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Since I have been getting quite a few questions lately about obtaining refugee status in Brazil I guess that it is time to clear up a few basic points regarding the whole process.

First of all you should be aware that refugee claims ARE NOT accepted from just anyone. You must be a citizen of a country that is currently in the grip of a Civil War or extreme civil conflict, or has experienced a devastating natural disaster such as earthquake, tsunami, or massive flooding. If you do not fall into that category then it is quite likely that your refugee claim will not be accepted.

Also, you must be coming DIRECTLY to Brazil from that country, without first passing through any other "safe" country. You would be required to make the refugee claim in the very first safe country you arrive in. If you've transited through any other nation before arriving in Brazil your refugee claim would not be accepted.

You MUST make your refugee claim immediately upon arrival in Brazil. You could not, for example, come to Brazil as a tourist on a VITUR Tourist Visa or Visa Waiver Program entry, stay your allowed visit limit and only then make the claim. It would not be accepted since it was not made upon arrival.

Also, be aware that like many other nations nowadays, Brazil uses a list of nations that are most likely to produce refugee claims that are essentially economic refugees and not fleeing civil unrest or disasters. They make it much more difficult for citizens of those nations to obtain any category of visa, including the VITUR Tourist Visa than they do for citizens of any other nation. It will be anywhere from 10 to 20 times more difficult for citizens from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and many African nations to obtain any category of visa as a result. Usually if you do receive a visa it will not be a 5 year, multiple entry visa allowing a 90 day stay like most people receive, but rather a single-use, visa limited to a stay of anywhere from 7 to 30 days only.

Remember too that even obtaining a visa is NO GUARANTEE that you would actually be allowed to enter Brazil. The person who will make that ultimate decision (in any country) is the Immigrations Officer (in the case of Brazil Federal Police Agent) you deal with at the immigrations checkpoint at the airport or port where you arrive in Brazil.

If you come from some nations, your chances of obtaining refugee status in Brazil are almost ZERO, so you would be wasting your time and money trying. Just to show the situation that exists the following are figures for 2013, the last year that I have been able to obtain data for:

Total number of refugees claimants entering the country: 5,256  (2013)
Total number of refugee claims accepted :  649

Of those 1,837 claims were made by citizens of Bangladesh, while not one of those claims were accepted.
100 claims were made by citizens of Pakistan, and only 32 of those were accepted.

Syria, which was in the midst of a civil war produced 256 refugee claims, that year there were actually more claims accepted than were made. 284 Syrian citizens were given refugee status that year (some from the previous year's claims).

In order from most claims made to least the figures are as follows:

Country                  Claims made         Claims accepted

Bangladesh             1837                     0
Senegal                     961                     4
Lebanon                    320                     4
Syria                          256                     284
Dem. Rep Congo       203                     106
Ghana                       198                      0
Guinea Bissau           174                      0
Nigeria                       143                      18
Dominican Rep.         131                      0
Somalia                      122                     0
Colombia                    118                     88
Pakistan                      100                    32
Angola                         86                      17
Mali                              72                      19
Guinea Conakry           59                      0

Other countries whose citizens were granted refugee status:

Bolivia                              16 granted
Venezuela                         6
Iran                                   5
Ivory Coast                       4
Eritrea                              4
Note:  no number of claims made that year were given for these countries.

No refugee claims were made in 2013 by citizens of India, because Brazil is not regarded as a refugee friendly country by Indian citizens.

Cheers,
James   Expat-blog Experts Team