ASSI – Many may already be aware but we were definitely caught off guard. We made it to Ronald Regan Airport, and the ticketing agent checked us in all the way to Brazil, meaning we had boarding passes for our flight to Atlanta and the connecting flight to Brazil. I approached the counter in Atlanta to inquire about upgrading our seats. The agent informed me that it would be $4,000.00 to upgrade, no thank you was my response, and she then asked to see our Visas. I am sure my facial expression summed up my thoughts, but somehow I managed to say, “Passports!” Although we are experienced travelers, avid users of the internet, we always do an exhaustive search of our destination; however, we did not see nor were we told that a Visa is required to enter Brazil.“I have a passport but I do not have a Visa what do you mean?” I asked
“You must have a Visa to enter Brazil.”
“Why weren’t we told this, when and where can we get a Visa? Can we get a visa here in Atlanta” She rattled off a quick, “NO” I am sure also mentioned that never in my life have I needed a Visa. The agent simply rebooked us to Washington and said have a good day. Talking about disappointed I was extremely devastated, I wanted to be in Brazil for my birthday, at that moment I think I simply lacked any emotion. I simply told Will come on lets go, and he said, “Where are we going?”
“Back to DC!” was my response. His expression was enough for me to say, “We need a Visa.” Then I asked, “Did any of your friends who you have spoken with countless times about Brazil mention that we needed a Visa?”
“No” I had been asking him for weeks what are your friends telling you about Brazil, I wanted to know if I should take an empty suitcase to shop, I wanted to know about the night life, but all he could say was, “There is a Hallie Berry every where you look every other woman look like Halle Berry.” They provided information regarding sexual escapades but zero information on required documents. The response that Will received was, “I thought you knew.”
Longer story short, while we were standing in the Delta information line, a young man who over heard our conversation, shared with us that Brazil just opened a consulate office in Atlanta three weeks prior. What a blessing he was, it was meant for us to stand in that line, I merely got in the line to learn if there was anything that could be done besides returning to Washington.
After spending four hours in the Airport changing our tickets to fly out the next day, calling everyone we knew in Atlanta, hearing a number of people tell us that it will take three to four days to obtain a Visa, we checked into the Holiday Inn, and first thing the next morning we went to the consulate’s office for an expedited Visa that cost of $270.00 dollars. The visas were $130.00 each plus passport pictures for the visa. Supposedly America places costly restrictions
on Brazil citizens entering the states; therefore, Brazil in turn requires American citizens to have a Visa to enter their country. If you are going to tax our citizens we will do the same to yours. If you main purpose for visiting Rio De Janeiro to engage in sexual activity, you are warned from the moment you arrive at the airport, there are signs that clearly that "you must reframe from approaching minors, or you will be prosecuted"; however, all the young and old girls are wearing thongs, which should be against the Brazilian law, but it is up to the person requesting sex to ask the young lady for identification to ensure she is of age. The consulates office in Atlanta is located at: 235 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 and can be reached at (404) 521 - 1079
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