2008 General Reports

[Rio Lover #2]

I keep finding these porn flicks online, so being curious, I've downloaded a few. Well, they seem to be videos of sex parties. Is anyone familiar with these, or are they just pornos?

ryjer

Most of those are real pornos, a lot of brasilian porn actresses appear in them. Beautiful girls like Pamela Butt, Monica Mattos or Bruna Ferraz are on a lot of those. There are also some movies with girls who work(ed) in termas, like Babalu or Ju Pantera.

They are great to watch, they bring back so many saudades.

RL

[Ryjerrob]

I keep finding these porn flicks online, so being curious, I've downloaded a few. Well, they seem to be videos of sex parties. Is anyone familiar with these, or are they just pornos?

ryjer

[Ryjerrob]

Why would anyone want to be a wingman? I've never been able to figure this out. I find the very thought of it degrading, and I know I would never humble myself like that. What's in it for them? Maybe someone could shed some light on this?

It's just a term. In the context of what we were talking about, I think he means a partner in crime. Someone who's experienced Rio before, and can handle themselves. A non-newbie. A person who has the basics of the language, culture, and can get by on their own. Isn't a wingman someone who has your back?

ryjer

[Ohp1972]

Why would anyone want to be a wingman? I've never been able to figure this out. I find the very thought of it degrading, and I know I would never humble myself like that. What's in it for them? Maybe someone could shed some light on this?

I dont think it is regarded as a disrespect! If you have 3 Good reliable "Friends"(or what every the number) all 3 of them call each other wingmen.... Which means when we make plans naturally we go somewhere to congregate(kick it; have fun) it is second nature you look out for your Boys(Partners)! And if one of them decides to go do something else, cool! There is No Drama because we trust one another & just get back with them the next day & rap about our conquest & see what's going to happen next? A relaxing enviroment at least with my wingmen! But, at the same time we all do things on our own!!! You don't have a posse or wingmen everywhere you go. I dont think that is what they are trying to say!

[Lorenzo]

So I prefer to fly solo or with only 1 of my 3 proven trustworthy wingmen.........

Why would anyone want to be a wingman? I've never been able to figure this out. I find the very thought of it degrading, and I know I would never humble myself like that. What's in it for them? Maybe someone could shed some light on this?

[Mr Enternational]

After 10 times to DR, I think you're ready for a change. For me, Brasil is a state of mind. It's hard for me to travel there with a posse. Doing my own thing is great fun. Doing Centro, and VM is just the greatest thing since slice bread. ryjer

Dude. You said it. After two trips the posse thing was no longer me. It turns out to be more like babysitting. My itinerary changed drastically seeing that I am more into hanging out with my local friends and trying to learn some things and really getting to know the place culturally and linguistically while P4F is second nature and P4P is third nature. Whereas with the posse everything is P4P and nobody can give as much as a "Bom Dia." So I prefer to fly solo or with only 1 of my 3 proven trustworthy wingmen who I know are flexible enough to adapt to any given situation or circumstance without breaking a sweat. Not to mention, if they can not already speak the destination language, they do not hesitate to try and learn.

Ditto on centro and VM!

[The Watcher]

Only one of the stamps has a duration written in for how long I was supposed to stay). But since I was here for business so much I never paid attention to it. So, it is not strictly true they write down your allowed duration.

During my last trip to Rio, I was asked at immigration how long I intended to stay in Brasil. I responded by saying two weeks and the immigration person wrote on the slip that I gave him (the one you have to give back when you exit) a departure date two weeks from my date of entry.

I, however, actually stayed 16 days and not 14 days. Nothing happened when I returned the slip on my date of departure.

In my case, a date of departure was not written on my visa but it was written on my immigration form.

[Off Road]

From 2003-2006 I entered Brazil in Sao Paulo and Rio 32 times. I have so many stamps in my passport, it would be nearly impossible to match them.

I have two business visas, (a 1 year and a 2 year) a tourist visa (5 year) and finally my permanent visa (entered in 2007 have not left).

Only one of the stamps has a duration written in for how long I was supposed to stay). But since I was here for business so much I never paid attention to it. So, it is not strictly true they write down your allowed duration.

I have also exited brazil in Rio when they did not stamp my passport, I had to ask a few times and they seemed puzzled why I asked.

Now they scan the passports and store the information in the computers. Before it was manual, and I THINK not all ports of entry have computers yet (but I have not been traveling that much lately).

We can find the RULES on the web sites or by looking at your visa. The visa stamp says ´valid for up to 90 days stay renewable for the same duration by the feteral police not to exceed 180 days per year´.

The year is not defined on the stamp, but as some have found out this is a rolling year, not calendar year.

I had one friend have the PF calculate the days by the days exiting USA and entering USA, which adds 2 days for each trip. He was way over the 90 day stay when going to the PF so I think they were just trying to get a larger fee.

What I did was keep exact track of when I entered and exited, point of entry and departure. I was prepared with data if I needed it as I was always very close to the 180 days for calendar or rolling.

As with a lot of things in brazil, the rules can vary and it depends a lot on your additude and patience with the officials. For example, if you did stay over 180 days in a rolling 365 but not a calendar 365 and the PF do get you, you can politely tell them you thought it was calendar year and you were stupid not to look it up. Telling them this is a stupid rule is not effective.

Hope this helps some.

