so it suggests carrying cash for small purchases and for trips to remote areas.

Local laws and customs

Drugs, vapes and smoking

Bringing drugs into or out of Brazil in any quantity is illegal, UK advice says, and fraudsters email travellers offering payment to carry items, which are often drugs. Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices are banned, refills and parts included, and customs can confiscate them. Canadian advice adds that smoking and vaping are prohibited in enclosed public spaces, drink-driving is met with zero tolerance, and authorities may ask for ID, so a copy of the passport should be carried.

Taxis and scams

Registered taxis, no hailing

Do not hail taxis in the street, says UK advice, which reports assaults and robberies in unlicensed taxis, including cars operating on fraudulent ride-hailing accounts. Most airports have authorised taxi booths. According to Canadian advice, registered taxis carry red licence plates and a meter showing the legal fare, and in Brasilia most are white with a green sign on the doors.

Using ride-hailing apps

Ride-hailing apps such as Uber are widely available in Brazil, UK advice says, though it urges caution about unregulated drivers who pose as app drivers, particularly at airports. Book through the official app, wait at the designated pick-up area, confirm the registration plate and driver details match, and watch out for detours or a changed destination.

Card machine overcharging

Scams involving payment machines and beach vendors have been reported in busy tourist areas, where wrong amounts may be charged, according to UK advice. Keep your card in sight and look at the amount on the terminal before you pay. Canadian advice adds that a vendor may say a reader is broken and then charge the card several times.

Who can help

local government

Military Police emergency number 190

Helps with: Brazil's national telecom regulator lists 190 as the Military Police code. The same list gives 192 for the SAMU ambulance, 193 for fire, 194 for Federal Police and 197 for Civil Police.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Brazil who needs the police urgently, including visitors.

Phone: 190

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Civil Defence (Defesa Civil) number 199

Helps with: Brazil's civil defence service for floods, landslides and other disasters, listed by the national telecom regulator and the Ministry of Communications as the Defesa Civil emergency number.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Brazil affected by a disaster or at risk from one.

Phone: 199

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Brazilian Red Cross (Cruz Vermelha Brasileira)

Helps with: Brazil's national Red Cross society, headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. Its site describes first aid courses, health care in disasters, disaster risk management and work reconnecting migrants with their families.

Who qualifies: People in Brazil who need its first aid, health, disaster or family-reconnection services.

Address: Praca Cruz Vermelha 10, Centro, Rio de Janeiro

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Brazil

Helps with: The UN migration agency, in Brazil since 2016. It supports migrants, returnees, displaced people and host communities, and works with governments on migration. Its office is in Brasilia.

Who qualifies: Migrants, returnees and displaced people in Brazil. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Address: SAUS Quadra 5, Bloco N, Ed. OAB, Salas 401 a 412, Asa Sul, Brasilia-DF, 70070-913

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

DEAT, Tourist Assistance Police Station (Rio de Janeiro)

Helps with: Rio de Janeiro's special police station for tourists, listed by the city tourism body RIOTUR. It is in Leblon. A separate tourist police battalion (BPTUR) is in Copacabana.

Who qualifies: Tourists in Rio de Janeiro who need to report a crime or get police help.

Phone: +55 21 2332-2893

Address: Av. Afranio de Melo Franco 159, Leblon, Rio de Janeiro

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

RIOTUR tourist information (Rio de Janeiro)

Helps with: Rio de Janeiro's city tourism body. Its information page lists the tourist police stations and gives its own office address and phone for tourist information.

Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Rio de Janeiro who wants tourist information.

Phone: +55 21 2088-0000

Address: Rua Dom Marcos Barbosa 2, 2nd floor, Cidade Nova, Rio de Janeiro

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Rio de Janeiro Rio de JaneiroCopacabana beach, Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer give this city its iconic status, and its yearly Carnival is famous.Photo: Rafael Rabello de Barros, CC BY-SA 3.0 Sao Paulo Sao PauloA big food scene, shopping, nightlife and museums feature in the business hub and largest city of Brazil.Photo: Agent010, CC BY-SA 4.0 Foz do Iguacu Foz do IguacuWalkways through rainforest lead right beside the cascades of the vast Iguazu Falls, and this gateway sits on the Argentina border.Photo: SamirNosteb, CC BY 3.0 Salvador SalvadorA colourful colonial old town marks this coastal city, which also has capoeira, music and a strong Afro-Brazilian culture.Photo: Fotos Gov/Ba, CC BY 2.0 Florianopolis FlorianopolisIn the south, this island city draws South American visitors with surf spots, lagoons and dozens of beaches.Photo: oscar fava, CC BY 3.0 Manaus and the Amazon Manaus and the AmazonThe Meeting of the Waters, boat trips and jungle lodges are all reached from this river city at the centre of the Amazon.Photo: Arne M眉seler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de

City selection based on: Brazil Ministry of Tourism / Embratur foreign arrivals by city and state; searches for top attractions

Festivals and events

sport

Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix (Interlagos)

around Nov 2026 路 Sao Paulo

Interlagos is the venue of the F1 race.

Official site

festival

New Year's Eve at Copacabana

31 Dec 2026 - 1 Jan 2027 路 Rio de Janeiro

Dressed in white, millions fill the beach at one of the largest parties in the world.

festival

Rio Carnival

5-10 Feb 2027 路 Rio de Janeiro

This annual event is among the biggest in the country, filling hotels and pushing prices up, so plan early.

culture

Parintins Folklore Festival

around Jun 2027 路 Parintins

An island in the Amazon stages a giant Boi-Bumba show.

sport

FIFA Women's World Cup 2027

24 Jun - 25 Jul 2027 路 Rio de Janeiro

South America hosts the Women's World Cup for the first time.

Official site

sport

Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix (Interlagos)

around Nov 2027 路 Sao Paulo

Interlagos is the venue of the F1 race.

Official site

festival

New Year's Eve at Copacabana

31 Dec 2027 - 1 Jan 2028 路 Rio de Janeiro

Dressed in white, millions fill the beach at one of the largest parties in the world.