Brazil Travel Checklist: 27 Things to Sort Out Before You Land

This is the list we send friends from abroad a few weeks before they fly to Brazil. Tick it off and you'll land with data on your phone, a card that works, a ride waiting and none of the classic first-trip mistakes. It's free, here on the page and as a printable PDF.

Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. How we choose what to recommend.

Documents (2 to 6 weeks before)

1. Check if you need a visa. US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa for Brazil; many other passports can still visit visa-free. Apply only on the official site and allow time for approval. See who needs a visa for Brazil.
2. Check your passport's expiry date. It must be valid for your whole stay, and ideally for six months beyond it, because some airlines ask.
3. Save copies of your passport and visa. Keep a photo in your email or cloud storage and a paper copy in your bag. Carry the copy around town and leave the original in the hotel safe.
4. Ask about vaccines. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended if you're heading to the Amazon or other rural areas. Ask a travel clinic a few weeks before you go.
5. Buy travel insurance that covers health. Private hospitals in Brazil are good and expensive. Check that the policy covers medical emergencies and theft.

Money

6. Get a low-fee card that pays in reais. Brazil is a card country: almost everything takes contactless. A multi-currency card avoids your bank's foreign fees. More in money in Brazil.
7. Bring a second card and keep it separate. If one card is lost or blocked, you still have a way to pay.
8. Turn on international use in your banking app. Some banks block the first foreign payment as suspected fraud.
9. Plan to carry very little cash. A small amount in reais is enough. Use ATMs inside banks, shopping malls or the airport, never on the street at night.
10. Always choose to pay in reais. When a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, say no. That conversion is always worse.

Phone and apps

11. Install a travel eSIM before you fly. It connects the moment you land, so you can call a car from the airport. Compare options in the best eSIM for Brazil.
12. Keep your home SIM active alongside it. Travel eSIMs are usually data-only. Your home number receives the SMS codes from your bank and apps (turn data roaming off on it).
13. Install Uber and 99 and log in at home. Add your card and test it. Ride apps are how Brazilians get around at night. See how to get around in Brazil.
14. Install WhatsApp. Hosts, guides, restaurants and even doctors use it instead of phone calls and email.
15. Download Portuguese for Google Translate offline, and save offline maps of the cities you're visiting.
16. Protect your phone. Turn on stolen-device protection, write down your IMEI and remove banking apps you won't need on the trip.

Arrival and bookings

17. Know how you'll leave the airport. Book a transfer, or use the official taxi desk or a ride app. Never accept a ride from someone who approaches you in the terminal. Landing in Rio? Read from the airport to Copacabana.
18. Book at least your first night. Arriving tired with a place already sorted makes everything easier. For Rio, start with which neighborhoods to stay in.
19. Book domestic flights early. Brazil is huge: for anything over 6 to 8 hours by road, fly. Prices rise a lot in the last weeks.
20. Book the big attractions ahead in high season. Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf have long queues from December to March and around Carnival.
21. Pack a plug adapter. Brazil uses type N sockets (two-pin type C plugs usually fit). Voltage is 127 V in Rio and São Paulo and 220 V in many other cities, so check your chargers say 100–240 V.

Safety

22. Plan to carry less. One card, a little cash and a copy of your passport. An old second phone is ideal for the beach and nights out.
23. Save the emergency numbers: 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire brigade and sea rescue.
24. Learn the local habits. Don't walk with your phone in your hand, wait for your ride indoors and use Uber at night. The full list is in is Rio safe?

Health and the last details

25. Pack sunscreen and mosquito repellent. The sun is strong all year, and repellent protects you from dengue, especially in summer.
26. Don't drink tap water. Brazilians drink filtered or bottled water. Ice in restaurants and bars is normally made with filtered water.
27. Learn ten phrases. A "bom dia" and an "obrigado" open a lot of doors. Start with the phrasebook with audio.

FAQ

Last checked November 2026. Visa and health rules change, so confirm them on official sites before you travel.