Just went for my second visit and I had the best agent named Bruno he went above and beyond to help me ! I'm still in shock that there is someone this awesome and nice left in the world ! Really made my day !! Much love !! P.s.- Would be awesome if you guys had a closer consulate 7 hours is a bit far for me to drive each time! read more

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I feel like I need to update my review, because this consulate came through at the last minute for my world cup visa. It arrived as promised (it took 10 days to process) and the security guard, Nuno is like my new best friend because he helped walk me through the process on a crowded day. A couple of things to remember if you need a visa: 1-they seem to update their policies on their website frequently. Consult it before you go. As of now they don't except walk in pick ups of your visa. Keep that in mind, you will have to get express mail envelope and bring it with you to the office. 2-you will need the passport photos for your visa application which is a really easy to get at CVS and they offered two dollar off coupon, just by the way. 3-they only take these applications on weekdays from nine am to noon and it looks like they don't start processing these applications until 9:30 AM. Be sure to get there early. And they will stop taking numbers at noon. I hope everything at the World Cup goes this smoothly... read more

Have I not told you ( a la Jimena) that I'm going to Brafuckingzil? Oh yeah baby. But I must first offer my congratulations to those hard workers at the Brazilian Embassy, they almost singlehandedly sucked all the joy out of going to this country. In fairness to them I am sure the State Department is giving Brazilians shit who want to come here so they are returning the compliment. Payback is a bitch. FACT: There is a 95% chance that no matter how intensely you prepare there will be a problem with your documentation. In 90 minutes of waiting we saw 95% of people sent back. Our problem was that Soccerballgirl does not have an EU passport, the rest of us do so we do not need visas ( and at $200 a pop thank god for that). - but she does. They did not have any rules for this so they made them up on the spot we had to: - produce a bank statement to show that we had enough wonga to get her out of the country, that we were not going to minge off Brazilian social security for the rest of our lives - produce a retranslated notarized copy of her birth certificate No mean freakin feats when you leave it to the last minute - which was of course very dumb of us. But we did it, they accepted faxes and we went to collect the Soccerballgirl's passport: " you do not have proof on you are you that you are the parent - you cannot have the passport" " what proof do i need - you have the birth certificate, you have the documents, you see my freakin name all over all your docs, I have my id, what do you need" " you have no documentation on your person that proves that you are the parent" " i know - that is because you have all the documentation. I am here to collect it. Here is my id - look - it's all over your forms. Please give me the passport. We leave in two days." 15 mins later we get it. Absolute freakin hell. But the good news is - we are off to Brafuckingzil. read more

I came for a visa for Brazil and I left 35 minutes later with a receipt as proof it would be in the mail in a week. The trick to this place is doing your homework and coming prepared. If you don't read carefully I can see you becoming very agitated with your visit here. They're open 9-1 and give out the last ticket at 12 (gotta love those office hours!). Their website has the information for what to bring but pretty scattered. Here's the skinny if you are a US citizen and need a visa (as of 10/14): 1. Electronically Completed Application ( https://scedv.serpro.gov.br/frscedv/manterVisto.do?lang=eng#inicio ) 2. Valid passport (they will keep this and return it to you) 3. If your passport has an out of state address other than VA, MD of DC, bring proof of residency (I brought my latest utility bill which they kept with them) *they have a glue stick there so if you can't glue the pic to the app- no worries 4. Recent 2X2 photo (CVS has $2 coupon online, Rite Aid has them for $8.99) 5. Printed itinerary (the plane ticket is good enough for tourist visa) 6. Money order from the Post Office (they only take it from there) for $160 7. Self-addressed overnight Priority Mail envelope ($20) (note if you live in the DC area you can get a "Express Mail Flat Rate" or "Priority Mail" for $5.75, since they mail from DC its treated as overnight) They have a computer there with a printer if you need to print a document. They also have an ATM, vending machines and a glass enclosed kids corner with toys and a tv. For your own entertainment, you'll want to bring your tablet to play a few games, bring work if you're on your lunch break or a bring a good book. The actual processing time was about 5 minutes. 30 minutes wait...heck that's better than the DMV. Not a bad experience at all read more

