Hi,

After travelling the world and falling in love with Rio, I'm looking into whether it's possible to go live there as an English teacher. I've read a lot on this forum so I think I have things straight but please just help clarify one or two things for me. Desculpe if any of this is bloody obvious.

1) It's almost impossible to get a work visa, so my only real option is to come over on a tourist visa and do private tutoring work, under the table. Schools won't hire me without a work visa, so I will have to drum up the tutoring work myself, with flyers or through networking.

2) I can only stay for 180 days (90+90) on a tourist visa, so if I want to stay longer I will have to overstay (which costs R8 per day up to about R800 maximum, but has no other dangers (i.e. I will not get threatened with jail or banned from Brazil forever)). Or I can marry a local girl, or find a school that loves me so much they're prepared to sort through all the bureacracy of getting me a work visa.

3) I will need some savings to get me through the first few weeks/months, and shouldn't expect to leave with much or anything saved. Could I break even in, say, six months?

4)My passport was stamped out on September 25th 2011 so if I return before that date in 2012, each day counts twice towards my 180 limit (effectively, cos I will have used it in 2011 and 2012).

is that all about right?

Muyto obrigado!

PS. I am British, 28, with a degree, and I intend to get a CELTA before starting too.
PPS. I need to take prescription drugs. Without any legitimate residency, how would I see a (family) doctor to get a Brazilian prescription? Anyone know roughly what the one-off fee would be, and what other prescription fees might apply?

I know many Expats traveling to Brasil for many years, and they still can't get a resident visa. Teaching English is not easy, I think almost impossible to live a decent life in Rio on a teacher's wage unless you work for a huge wealthy company like PetroBras. Visiting Rio is not living there. Rio can be wonderful city to many and others cannot handle the noise, poverty, fast paced life and danger associated with living in one of the biggest cities in the world. Rio has a high trust issue. Nobody trust nobody and if you're a Foreighner, you must pass a lot of time to earn people's respect and trust. Also, I hate to admit this, but the middle to higher classes of Rio, they don't like to mingle with Foreighners. Not all but I think the majority. I lived in Leblon once for about 6 months & had great difficulty making friends with the higher classes. I presented myself well, I am in great shape for 50. Don't drink nor smoke and only speak to people I know, and have a lady friend of 6 years.

Edited by Kurtz - 31 December 2011 at 20:10

Give a shot (not much to loose since you can go back any time you want)..and see if you like it.

Originally posted by Kurtz From what I understand, only RJ, SP & perhaps Floripa are the main three expensive cities in all Brasil. That said, your hard earned USD or Euro can buy much more in BH, Recife, Brasilia, Goias, Natal, Fortaleza, etc. I think many Expats are looking elsewhere to live.

Your USD cannot buy you much in Brasilia. That's for sure. This city is OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive.

My own personal experiences indicate that high class Brasilians, the majority, those Cariocas in Leblon, SC, Barra and Ipanema. Many simple do not like Foreigners because they see us coming to their city of Rio and treating it like a Panama City Spring Break. Many have the right to be upset  ....and many are also jealous of people from more advanced countries like the U.S. and some parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, etc.

Edited by Kurtz - 01 January 2012 at 19:38