# Hotel/Pousada Supplies



## keir

Hi all,

We are taking over the lease of a Pousada in Cera State, north of Fortaleza (2 hours drive). We are very much looking forward to the challenge, however we are concerned by a few things.

Visa: We are british & get a tourist visa on arrival. We will stay for 1 year minimum: If we do not go for residency & decide to stay on a visit visa We have heard that if you overstay your visa, they stop charging you after 14 days, and then basically you are able to stay as long as you like, and just pay the fine when you leave, of 14 days only. Is this true.

Supplies:Is it easy to find good quality bed sheets, pillows, and general nice boutique kind of items to make our Pousada stand out for our guests? Can anyone recommend a good website/shop.

Many thanks for any assistance!

Keir


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## debzor

Very simple answers. Keir: 

No, the tourist visa lasts for 6 months max, (if you renew it after the first 90 days), but you can then stay for up to a further 100 days if you pay the daily fine of about R$9 per day. Then you MUST leave Brazil for 6 months, or you will be here illegally. In summary, the tourist visa is only for 6 months in any 12 month period.

No, it is not at all easy to find good quality items that you mention.

I really think you need to do a whole lot more research, and also get a qualified immigration attorney who speaks English. My suspicion at the moment is that you may be heading for a fall...


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## keir

Thank you very much for the answer... So basically, legally, we can stay for a MAXIMUM of 280 days (if we extend after 3 months)?

What are we going to be dealing with if we decide to just overstay, and remain in Brazil for, say 2 years (illegally for much of it), and leave after that time?

We are arriving at the beginning of Low season (Feb-June) and we have to rent for 1 year (Jan-Jan), therefore we basically have to stay for 13 months if we are to get the most of our lease, especially the last 6 months of it, which is high season.... We arrive in December.

Would it work if we were to visit brazil for up to 3 months (December-March say) & then leave the country for a further 3 months... THEN we can return in June, for the high season (July-Jan)...

I really appreciate your help with this query...

Keir


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## debzor

keir said:


> Thank you very much for the answer... So basically, legally, we can stay for a MAXIMUM of 280 days (if we extend after 3 months)?
> 
> What are we going to be dealing with if we decide to just overstay, and remain in Brazil for, say 2 years (illegally for much of it), and leave after that time?
> 
> We are arriving at the beginning of Low season (Feb-June) and we have to rent for 1 year (Jan-Jan), therefore we basically have to stay for 13 months if we are to get the most of our lease, especially the last 6 months of it, which is high season.... We arrive in December.
> 
> Would it work if we were to visit brazil for up to 3 months (December-March say) & then leave the country for a further 3 months... THEN we can return in June, for the high season (July-Jan)...
> 
> I really appreciate your help with this query...
> 
> Keir


Hi Keir

Not quite. You can stay legally for 90+90 days (assuming your tourist visa is renewed). (Remember to be admitted on a tourist visa you have to have a return ticket, sufficient funds to last for the duration and they have to be satisfied that you are NOT going to work - ie you really are a tourist, or they can just stick you on a plane home.) 

After the 180 days you will be here ILLEGALLY, but that can be forgiven for up to 100 days if you pay the fine of about R$9 per day when you leave Brazil within that 100 days. But you cannot then return for another 6 months.

To calculate if you will be here legally in any 12 month period, just add up the total number of days you will be in Brazil within that period, and it must not exceed 180 days. In the example you gave of leaving for 3 months, between February 1st and January 31st the next year (a 12 month period) you would be here for 9 months so you would be here illegally, but at the end of the second visit you could just pay the fine, as you would be illegal as soon as you have spent 6 months here in total in any 12 month period... Be aware they actually count the days between the stamps in your passport!

This can be complicated so I will put it another way. If you arrive for 3 months, leave for 3 months, and then return, you can only stay legally for 3 months the second time, as the first and second 3 month visits are both within the same 12 month period.

There is no answer for you to be here for that time legally on a tourist visa, and there is not supposed to be. As a tourist you are not allowed to stay in Brazil for more than 6 months in any 12 month period, you need sufficient funds already in place to support yourself, and you are not allowed to work during that time. This is why immigration laws exist - to protect jobs... Be careful you do not get caught - you could be thrown out of Brazil on the next flight home!

That said, I am sure lots of people do this and, by keeping a low profile, probably get away with it... But you might be very nervous around police check points (there are many), and you could not leave Brazil for a break, nor probably return for many years. 

There are also several other barriers when you do not have a permanent or work visa, like no personal bank account allowed and you cannot get a Brazil driving license after your foreign one becomes useless after 6 months.


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## keir

Thank you Debzor... You are the first person giving really honest answers! Our current "owner" has been very blaze about the whole thing, and says everything is easy....

What do you know about a business visa in Brazil? We are hoping to fall in love with the property, and the lifestyle that comes with it... There must be options to make our extended stay legitimate & even supported by the Brazilian government?

Many thanks again,

Keir


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## debzor

keir said:


> Thank you Debzor... You are the first person giving really honest answers! Our current "owner" has been very blaze about the whole thing, and says everything is easy....
> 
> What do you know about a business visa in Brazil? We are hoping to fall in love with the property, and the lifestyle that comes with it... There must be options to make our extended stay legitimate & even supported by the Brazilian government?
> 
> Many thanks again,
> 
> Keir


The obvious one is an investor visa, where you invest at least R$150k into a Brazilian business, and then you can live here, work, etc. Note that you do not need to actually buy the pousada, you can use this money for a one year lease, pay rent, do improvements, buy items, pay wages, etc, but they want to see that you will employ Brazilians and pay taxes, etc, but you must have these funds available to deposit into a Brazil bank account before you get the visa. 

Sorry if some of my responses are harsh, but I would rather be completely honest with you than paint a totally rosy picture!


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