Ah Brazil, land of churrasco and beautiful people. If you ever want to visit this beautiful country and have an american passport be aware that there is a whole process involved, even if you are just traveling for pleasure. Go to their website and familiarize yourself with the applications you will need and the supporting documentation. If you dot your i's and cross your t's you should not have any problems. Diligence is the key. Case in point, a lady in front of me brought her travel itinerary but in email form, from her personal email. They only accept it if it is from a travel agency (in their letter head) or from the airline's webpage. So she was rejected. The only thing that is cumbersome about the process is that you have to wait outside in the freezing cold (at this time of the year) for them to open. They open for visa services from 2pm - 4pm. I got there by 1:30 and there was already a line of about 5 people at the door. Being that it was soo cold and that I'm a total wuss when it comes to cold temperatures, I decided to stay in my car until 1:55. By then, the line was a good 20-25 ppl deep. Those last 5mins felt like an eternity. The good thing though is that once you are inside, they have Brasil temperatures up in there! It was easily 85 - 90 degrees inside. I sat right by the door, so the cool breeze worked great! When you walk in, make sure you specify whether you are dropping off or picking up. You will need a ticket either way, but they are different colors. They got to my number in about 20 mins, so not bad at all. Just remember to be prepared! p.s. Parking can also be difficult. I was fortunate enough to find street parking nearby. Get there early and you should have better luck! Also take note of the payment method! They ONLY accept US Postal Office money orders. No cash/credit card/personal checks/or other money orders. So be sure to look up the visa fee, application fee etc read more

I think the saying goes something like "payback's a b$%!h" hahhahaa. I know we give a lot of other countries a lot of run around and make them jump through hoops for a visa so I guess it's only fair that they give it back to us. I came here and waited about 2.5 hours for something that took about 2 minutes when i went to the window.. and there wasn't more than maybe 9 people in front of me. Make of that what you will. 1) BRING the documents they say you need. People it's not a surprise, its listed on their website. I think some of the time wasted was due to people missing money orders, return envelopes. It's not a secret people, just do what they say online and it'll be fine. I had a super easy time once I got to the window. 2) Be aware that you must take a ticket and also that you cannot get a ticket after noon. So... you better come early. In their defense the turn around time on my visa was crazy fast. I literally got my visa back 3 days later. Online they stated 2 weeks and to come in a month before. I wouldn't bank on being able to always get it fast but at least its quick. Also it's 10 years before i need another visa. Not bad! read more

I don't know why so many Americans are on here complaining. I applied for a visa on Sept. 23 and it was ready on Oct. 1. I walked into the consulate at around 11am and was out in less than 45 minutes. If you do your homework ahead of time and bring what was required (all spelled out on the consulate's website), there won't be any surprises. It took me a bit longer to pick up my passport because of all the people ahead of me, but that couldn't have been any easier. All in all, a visit here was much easier than a trip to the DC DMV and I received better service. Also, they have a sign at the front door telling you what day your visa will be ready if you apply that day. read more

Great service! SUPER fast. Turned in all of my documentation for a student visa on Monday, they contacted me Tuesday asking for one more piece of documentation, I emailed it to then Wednesday morning, and I had the visa in my hands by Thursday! The person who contacted me was very professional and gave me his direct number, as well as the number for his supervisor because he was going on vacation. Although the line may seem long if you get there early, it moves quickly, as they divide the line between Brazilian citizens and non-citizens. Be sure you have all of your paperwork, and you should be fine! I was in and out in like 25 minutes. Use the website as your guide, and you should be fine. Website isn't hard or confusing at all - you just have to know what type of visa you're applying for. All of the information is there. read more

If you've ever had to stand in line at an U.S. INS counter you can appreciate the pain that can be felt for citizens of other countries coming to the U.S. It is true that Brazil is exercising it's right of reciprocity on the U.S. for the pain caused on it's citizens to come to the U.S. There's nothing we individuals can do about it. So yes, it will cost you money if you hold a U.S. Passport and want to travel to Brazil, and YES be prepared. Compared to Consular offices that I've been to, the Brazilian consulate is almost intimate and warm -- the office is small and in a traditional red brick building in D.C.'s "embassy" row. So I'll follow up on Jimena's advice in general -- which is true when submitting paperwork to any government body -- dot your i's and cross your t's, read the fine print, be prepared and you'll be fine. Like any government process, don't wait till the last minute! I'll also stress that you should take special care when traveling with children, especially if only one partner/spouse is travailing. If you are traveling with children, be prepared with additional materials proving your marriage and the child's birth certificate. If both parents are not traveling, you'll also need a letter of consent from the non-traveling parent. read more

