Thursday brought to a close my very time-consuming and expensive experience with (hopefully) obtaining a Brazilian tourist visa for my impending trip in May. Up until this trip, even considering the extent of countries visited, I've yet had the need to actually apply for a paper visa as the vast majority of countries issue paperless visas at point of entry. A simple quick-over at the immigration desk at the airport, a stamp, and you're on your way. Not so as far as Brazil is concerned.

Although not required for the visa itself, unless one has visited a location within the Yellow Fever belt within the ninety days preceding your entry into Brazil, a trip to the St. Petersburg Center of the Pinellas County Health Dept. resulted in a quick vaccination for the virus and an international Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate. Since we're planning on visiting the magnificent Iguazu Falls, which do lie within the Yellow Fever belt inside of Brazil, I felt compelled to play it safe. Hundreds of misting waterfalls nestled snugly within dense vegetation all swathed in tropical heat, well, just sorta sounds like the place you might find a mosquito or two, the carriers of the fever. Thus, Wednesday afternoon was spent.

A day earlier, when I drove cross county to the Clearwater branch of the health department to obtain the Yellow Fever vaccination and subsequently found out that only the office in St. Petersburg offered it, I also made a stop at AAA for needed visa photo. The Consulate General of Brazil maintains that one must only display a "neutral" facial expression for the visa photo and a litany of other requirements must be met or the entire visa application will be rejected. So, without smiles, frowns, or any other recognizable emotional state I was on my way with photo in hand.

The better part of Wednesday evening was spent organizing and completing the visa paperwork and gathering the documents I would need to mail to the embassy: Passport, printout of the electronically filed "Electronic Visa Application Form" with visa photo glued (not stapled, only glued), and copy of Florida drivers license indicating residency within the jurisdiction of the Brazilian consulate in Miami.

An hour and a half of late Thursday afternoon was spent in the United States Post Office. Not only is the Brazilian Consulate very specific about documents being sent but they are also specific about how they are sent and how they are returned. After a $150.00 USPS money order was obtained ($130.00 for the visa itself, and, of course, a $20.00 handling fee since I was applying by mail versus in person), I also purchased two USPS Express Mail envelopes and enough postage to cover the mailing from the embassy in Miami back to me. ($15.90 x 2 = $31.80).

With everything signed, organized, and included, the package left Tampa Thursday and arrived at the consulate just before noon on Friday. Now, according to the consulates website, they have ten days to process the application and then return.

Here's hoping everything runs smooth.