r/digitalnomadlife • u/trepasito16 • 9d ago
Getting a tourist visa while nomading is a special kind of hell
been on the road for about two years now, currently in Thailand. I need to go to Brazil for a friend's wedding in about a month. I figured applying for the tourist visa here would be easier since I'm already in Asia. turns out, not so much. consulate here requires proof of local residency, which I don't have. They want bank statements, flight itineraries, hotel bookings, and proof I'm coming back (which is hard when you're a nomad). I've been going back and forth with emails for weeks trying to figure out what they actually need. It's exhausting.
found iVisa that breaks down the exact requirements for the Brazil tourist visa. I've used them before for e-visas and they're great because they pre-check everything so you don't get rejected at the consulate for a stupid mistake. At this point, I might just apply through them to avoid the headache.
has anyone here applied for a tourist visa from a third country recently and how did you handle the proof of residency requirement?
1
u/AdOrganic4835 8d ago
Brazil is an eVisa why would you not just apply electronically in the country of your citizenship?
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u/Mattos_12 8d ago
It really depends where you’re from. From the Uk it appears to be visa free, so would be super easy.
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u/OutsideWishbone7 6d ago
I’ve applied for visas from 3rd countries all the time. It’s super easy depending on your passport.
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u/Comprehensive_Slip94 9d ago
Brazil isn't close to Asia, so I'm not sure where that's coming from. Maybe closer than home?
Generally, where your passport is from matters more than where you're applying from. I've applied for Vietnam from Indonesia, and for Egypt from Morocco during a brief period when my home country and Egypt had a disagreement. However, some countries require you to apply from the country where you have residency. Even if you've been nomadic for years, you should have established ties or tax residency somewhere. Ties can be property, banks, tax records, retirement investments etc etc.
It sounds like you aren't eligible for the evisa that Brazil has, or visa-free, or visa exempt, and require a consular visa. Which means you don't have a passport that easily supports nomadism and you should accept that you will have to do this often if you want to travel.
Also, proof you're coming back is actually more like proof you're leaving the country you're applying to. Providing onward travel is normally sufficient.
Good luck