In and out in about 10 minutes. I was the first one in line until I realized I made a crucial mistake...I got a western union money order, not usps. I ended up leaving, going to Bank of America a block away to cash my money order, then went to the post office another block away to purchase the correct money order. It actually took me longer to get the correct item than it did to actually get my visa documents turned in. While most people said Monday's are busy, the line moves pretty quickly even when I returned. Here are some notes to make sure you can have a seamless visit. 1. Be there by 8:30am at the latest. 2. Items you need: passport, passport photo, prepaid and self addressed flat rate envelope, POST OFFICE MONEY ORDER for $160 (that's in caps because didn't have one and had to run down the street), copy of flight, copy of itinerary, printed and signed visa application. 3. The gave me a six day turn around instead of the typical five, so be sure to make sure you have enough time between your trip and visa application submission to account for any delays on their end. read more

Worst. Customer. Experience. Ever. This establishment is an embarrassment for Brazil as a nation. The people who work here were clearly incompetent and outright rude. If anyone capable is listening, please fix this place. Start with the management. Sincerely, Concerned Citizen read more

Had such a pleasant experience this morning. I trooped it all the way from NYC after having a bad experience at the consulates there---they weren't very helpful. I came in as a walk in to the DC location and arrived a little before 9:30 am. I got my ticket and was number 508, they were at the time serving 504. I was seen right away, the woman was very kind and polite. I explained to her that I was coming from NYC and she was very understanding and told me not to worry that my visa would be ready in exactly one week. Even though the website says that no pick ups are allowed, you can actually pick up your visa the day your receipt says it will be ready. However, I followed the suggestions on here and on the website and went with my prepaid envelope from the post office to have it mailed back to me. The NYC consulate needs to step it up and learn a few things from this location about organization and people skills alike. read more

Talk about efficiency ( or maybe just luck!). I went in this morning to get a visa for my trip to Brazil next month. I had previously completed the application online and arrived at 10:15 today with all my additional documents. Literally 5 minutes later I was done! This couldn't have gone smoother or faster ! I walked in, grabbed my ticket and expected to wait for some time. They rang my number as soon as I pulled the ticket ! The attendant was so pleasant and helpful that now I really can't wait to go! She even gave me a tracking sticker for my envelope! Very efficient, very pleasant experience. I would give more stars if I could. For those that are going, definitely make sure you have all your ducks in a row and that you've completed the application online. Make sure to visit the post office to get the money order and priority mail envelope for $5.75 with postage. Their website really does tell you everything you need and there are no surprises. Stick with that and you'll be fine !!! read more

This is for a mail-in visa application. Headed to the World Cup holla!!!! To echo others on here, just follow the steps on the website. All the information is there. I got it all together and mailed it in. What they say on their website takes at least 10 business days was the only thing inaccurate...only because I received mine in 6! Just follow directions and it'll work. Added bonus that World Cup visas were free. No complaints there. Getting the visa was something I was worried about, it was easy. Keep your tracking numbers from USPS as well! read more

I went today to submit a visa application. My printed ticket was stamped 11:59 AM, and I was refused service because the agent claimed I had arrived after 12PM according to the time on his cell phone. I had traveled from Philadelphia in order to submit the paperwork in person, and I had to cancel my bus ticket for later this evening. This experience is making me not look forward to my trip at all! FYI they scrutinize your passport photo, so make sure it is 100% compliant. I was rejected on another day due to a small shadow on my photo. I recommend using a professional visa agency to avoid all of this hassle! read more

We went to get a tourist visa and were in and out in less than 10 minutes. Although it says to get there before it opens due to a long wait, we walked in at 9:30 and were next in line. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and was able to answer all our questions. Have all your documents in order, and don't forget the money order is USPS! Great service read more

