Brazil Travel Guide

Brazil Travel Guide

Southern America

DUTY-FREE SHOPPING

Overview

The following items can be imported into Brazil duty-free:

Entry by plane, ship or overland:

10 cigarette boxes of 20 cigarettes and 25 cigars / cigarillos and

250 g pipe tobacco (people over 18 years);

12 l alcoholic beverages (people over 18 years);

Personal effects and gifts worth up to US $ 500 (if arriving by plane) or US $ 300 (if arriving by land, lake or river).

Attention: International passengers are also allowed to import goods worth up to US $ 500 that were purchased in duty-free shops in Brazilian airports (quantity restrictions: 24 alcohol units, subject to the maximum quantity of 12 per type of drink; 20 packages of im Cigarettes manufactured abroad; 25 pieces of cigars / cigarillos; 250 g tobacco; 10 pieces of toiletries; Max. 3 clocks, machines, devices, toys, games or electrical instruments.).

Note: Cell phones purchased outside of Brazil must be declared to customs.

Prohibited imports

Fresh food, meat and cheese products and other animal-derived products, fruits, vegetables, plants and plant parts, animal feed, agricultural products (honey, wax, etc.), drugs, exported Brazilian alcohol, live birds, insects and snails, vaccine serum, Viruses, agricultural means of destruction etc.

The embassy can provide further information (see contact addresses).

ECONOMY

Business etiquette

Suit and tie or costume or dress are appropriate. Appointments (if possible with equal partners) should be arranged in advance; Business cards are common.

Rio de Janeiro
business cards are exchanged at the first meeting, and business people assume they are dealing with an equal. Wearing suits and costumes is required when meeting with company management or at semi-formal social occasions in exclusive clubs and restaurants. Business meetings often take place over dinner in a restaurant. Business travelers should bring gifts such as confectionery from home.

As a country located in South America according to constructmaterials, Brazilians are more casual than other Latin Americans, but it is important to dress carefully and show respect – at the beginning of a conversation, strangers should use the formal?? o senhor?? or?? a senhora?? ‘ be addressed until you get to the informal?? tu?? or?? você??, the Duzen, passes over. One can often hear that people of higher professions with?? o doutor?? (‘Doctor’), no matter what profession they pursue. Although many senior business professionals speak English, it is advisable to conduct business in Portuguese whenever possible.

Opening hours

Business hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Economy

Brazilian-German Chamber of Commerce (Rio de Janeiro office)
Avenida Graca Aranha, 1-6 andar, 20030-002 BR-Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Tel: (021) 22 24 21 23.
Internet: www.ahk.com.br
There are further AHK branches in Porte Alegre and Sao Paulo, among others.

Latin American Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland
c / o DPS Communications, Gessnerallee 28, CH-8001 Zurich
Tel: (044) 699 54 47.
Internet: www.latcam.ch

Business contacts

Brazilian-German Chamber of Commerce (Rio de Janeiro office)
Avenida Graca Aranha, 1-6 andar, 20030-002 BR-Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Tel: (021) 22 24 21 23.
Internet: www.ahk.com.br
There are further AHK branches in Porte Alegre and Sao Paulo, among others.

Latin American Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland
c / o DPS Communications, Gessnerallee 28, CH-8001 Zurich
Tel: (044) 699 54 47.
Internet: www.latcam.ch

COMMUNICATION

Phone

The country code is 0055. Public telephones can be used with phone cards, the cartões telefônicos. They are available in kiosks. As a rule, international calls are made via Skype, as they are otherwise very expensive. The number for transferring a collect call to Germany is 000111.

Cellphone

GSM 900/1800 networks. The main network operators include Telemar (Internet: www.oi.com.br) and TIM Brasil (Internet: www.timbrasil.com.br). The reception is good and roaming agreements exist.
Note: Cell phones should not be switched on within 3 km of airports, especially Rio and Sao Paulo, in order to prevent unauthorized use of the telephone connection by third parties.

Internet

Terra is one of the main providers (Internet: www.terra.com.br); Internet cafes can be found in the cities. Some hotels offer their guests Internet connections, but these are not always free. Often there is access to the Internet at airports and sometimes also in post offices. An overview of the hotspots can be found at www.hotspotlocations.com.

Post Office

The postal service is relatively reliable. Anyone who sends letters by registered mail or uses a franking machine avoids the risk of the stamp being replaced. Airmail to Europe takes 4-6 days, and by sea at least 4 weeks.

Radio

Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.

SHOP

Overview

Shops and markets in Rio and São Paulo are open until late in the evening. Numerous shops in Rio and Bahia sell antiques and jewelry. Precious stones (especially emeralds), jewelry (especially silver), souvenirs, antiques released for sale, and leather goods are on offer everywhere. In São Paulo you can buy clothes, antiques, crystal and ceramics. Be warned about the »jungle souvenirs«, which are mainly offered in Belém – with the purchase you support the systematic plundering of the rainforest.

Shop opening times:
Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Shopping centers: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Opening times vary, many shops don’t close until late in the evening.

Brazil Travel Guide