Mavica

Okay, finally ... I found an e-Mail address for the VSF Brazil desk, and someone read it. My document images have passed quality control. Now it's on to Consular or other approval.

Mutiple photo uploads were rejected, on the grounds of the pixels in the photo. I was instructed to send the Photo and other document copy via FedEx using a shipping label created by VSF. See below. There has been nobody to speak with at the VSF English language telephone number ... who speaks English when I've called.

I've had difficulty with the Brazil e-Visa process and wonder if others have had similar experiences. On September 2nd I applied online and paid for the visa. Several times the agency processing the visa requests has rejected the photo of myself that I took and the photo of the identification page of my passport (VFS Gobal). At the request of VSF Global I FedEx'ed the passport photo and passport page. I continue to receive e-mails stating my application will not be processed due to lack of photo / passport page. I've called the VSF Global telephone number provided for Brazil and a half-dozen times have been disconnected. This a.m. I finally got through and on and off the person on the line, who had difficulty with the VoIP connection and terminated the call - three times. I don't know how to resolve this before my application is rejected for being incomplete. Suggestions? Thank you.

Trip Advisor and other sites do or may have copies of Menu's uploaded as part of contributor reviews. But when confronted by that I walk up to the host/hostess station and ask to see a menu, which I read through .... before deciding to stay or eat someplace else.

The law didn't change. The interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court has.

After which you call your Cardiologist.

Regulars here may have seen the article I'm linking below published in May 2025 - featuring Junior Barbosa of Point 202 - but I hadn't until now. I came across it as I'm catching up on gay-related events in Rio: Meet Júnior Barbosa - the king of Rio's gay sauna scene - Attitude

Interesting thought. BTW, I've ordered some Reais from my bank, for the sauna expenses and some minor incidentals. Yes, the exchange rate is not as favorable, but I'm comfortable doing it this way. I'll use a credit card for other things.

I've just read your Pointe v. 117 report following your recent visit in Rio. Helpful to me as I prepare for my upcoming visit. Thank you. Point 202 vs Clube 117: el superclásico de los saunas cariocas

Thank you for the comments. I'm seeing your suggestions / opinions confirmed here and in various other social media and will adjust my plan accordingly. ✔

The only things I pay for by using a credit card when traveling internationally are hotels and Uber, most everything else is paid for using cash. I walk about with what I think is enough cash for the day and if I happen to be robbed it'll not be a big deal, provided I'm not physically harmed.

Before I travel, I do my best to research certain things about the destination, refresh my memory, confirm current events, etc. Occasionally, I read the forums at Reddit, including the one for Rio de Janeiro. Thee's a current discussion about credit card payment scams. I'm linking it below, as an FYI for myself, and anyone else interested.

It's all about the context in which the word / description is used, and the persons within ear shot of a conversation using the description.

So, after booking my flight and an apartment in Catete (on the circle before reaching the Gloria Metro station), I went online to get my Brazil Tourist eVisa. It hasn't been easy. Long story short, the website rejected my passport-like .jpeg image and the .jpeg of my passport information page several times because of pixels (taken with my Samsung Galaxy 24s cell). In addition to the US$80.90 eVisa fee I've had to pay an additional US$20 for a passport photo, less than US$1 for a good color copy of the passport page and US$35 to send them both to NYC via FedEx overnight. There was no objection to my airline itinerary .jpeg. Hopefully, the new images will pass muster.

There's an amendment process that should be followed. Instead, we have the Supreme Court offering it's interpretation that deviates from the original intent.