It took less than 40 minutes to get my new passport. Extremely friendly staff. Overall exceeded my expectations !!

two hours on hold to ask my embassy questions and got disconnected when i was number one in the line. Its a count down to when they close and nobody will ever answer you. read more

Had to cancel our entire trip because they did not give us our visas in time. We followed all of the rules and turned the documents in our time according to the instructions. It happened to be good Friday when our friend went to pick them up. The guy at the window had them in his hand, instead he said there was nothing he could do and that they were closing early so we were out of luck. Had to cancel our flights, our hotel and air bnb bookings. Lost thousands of dollars. I will NEVER attempt to go to Brazil again. I will never give any more of my money to support their rudeness and bureaucracy. read more

Rude rude rude. Customer service is non-existent Always been that way but you would think that they would get the hint by now.

The website can be confusing, but if you come here with the right documents, everything should be straightforward, efficient, and hassle-free. I arrived at 8:53 am on a rainy Wednesday, and the security guard had opened the office already so I didn't have to wait in the rain. It works very much like the DMV, where you take a number and wait in rows of chairs till your number is called. I was second in line and was at the counter by 9:10 am, 10 minutes after they opened. I provided my documents for myself and a friend traveling to Rio for vacation, and I was out of the consulate by 9:20. The most impressive part was that I provided a regular priority self-addressed envelope to have the passports mailed back (it was not express) and I received both passports with tourist visas on Friday after dropping them off Wednesday morning. So efficient! Don't forget you need: 1) The form printed from your online application after finalizing and submitting it. 2) A passport picture (easily obtained from Walgreens, CVS, etc.). 3) Proof of residence in the DMV (if a proxy is going for you). 4) Your passport. 5) A $160 US Postal Service money order (if you've never gotten one before: go to a post office, ask for a money order for $160; there will be a roughly $1.60 processing fee; pay for the money order in cash or on your debit card). 6) A self-addressed priority mail envelope. read more

While it pains me to read that my country makes it difficult for Americans to visit, I would like to reiterate to you that this is not prejudice: as a Brazilian, I too suffer through the quiet indignity of this bureaucracy whenever the time comes to renew a passport. On the plus side, the Consulate's new site in G St NW is much more comfortable and professional than the cramped half-living room of their former Whitehaven St NW location, which was remarkable only in its authenticity of recreating the vibe of an ineffective third-world bureaucratic office (Terry Gilliam would have been proud). On the negative side, these new digs may be the reason why the passport renewal fee jumped from US$30 in 2008 to US$80 in 2013--by the way, our passports expire after five years, instead of the reasonable ten years one would expect. Let us just consider the additional expense an act of patriotic duty. I arrived at the Consulate at 11:10am, fifty minutes before they stop handing out numbers to wait in line. When I arrived, I was awarded with number P217, and they were serving P210. It was finally my turn a little after noon, but don't think that seven people were seen in that interval; five of those waiting ahead of me were long gone, along with their patience. So in I go with all the documents I need: the national ID card and a photocopy of it, my old passport, a printout of the passport application confirmation, a printout confirming that I was up-to-date with my electoral duties, my military dismissal card, and a USPS money order for $80. Just in case, I also take in my actual voter registration card and the impossibly tiny voter receipts from the past several elections, I take copies of every aforementioned document, and I take my driver's license. The lady behind the counter must have been stunned, for unlike most I was actually prepared. In efforts to remind me that I could be subjugated by her if she so desired, I was given an earful about how the signature on my ID, which was issued when I was a fourteen-year-old boy, was different than the signature of a 31-year-old man. Nevermind my physical presence in the sea of photo IDs; I was told those mismatched signatures could be grounds for my application being rejected and consequently my never returning to my home country to see my parents. Fortunately, however, the stars were aligned and I was witness to a magnanimous act of mercy, as my passport was granted. I just have to return to pick it up in 2 weeks. I'll be back in a month, and hopefully will have it. read more

Slow, incompetent, and bureaucratic. There is no way to avoid their crappy website - so you are required to send all your personal information through it whether you trust it or not. After doing that you wait forever to hand them the same stuff you uploaded. It is as if the person who made the in office procedure never talked to the person who made the website. Consulate workers are apparently photography critics, so even if you follow the instructions they may reject your picture. The website says plain white or off-white background, but they may not accept off-white even if it is similar to the examples provided on the website. Get ready to waste your whole morning there. read more

