Visa

Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa to enter Brazil. The ultimate autority on whether you need a visa or not is the Brazilian Consulate in your jurisdiction; the information we provide here is for your convenience only. To attend the school you need to enter Brazil as a tourist. You may check here whether you need a tourist visa. Find your country in the table that starts on page 2 and check the corresponding code in column “VITUR (Tourism)”. The caption for the codes is listed in page 1. The most common codes are 1 (visa is required) and 8 (visa exemption for staying for a period of at most 90 days).

If you require a visa, we highly recommend applying for one as soon as possible. The type of visa required for attending conferences in Brazil is the Tourist Visa (VITUR). Please find the appropriate Brazilian Consulate in your jurisdiction. Whether you need a visa or not, when you go through immigration it is useful to have at hand information about your place of accommodation and the school. Please e-mail Prof. Alexandre Suaide (suaide@if.usp.br) if you need to obtain an Invitation Letter to attend the School.

Travel/Health Insurance

Participants of the school should have travel insurance to protect themselves against unexpected events. Check your travel agency or credit card: you may be eligible for travel insurance when purchasing the air ticket.

Transportation

Airport to city and back

The easiest way to get from Guarulhos International Airport to the city and back is to use the airport bus service. Buses leave often and can take you to the city center (Av. Paulista) or to subway station República, on the Yellow line of the subway (map). The ticket costs BRL 45,50 and can be bought at the airport. It is much cheaper than taking a taxi and it is also very comfortable.

For taxis, head to the Guarucoop stand inside the airport. Expect to pay a fixed fare of BRL 120 to BRL 150. Driving time is 50 minutes, much more at rush hour. When travelling to the airport (as it is located in Guarulhos city), São Paulo city taxi firms charge an extra 50% fee. To avoid this, book with Guarucoop, EasyTaxi or Uber.

A third and cheaper option is to use public transport. From Terminals 1 or 2 in Guarulhos airport, take the city bus 257 or 299 to “Tatuapé” Subway Station, which is their final stop (BRL 5,55). From there, take the subway Red Line 3 (Linha Vermelha) towards “Palmeiras-Barra Funda” (BRL 3,80). Hop off the train at “Republica” Station and take the Yellow Line 4 (Linha Amarela) towards “Butantã”. This will take you to stations “Fradique Coutinho” or “Faria Lima”, in the Pinheiros neighbourhood. The entire trip will last approximately 1h 20mins, which beats rush hour traffic.

Public transportation in São Paulo

The easiest and cheapest way to get around town is by using the São Paulo Metro System (called the Metro) and the bus lines. You do not need to use taxi services unless you are in real rush to get somewhere a metro line or bus line will not take you.