[El Austriaco]

We have been through that in the past. I always got 90 days and I have been into Brasil about 30 times in the last 10 years. In one year only I came six times. Never got anything less than 90 days.

Maybe they treat european union citizens differently.

Yes, we have been through that in the past, and Perkele is right.

Also compare the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_(document)

Some quotes (highlights mine):

A visa (short for the Latin carta visa, lit. "a document that has been seen"[citation needed]) is a document issued by a country giving an individual permission to formally request entrance to the country during a given period of time and for certain purposes (see below for caveats and exceptions) and usually stamped or glued inside of a passport, or sometimes issued as separate pieces of paper.

Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter (or exit) a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country.

Even having a visa does not guarantee entry to the host country. The border crossing authorities make the final determination to allow entry, and may even cancel a visa at the border if the alien cannot demonstrate to their satisfaction that they will abide by the status their visa grants them.

[El Greco]

Wrong!!!

When entering PF will write the number of the days that you are allowed to stay. It´s UP to 90 days in first entry. Pay attention. They can put anything from 15 days to 90 days. Depending how many days they put, you need to renew your stay. Also PF doesn´t HAVE to extend your stay.

P

We have been through that in the past. I always got 90 days and I have been into Brasil about 30 times in the last 10 years. In one year only I came six times. Never got anything less than 90 days.

Maybe they treat european union citizens differently.

[Magic2000]

Guys,

My understanding of the VISA situation is like this having discussed this with the officials on my last trip , you can stay in Brasil up to 180 days in any 1 year cycle starting at the point that you first made your first trip with the remaining 90 days given at their discretion, you can leave and enter the country as many times as you like and the days that are remaining on your VISA are noted on your passport stamp as you enter.

So for example I could go to Brasil for 15 days of each and every month for the whole year period to use up my allocation of 180 days. As mentioned anything over 90 days are at the discretion of the authorities there and they may decide to not give you the VISA if they felt something suspicious about so many entries into Brasil.

Magic

[Perkele]

Every entry as tourist is good for 90 days with a mximum of 180 in any given 365 days.
El Greco

Wrong!!!

When entering PF will write the number of the days that you are allowed to stay. It´s UP to 90 days in first entry. Pay attention. They can put anything from 15 days to 90 days. Depending how many days they put, you need to renew your stay. Also PF doesn´t HAVE to extend your stay.

P

[El Greco]

A quick question:
How is the time spent in Brasil calculated? I mean, I spent 4 weeks in 2007 in Brasil between April and May. And knowing that the max amount of time someone can stay in Brasil legally is up to 6 months. Now is it, in any given calendar year or any given rolling consecutive 365 days?

In addition, If I were to return for a short stay of 1-2 weeks before April, would that count towards last year or towards this year? I am asking because I am planning on staying 6 months starting in October to spring of next year. I am asking as I want to remain legal and not black list myself if I were to overstay my visa as I can't stay long away from Brasil.

Can anyone kindly clarify this for me? Also, my passport expires in April 09. Is there any rule as to how soon in advance can one have it renewed? Once renewed, I understand on my future trips to Brasil, I'd have to carry both passports as my 5 year visa is valid till 2010. Is that correct?

Thanks in advance for the clarifications.

Valeu.

Let's start from the last one. Usually a passport that does not expire within the next six months is required from most countries.

You have to have the passport with the valid visa with you for them to see.

Every entry as tourist is good for 90 days with a mximum of 180 in any given 365 days. About a week before expiration you must go to federal police with the passport and an onward ticket .
Providing that you don't have any time in Brasil the previous 90+180=270 days they will give another 90 days or the remaining to complete 90 if you had some days in those 180 days before your entry. You have to pay a small fee of about 70 Reais I think. Dress well going there. That helps a lot.
This is the correct way of calculatimg it. If you are 180 days out of the country you can get 180 continuous days (90+90) in Brasil.

Be aware that in Fortaleza they have another strange way of calculating.
They did the mistake with me and out of curiosity I went to the Federal police in RIO to ask them too.Well their colleagues in RIO let me understand that they could correct it but I was not interested because I had already purchased my ticket to Buenos Aires.

El Greco

[Sprite13]

A quick question:
How is the time spent in Brasil calculated? I mean, I spent 4 weeks in 2007 in Brasil between April and May. And knowing that the max amount of time someone can stay in Brasil legally is up to 6 months. Now is it, in any given calendar year or any given rolling consecutive 365 days?

In addition, If I were to return for a short stay of 1-2 weeks before April, would that count towards last year or towards this year? I am asking because I am planning on staying 6 months starting in October to spring of next year. I am asking as I want to remain legal and not black list myself if I were to overstay my visa as I can't stay long away from Brasil.

Can anyone kindly clarify this for me? Also, my passport expires in April 09. Is there any rule as to how soon in advance can one have it renewed? Once renewed, I understand on my future trips to Brasil, I'd have to carry both passports as my 5 year visa is valid till 2010. Is that correct?

Thanks in advance for the clarifications.

Valeu.

[Sui Generis]

Thanks for the info, George90.

Very good description of the current situation in Recife. I agree with you that's hard to pinpoint a sole or direct cause that could explain the crime rate in Recife.

I can venture an explanation for Foz da Igaçu. Because it borders Uruguay and Paraguay (and there's is a lot of trafic down there) it's the best landing point of coke from Bolivia. There's also a lot of illicit activies going down there : firearms, jewels, stolen goods, etc.