As long as you do your homework and come ready with all the paper work needed to the consulate (which is very easy to find, big Brazilian flag in the front) all should be in order. I went and dropped off my spouse's passport for her World Cup visa approval. It was a bit full the day I went, but I was attended within 30-40 minutes. The whole 'interview' took about 5 minutes, the clerk verified all was in order and I was given a receipt with the date I needed to come pick up her passport (yes, anyone can come pick up the passport as long as the person has the RECEIPT, without it nothing will be given). Overall, I was happy with the service. My advise is to do your homework and have all the papers needed before arriving to the consulate. read more

Everything is very professionally setup here, it is very reminiscent of the DMV. Ticketing machine at the front of the room as you enter (akin to the DMV, issuing different types of tickets depending on what you need). There is plentiful leather seating that is very comfortable. They even have an internet enabled PC against the wall (didn't inspect it, so I don't know what it is for other than assuming for entertainment purposes) and a children's play room. There are five windows, and they all handle every type of request. They announce the numbers very clearly over the loudspeaker, and the number appears above the window that intends to handle it, so you can't miss it. I got there a little after 9AM on a Monday (my ticket said 9:17AM to be exact). I waited all of about 15 minutes to be taken (maybe 5 people were called ahead of me). I gave the lady all my paperwork for the travel Visa, and within 5 minutes I was done. She gave me a receipt that said when I could pick it up (if I was planning on that, which I wasn't), and that was it. I will say, based on the price and work I had put in just getting the necessary documentation for the Visa, taking all of 20 minutes to submit this paperwork left me feeling short changed. Of course, add in the fact that it took them all of TWO days to send me my passport back with the Visa...heh. Application submitted: 1/12/2015 9:30AM Visa/Passport received via USPS: 1/14/2015 All I submitted for the travel Visa was: 1) Passport 2) Printout of paid airline itinerary 3) One 2"x2" passport style photo (taken at CVS) 4) The RER printed from the Visa application website (upon completion of the application) 5) $160 USPS money order with the "From" area filled in with my name and address 6) A pre-paid USPS Express Envelope (cost of $19.99). The girl ahead of me had all of the above, except her envelope was not prepaid. However, she had a boatload of stamps. The lady at the window sent her back to put the stamps on the envelope - she looked visibly pissed. I am guessing the lady said she needed to prepay the full amount for the express envelope ($19.99), which required she put all the stamps from the roll of stamps. She probably assumed she could get them to give them an estimate of the cost instead of paying the full pre-paid amount. I think you can skip step #6 if you are willing to make the trip back to the consulate to pick up your passport. I didn't feel like it, so I gave them the pre-paid envelope. read more

I was there last week. I brought along a tremendous amount of work along, expecting a long wait. I walked in at 9am, I was out at 9:20. Have everything as specified on the Visa application and you shouldn't have a problem! read more

I'm a Brazilian and I went to renew my passport with all the paperwork needed. The star given here is for the Portuguese clerk checking to make sure you got all the documents you need. She was kind and professional. Muito simpatica! The low rate is for the woman at the window who actually processed my passport renewal. She was a true biotch: rude, "brusca", unfriendly. I'm talking about the Asian Brazilian, long haired, sour faced who forgets who is paying her salary and that she is a public servant and if dealing with Brazilian expats is unpleasant to her, she can go back to Brazil and work at the guiche do INPS so she can appreciate her Itamaraty employment! read more

Very easy experience overall and the visa officer was very nice. *Be sure* to take ALL the documents and postal order that they specify and be organized. I went pretty early around 9 am and there wasn't a long wait. They mailed my visa to me in a week. As far as visas go, a relatively painless experience! read more

After the nightmare situations in Miami and NY, I am glad the closest consulate to me is the DC consulate! I arrived a few minutes after 9am on a Thursday and was out by 9:30. I signed up to pick up tickets in Brazil and was worried that I would not get the visa because I did not have the actual ticket. I brought in my FIFA email stating that my tickets were ready for pick-up and they accepted that in combination with my FIFA ticketing email. I received my visa within one week! read more

