Study (VITEM IV)

Publicado em 16/10/2024 06h32 Atualizado em 17/07/2025 23h23

How to apply

The visa application process follow the steps below:

Prepare all the required documents
Fill in the visa form and upload there all the required documents
Request the service "Visto / Visa" through the e-consular system (check our tutorial, in case you have any questions)
In case your application is rejected, amend the indicated issues on your visa form and request an appointment again through our e-consular system
Once your application is validated, you will receive an email with a link to schedule an appointment through our e-consular system
Present, in person, the originals of the required documents during your appointment
Pay the visa fee, as instructed by the consular agent
Collect, in person, your visa at the Embassy. The date of collection is informed by the consular agent.

General rules

In order to apply for a visa, please check our general guidelines first.
This visa is intended for foreign nationals travelling to Brazil to undertake the following activities: regular courses, study exchange or research exchange.
Regular courses comprise primary and secondary levels of education; undergraduate and postgraduate degrees (specialisation, master's, and doctor's degrees); technical and language courses. Regular courses must be offered by education institutions that hold a Corporate Taxpayer Identification Number (CNPJ).
Study or research exchanges involve the improvement of academic qualification by sharing knowledge and experiences within the academic environment, such as: participation in "sandwich" and university collaboration programmes, carrying out part of the master's / doctor's research, doing one's compulsory undergraduate / postgraduate study module abroad (commonly called "year abroad", often the third year).
Regular courses or study exchanges must have a minimum course load of 15 hours per week. Exceptional and duly justified cases with a weekly course load of less than 15 hours are subject to analysis and may be accepted at the migratory authority's discretion. A minimum course load for research exchanges is not required.
Foreign nationals travelling to Brazil for post-doctoral research / studies must apply for a VITEM I, not a VITEM IV, as they are classified as researchers, not students.
For studies or exchanges with duration of up to 90 days, the applicant must request a Visitor Visa (VIVIS). Some nationals are exempt from Visitor Visas (VIVIS), as indicated in the provided link, therefore they do not need to obtain a visa if their studies last for up to 90 days.
Foreign nationals who are already in Brazil can apply for residence permit for the purposes of study / exchange directly with the Federal Police.
Student visa holders are permitted to undertake paid work, as long as the working hours are compatible with their course load. Details and clarifications must be requested to the Federal Police.
This type of visa authorises the applicant to study at a specific institution. If the student would like to switch to another institution, the Federal Police must be contacted.
Holders of this type of visa must register with the Federal Police within 90 days from first entry in Brazil. Contact the Federal Police directly to learn how to register.

Length of stay

Validity period: up to 1 year.

Limit / expiry date until which the first entry in Brazil must take place – counted from the date of issue of the visa.

Initial period of stay: up to 1 year.

Initial period during which the individual is allowed to remain in Brazil – counted from the date of first entry in the country – that will be confirmed at the moment of residence registration with the Federal Police.

Residence period: up to 1 year.

Determined at the moment of residence registration with the Federal Police – indicates the effective period during which the foreigner will be allowed to reside in Brazil.

Extension of stay: the period of residence may be extended until the conclusion of the studies. In case an extension is necessary, the person concerned must contact the Federal Police before the end of the granted residence period.

Required documents

The documents required for your visa must be uploaded to the online form and the originals must be presented at the Embassy during your appointment, as instructed in the General Guidelines page.

Documents in languages other than Portuguese or English may be required to be translated.

Documents not issued in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, or Brazil may be requested to be apostilled or consularized.

Documents required for all purposes

Visa application form	Only to be presented during your appointment (not uploaded) Obtained after the request is completed on the visa form. Printed out and signed, with your photo affixed on the indicated field. For minors, the form must be signed by both parents. By signing the minor's Visa Request Form Receipt (RER) in person at the Embassy, before the consular authority, the parents / legal guardians authorise the issuance of the visa. In case one of the parts is unable to come to the Embassy, the signature must be certified.
Valid passport	Upload ID pages. Must have at least two blank pages. Please note that pages reserved for amendments cannot be used for visa purposes.
One passport photo	The photo must be recent, against white background.
Signature	Upload only. For minors, signatures of both parents.
Background check (applicants aged over 18 years old)	Background check, police clearance or similar documents, issued by the competent authorities. The documents are valid for up to 3 months from the date of issue. Please note that if the applicant has lived in multiple countries within the last 12 months, a police check from each country of residence must be provided. They must also be duly legalised (contain an apostille) by the competent authority in the issuing country and, if necessary, translated by a certified translator.
Birth certificate	In the absence of the birth certificate, the applicant may submit another official document that contains the parents’ full names.
Documents that can confirm the means of entry to and departure from Brazil	The applicant must submit either a booking confirmation (paid ticket or e-ticket) or a booking reservation (or letter from a travel agent on the applicant's behalf), containing the complete itinerary, flight numbers and arrival date.
Evidence of financial means compatible with the entire period of stay in Brazil or proof the applicant has been granted a scholarship / bursary	Recent evidence must be presented (from at least the last 3 months), such as bank and/or credit card statements containing sufficient funds, payslips, proof of student loan / financing. Students being financially supported by their families must submit a declaration signed by the sponsors, in addition to a copy of the identification pages of their passports and recent evidence of financial capacity.
Travel authorisation (only for applicants under 18 years old)	Authorisation signed by the parents / legal guardians in case of child or adolescent, as well as the details of the person who will be responsible for the minor in Brazil.
Passports of both parents (only for applicants under 18 years old)	Upload ID pages.
Original letter from the university where the student is currently enrolled	Applies only to higher education students. The document must attest the student is currently enrolled in higher education
Proof of legal stay in Thailand, Cambodia, or Laos	Unless you are a national of one of those countries. You must submit documents that prove your legal stay in Cambodia, Laos, or Thailand, such as visa or work permit.

Addional documents for basic, elementary and secondary education students

Letter from the Brazilian education institution to which the student will be linked

Original letter – the signature on the letter must be certified by a notary public ("tabelião") in Brazil. The signature authentication will not be necessary if the student is going to attend an undergraduate or postgraduate course at a public-funded (Federal or State) university.

The document must:

a) Be presented on institution letterhead;

b) Declare that the applicant is duly enrolled or has been accepted into the intended course;

c) Inform the name of the course, duration, period (include activities' start and end dates), and weekly course load (for regular courses and study exchanges, it must be greater than or equal to 15 hours per week);

d) Inform that the course has been fully paid (if it is not free of charge) or that the student has been awarded a scholarship / bursary / maintenance grant.

e) In the case of regular courses, include the Corporate Taxpayer Identification Number (CNPJ).

f) Inform the contact details (full name, telephone number, e-mail) of the person handling the student's admission into the Brazilian education institution.

Addional documents for students taking an undergraduate program

Certificate of completion of secondary education or equivalent	Duly apostilled or, if not possible, consularized.
Proof of having passed an entrance exam or selection process	Proof of having passed an entrance exam or selection process for an undergraduate course at a Higher Education Institution accredited or re-accredited by the Ministry of Education (MEC). Any mechanisms for reserving a place or selection by simple curriculum analysis are not considered selection processes.
Copy of the selection process notice	Must include the minimum passing grade and subjects assessed, as well as a certificate that they achieved the minimum grade required in each subject and that they were approved in the selection process.
Documentation proving active enrollment in the course or declaration of vacancy issued by the Brazilian Higher Education Institution	The vacancy declaration does not exempt the candidate from the selection exam.

Addional documents for students taking an graduate program

Certificate of completion of higher education or equivalent	Duly apostilled or, if not possible, consularized.
Proof of active enrollment in a Postgraduate course