Travel Authorization Letter for Brazil: South America's Strictest Requirements 2026
The content of this article is informational only and does not constitute legal advice. Multi Servicios 360 is not a law firm. If you need advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney in California.
If there's one country where the travel authorization letter for minors is absolutely critical, that country is Brazil. Brazil's Federal Police, which controls entry and exit points, has one of the hemisphere's strictest policies when it comes to protecting minors from international parental abduction.
Don't improvise with Brazil. Read this well before you travel.
Why Brazil is Different
Most Latin American countries accept a single notarized letter. Brazil requires TWO original letters — one that may be retained by the Federal Police upon entering the country, and another to present when leaving. If you only have one copy and they keep it at entry, you cannot exit.
This is not an exaggeration or an edge case. It is the documented practice of the Federal Police at airports like Guarulhos (São Paulo), Galeão (Rio de Janeiro), and Viracopos.
The Legal Framework
Brazil's Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA - Law 8.069/1990), combined with Resolution No. 295 of the National Council of Justice (CNJ), establishes requirements for Brazilian minors or residents traveling abroad without both parents.
Key points:- •If your child has Brazilian citizenship (even if they also have American citizenship), Brazil applies its laws
- •The authorization must be in Portuguese (or apostilled and translated) to be valid before the Federal Police
- •For Brazilian citizen minors traveling alone, additional judicial authorization may be required
The Two Documents You Need
Practical option for families from the U.S.:- 1.Notarized letter in English and Spanish — Our letter includes both languages, which is generally accepted at consulates and for processing with the Brazilian Consulate
- 2.Processing at the Brazilian Consulate — For greater security, the Brazilian Consulate in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Miami can apostille and validate the document
Major Cities and Airports
Brazil is a huge country with multiple air hubs:
- •São Paulo — Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) — South America's busiest
- •Rio de Janeiro — Tom Jobim/Galeão International Airport (GIG) and Santos Dumont
- •Brasília — Brasilia International Airport (BSB)
- •Belo Horizonte — Tancredo Neves/Confins International Airport (CNF)
- •Salvador (Bahia) — Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (SSA)
- •Fortaleza — Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR)
- •Manaus — Eduardo Gomes International Airport (MAO)
- •Recife, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Florianópolis — Other important regional hubs
Airlines Serving Brazil from California
- •LATAM — Flights from LAX with Lima or Miami layover
- •Avianca — Connection through Bogotá
- •United Airlines — Houston (IAH) or Newark (EWR)
- •American Airlines — Miami (MIA) — MIA is the most important hub for Brazil from the U.S.
- •Copa Airlines — Panama City
- •Gol / Azul — Brazil's domestic airlines for internal flights once in the country
The Portuguese Requirement
Brazil's Federal Police prefers documents in Portuguese or bilingual (Portuguese-English). A document only in English may generate delays or questions at the airport.
Our letter is in Spanish and English, which is accepted in many cases. However, for greater security in Brazil, we recommend:
- 1.Processing through the Brazilian Consulate, or
- 2.Carrying our Spanish/English document plus a certified Portuguese translation
How Much Does It Cost and How Long Does It Take?
Our letter: $49, ready in 10 minutes, in Spanish and English. California Apostille: $20 per document, processed at the California Secretary of State (time: 5-10 business days). Certified Portuguese translation: Variable by translator — between $50-$150.For a family visiting Brazil for the first time or for a short visit, our letter plus the consulate is generally sufficient. For longer stays or dual citizenship situations, we recommend the complete process.
→ Prepare your Brazil travel authorization letter — $49The Cost of Not Preparing
A round-trip ticket Los Angeles — São Paulo can cost $1,200-$2,000. If the Federal Police detains your child at the airport because documentation is incomplete, the resolution process can take days and cost much more than the $49 preventive document.
Brazil is not the place to improvise with minor's documentation.
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