Went here this morning (Monday) to get a visa, their website says that Monday's are their busiest days but I had no option. The wait was still extremely reasonable, I arrived around 9:30 and was out before 10 with 6 people in front of me. The employees are super helpful and will do whatever they can to help you as long as you are respectful. They turned a nightmare for me into a super simple process. Like past comments say though make sure you have everything listed on their website: passport, prepaid express envelope, printed travel itinerary, additional photo of you in passport size, travelers check for $160, and a printed version of the form you have to fill out. Also make sure you sign the form and your passport and cashiers check and address the envelope. read more

Great service super fast there is parking all around. Recently reported an incident with a brazilian National and the consul herself gave me a call to show concern! Very very impressed with the level of personal attention you get at the Consulate General of Brazil at Washington! 5 stars!! read more

I came here to get a visa so I can travel to Brazil (for a scientific conference). i was kind of in a panic, because I thought I was going to miss the cut off for service, but it is at noon...so get there before noon if this is why you're going.. When I got there, two people were doing visa services, but it seemed like they were taking FOREVER. As I sat and waited, observing how long other people were taking, I started to panic. 15 minutes. 30 minutes...Would I ever be able to leave?? I started running worst case scenarios through my mind (as in, not getting my visa in time for the conference, or being rejected for not having everything in order...) Well, I finally got called, and I presented the clerk my passport and photo page for the visa, and then she asked me (in order) for my airline itinerary, and my hotel reservations. Opps. I forgot to print my invitation letter. PANIC!!!! Well, they had a computer with printer...I got sent over to it but there was an older Brazilian lady trying to figure something out, and so it took me a while to get to it...I heard the clerk calling new numbers up...Now, i panicked again! What if my application got mixed up now? What if she misplaced it while helping another customer? What if I wouldn't be able to get back in before the closed...? Shortly enough, I got my letter printed, and the clerk made an effort to get me back, I handed her my letter and she put it with all of the other things she had piled up in a neat stack (and she had other stacks organized for other customers, she was on the ball!). After a final check, we agreed everything was in order and I handed her my money order for the visa and was on my way. It only took me about 3 minutes of interaction with the clerk. The bad things are, the computer (if you need to use it) is ancient. They only have 2, I believe. Also it seemed as if some things were out of order (such as the soda machine). But, it's not a place you'll be often probably, so these are minor details. If you need a visa: check the consulate website for your requirements. I'm going on a tourist visa so I needed to submit the application online, print the confirmation and affix my photo to it (same requirements as a passport, I had mine taken at CVS). I also had to have my travel bookings (plane and hotel. I used booking.com for my hotel, which allowed me to also print everything in the native language of where I was staying; in this case Portuguese. It may be a good idea to bring one in your language and one in theirs). Because I was going for a scientific conference, I also needed an invitation letter. You must also (currently) have a prepaid Priority or Express USPS envelope (no fed-ex, ups, dhl). The EASIEST way to do this is to purchase a flat rate envelope or box. It has to fit your passport. While you're buying that, get yourself a money order at the post office (it HAS to be from the post office) for whatever the fee is (currently a tourist visa is $160, and it will be under $162 total to get the money order at the post office). Have everything organized and ready to go, and you can be in and out with time for lunch before your meter expires. read more

I had no problems getting a tourist visa here. I followed the clear instructions on the consulate website. I came in when the office opened and waited 15 minutes. The office politely accepted my application. I returned about 2 weeks later and picked up my passport with visa. read more

Went in to get a visa to travel within the same month. Arrived at approx. 9:30am on Tues. Dec. 8 and was in and out in less than 25 minutes. While the brazilian visa application website might suck, the consulate experience was great. I brought my USPS mailing envelope with me since it's not entirely clear whether you can confirm the option to pick up your passport/visa yourself once it's ready. I was told that my documents (passport & visa) would be ready by December 15, which is a pretty great turnaround! Compared to the DMV, this was a treat. read more

