Procedure for Crew arriving in Brazil

Please note below a compilation of all usual doubts from our customers regarding the new Immigration rules for Brazil, valid from 1st May 2023:

• As of 05/01/2023 the Brazilian Immigration Law (Law 13.445 of May 2017) is back in full operation.

Because it is an immigration law that regulates access to the country’s borders and not just embarking or disembarking; vessels with seafarers on board with non-compliant documentation, the legal entity responsible for the vessel will be fined.

THE SID “SEAFARER’S IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT” will become the official immigratory document in Brazilian territory for maritime crew members.

THE “SEAMAN’S BOOK” will no longer be considered a valid immigration document for seafarers.

THE “PASSPORT” becomes a valid immigratory document in the absence of SID.

Attention: In order for a seafarer to have the SID it is necessary that his/her home country is signatory of the ILO C185.

• Seafarers born in countries not signatory to ILO C185
• Seafarers signatory to ILO C185 who may be without the SID
  • The 2 cases above must meet the requirements of the General Framework of VISA REGIME for the Entry of Foreigners in Brazil with their passports:
    • REQUIRING A VISIT VISA (VIVIS) or
    • Exemption from the VISIT VISA (VIVIS), according to the period of stay contained in the GRVF (Please note below table)

In addition, one should be aware of the bilateral transportation agreements in effect with Brazil and their Exemptions: ALGERIA, BULGARIA, CHINA, FRANCE, POLAND, PORTUGAL, RUSSIA AND VIETNAM.

• Algeria: Signatory to ILO 108, Non-signatory ILO 185, VISA REQUIRED
• Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal: Non-signatory ILO 185, Signatory ILO 108, VISA WAIVER UP TO 90 DAYS
• China*, Vietnam: Non-signatory to ILO 108/185, VISA REQUIRED
• Germany: Non-signatory to ILO 108/185, VISA WAIVER UP TO 90 DAYS
• France, Russia: Signatory to ILO 185, VISA WAIVER UP TO 90 DAYS

*The specific trade agreement between Brazil and China renders crew unable to be changed if not holding VIVIS VISA, but crew are not fined.

COUNTRY IS IN ILOC185, CREW NOT HOLDING SID, COUNTRY IS VISA-EXEMPT.

1) Upon leaving the airplane, please contact the Air Company employee nearby to receive the immigration letter with your name(s) on it, which should be delivered to the Airport Immigration officers.

2) Upon arrival at Immigration with the letter received from the Air Company, you need to present your SID AND PASSPORT and should inform you’re a crew member, going to embark in a vessel.

3) For crew which nationality is in ILO C185, and holding SID, they must get authorized to enter Brazil via code 130/11.

4)Crew which nationality is in ILO C185 and are NOT holding SID but their nationality is EXEMPT OF VISA, should request code 118/03 in their passport to the immigration officer in the airport.

5) For crew which nationality is in ILO C185 but are NOT holding SID, and their nationality is not exempt of VISA (e.g. INDIA) – they must require VIVIS VISA to the Brazilian Consulates in their own country of Origin, before coming.

6) Crew which nationality is NOT in ILO C185 but their nationality is EXEMPT OF VISA, should request code 118/03 in their passport to the immigration officer in the airport.

7) Crew which nationality are NOT in ILO C185 and which do NOT have VISA EXEMPTION, should present the passport with VIVIS VISA requested in their country of origin, and ask for code 201/03 upon arrival at Airport Immigration.

8) After immigration procedures and collecting luggage, crew must follow to the external area of the disembarking sector, where our local service provider will be waiting the crew with a plaque where the vessel’s name will be written, where the crew will either follow to Santos or Sao Sebastiao port, or walk the crew to the checkin for his next flight.

9) The crew needs to handle the immigration letter, duly stamped by the immigration officer, and the SID, so the driver can take a picture of those and forward to the Waypoint Agent.