Just came from there today, so will add my review. My experience is for getting my tourist visa. I don't know anything about other visa types, or other services they might offer. The deal started out pretty badly. I went to their site, read everything, but wanted to make sure I had everything in order, so I called the consulate. The lady that answered didn't want to talk to me. She told me to go to the website. I told her, I am looking at the website but I want to make sure I have everything right before I take off work to come down there. She told me to go to the website and email from the form there because they are always online and will answer me right away. So I did, and they never replied. Ok, so that evening I was talking to my wife who said she knows someone who works at the consulate and that she would call them with my questions. She did and got the answers I was looking for. She's Brazilian, so maybe that helped, not sure. So this morning I head down there. I arrived at around 10:15am and there were about 10 - 12 people in front of me. Took my number and waited. I only waited maybe 15 minutes. Part of this might have been due to the fact, that as another reviewer here noticed also, 4 out of the other people that were in front of me were sent away quickly because they did not have all the required documentation. They will check this right away before they go any further, so don't forget anything unless you want to go back again! Got to the counter and spoke with a very nice gentleman who processed everything quickly for me, was very helpful and informative and had me out of there in about another 10 minutes or less and told me I could pick up my visa in 8 days. Cool. I think if you go in there prepared, you will not have any issues. Here is what you need to know, and what you need when you arrive: First of all, you need to print out 2 copies of the form you generate from the website. You will find the link for the form on the website: http://www.consbrasdc.org/english/index.asp Just click on the Visas link in the left column, it is pretty easy to follow from there. Your passport, valid for at least 6 more months before the expiration date. A printed scanned copy of your drivers license 2 passport photos. I wouldn't try taking these yourself, they are picky from what I hear. You can get these at the post office, 2 for $15. A printed copy of your round trip flight itinerary from the website where you booked the flights, or from wherever you got the tickets, airline, travel agency, etc. It has to show all the flight departures and arrival dates. If you are traveling by land, you need other documentation and I don't know what it is, but it tells about that on the website. And you are also crazy if you try this, but that is another story, (: A postal money order for $140. An additional $20 proxy fee applies if you mail it in, or you have someone else apply for you. They won't accept any other type of payment and you need to make it for $140 exactly(unless you are mailing or getting someone else to do this for you, then it is $160). I wouldn't make this out to them as payee in advance, because I waited and then the guy told me they stamp that in themselves. So just leave that blank. If you have all of those things when you show up, you should not have any problems, and you should be out of there quickly. If you don't you will be out of there more quickly, with no visa until you come back with it. Oh, one last thing, directions. They are at: 1030 15th Street, N.W. Washington DC 20005 It is just down the street a little from the corner of 15th and L street. Not hard to spot with the big green and yellow flag hanging out front. If you take the geen line metro to Mt. Vernon it is not too bad of a walk from there. The other metro lines have stations close to there also. I hate driving in DC and parking can be very difficult, best to avoid if you can. I am giving them a 4 for customer service and expediency. I would give them a 5 if they would have been willing to answer questions when I called or at least answer emails. read more

Walked in to the Consulate in DC at 9:15 and got my number. The waiting area was large and there were not many people. Only two people before my number was called. Took 5 minutes to submit my documents. I did my homework and had everything with me. Passports, filled up forms with pictures, printed itinerary, money order and prepaid envelope. Read the website carefully before going and get everything ready. It will be quick. Now is the wait to see when we will receive our visas. read more

I was a bit nervous about attaining my Visa from here but all went well. Only took about 45 minutes to drop off my passport and docs. Took about 30 minutes to retrieve it. You MUST be thorough with you documents. If you have what is required there will be no issues. Make sure when providing your airline itinerary, it comes directly from the airline website and is not an email confirmation. Other than that everything else is straight forward. Received my Visa in a week. Cost was $160. read more

Walked in at 9am walked out 5 mins later. Staff was very nice and very fast and efficient. I went on a Tuesday and my passport arrived in the mail 4 days later on Saturday. Very fast turn around! read more

Went there to renew passport and service was fast, accommodating and very cordial. New passport arrived early than expected, just a few days after my visit to the consulate. read more

We followed all the directions on the Brazilian website and got our visas in our passports back in less than a week. The gentleman that helped us was very friendly and knowledgeable. We walked in around 9:30 and there was one person ahead of us. We were out in less than a half hour. read more