This text is the definitive guide with documents for traveling to the United States, with information for 2023 and 2024. Here you will find out what the minimum cost is to enter the United States, whether you need proof of vaccination and how to write an invitation letter.
And answering the most common question straight away: yes, you need a visa to visit Miami, New York, Orlando or any other American city. Therefore, here you will also find out how to obtain and how much an American visa costs.
How to go to the United States in 2023 and 2024 for tourism:
Write down the list of documents needed to go to the United States:
- Valid passport
- American visa
- Travel insurance
- Form 6059B Customs Declaration
- Return ticket
- Proof of accommodation
- Financial proof
We will delve deeper and explain all the documents below.
Traveling to the United States: documents needed to go through immigration
1. Valid passport
The United States does not require your passport to be valid for at least six months – The document only needs to be valid for the entire duration of your trip.
Even if you have dual nationality, always leave Brazil with a Brazilian passport. You can use the other one when entering the United States, but be aware of the immigration rules, which may be different depending on your nationality.
Portuguese citizens, for example, do not need a visa to enter the United States, but they must fill out, at least 72 hours before disembarking, an online form informing them of the trip and pay a fee of 14 dollars.
2. American Visa: what is the cost and how to get it?
For Brazilian tourists, the American visa needs to be requested in advance, in Brazil, in what is the most boring part of the trip. The document is valid for 10 years.
Pay attention to the validity of your visa, as at the moment there is a queue for appointments that can last up to 18 months in São Paulo. Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Recife or Porto Alegre have shorter queues, lasting just over a year. Remembering that visa renewal is faster and does not require an interview, but can only be done up to two years after its expiration date.
Obtaining an American visa is expensive: 185 dollars, at an adjusted rate in May 2023.
If your passport with a valid visa for the United States has expired, travel with both documents, the expired one, with the visa, and the new one, within its validity.
Simply hand over both documents to the immigration officer. The procedure is common and they are used to it.
See too:
• How to get an American visa, step by step
• How to obtain an American visa for minors and the elderly
• American visa interview – practical tips
3. Travel Insurance for the United States
Unlike what happens in Europe and some South American countries, travel insurance is not mandatory to enter the United States.
But it’s a bad idea to travel without one, for the sake of your financial security and health. Medical care in the United States is one of the most expensive in the world and simple issues, such as a doctor’s appointment, can cost thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, travel insurance will only cost you around R$15 per day.
Furthermore, immigration will look favorably on your travel insurance. A well-chosen policy will also protect you in other cases, such as lost luggage, flight delays and even trip cancellation, if you have an emergency and need to return to Brazil.
To obtain Travel Insurance for the United States, the most practical way is to use a search engine that will show you the lowest prices and the best coverage.
This is what Seguros Promo does. You enter the website, fill in the dates of your trip, your destination and your details. Then just press “continue”. The search engine will compare the main insurance companies on the market and show you the best options for your trip.
Travel insurance for 15 days costs from R$220, on average, and does little to change your travel budget. 360meridianos readers still have up to 25% discount:
Click here to quote DISCOUNT insurance for you
I have two favorite travel insurance policies for the United States:
- Affinity 60 has coverage of up to $60,000 and coverage for Covid. This insurance currently offers the best price and cost/benefit.
- GTA 75 Euromax has coverage of up to 75 thousand dollars, which is great! It also guarantees coverage for Covid-19.
- The Intermac 60 Silver also has great coverage and a competitive price, in addition to coverage against Covid.
4. Form 6059B Customs Declaration
This form is delivered on the flight to the United States.
Called Form 6059B Customs Declaration, it is basically a customs document, where you must fill in your name, date of birth, passport, flight number, country of residence, possible stopovers before arriving in the USA, address of the place you will be staying in the USA ( It’s worth including the name of the hotel and the city) and finally the objective of the trip.
The form also contains a series of questions with a “yes” or “no” option, about the amount of money you bring, the goods, food and other prohibited things that may be in your suitcase. If you want to go ahead and study the subject, the complete form in Portuguese is available on the US Customs and Border Protection website.
Always answer the truth and do not make erasures. It is one form per family, with everyone’s names on them – this does not apply to groups of friends or unrelated people, who pass through immigration separately. Fill out everything inside the plane, to save time, and hand it over to the officer along with your passport.
Find out what the immigration process is like in the United States and the most common questions
5. Return ticket
It is recommended that you travel with your return ticket already purchased and have the document with you, printed. Not only can immigration ask you for the ticket, but the airline can charge you at check-in. The most important thing is to prove that you are traveling for tourism and have no intention of staying in the country illegally.
Currently, expect to pay between R$3000 and R$4500 for a round-trip flight to the US.
To find lower prices, you need to keep an eye on promotions and buy well in advance.
6. Proof of accommodation or invitation letter to the United States
Another item that you probably won’t have to show at immigration, but it’s a good idea to have it nearby in case the officer decides to ask for it. That’s why, take proof of accommodation reservations with you.
If you’re staying at someone’s house, it’s worth thinking about having an invitation letter, just in case. The United States does not consider the invitation letter to be an official document, so there is no need to register it.
More important than having this paperwork is knowing the names of the hotels where you will be staying, as this is one of the most common questions during immigration.
See also: Tips and template for writing the invitation letter
7. How many dollars do you need to enter the USA?
Although there is no minimum amount to enter the USA, we do not recommend disembarking without cash or financial documents proving that you are able to cover all the expenses of your trip. What is a reasonable minimum quantity? About 60 dollars per day of travel, at least.
The value can be proven not only through cash, but with a credit card and bank balance.
Ah, also pay attention to the maximum limit: anyone transporting more than 10 thousand dollars in cash must declare this to North American customs. Those who don’t do so may have their money seized and still face legal action.
Do you need proof of Covid vaccination to enter the US in 2023?
No, since May 12, 2023, a vaccination certificate is NOT required for entry into the USA.
See the CDC’s updated recommendations here.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine?
It is not necessary to prove yellow fever vaccination to enter the United States. But it’s the kind of thing that, as soon as you have a little time, it’s worth taking and getting the international proof, from Anvisa.
With the increase in the number of registered cases of the disease in Brazil, you never know when these rules will change. Therefore, it is better to have the document and travel with it, even if it is not a requirement.
See also: How to get the International vaccination card
New York (Photo: Shutterstock.com)
Do I need an International Driver’s License in the USA?
The International Driving Permit (IDP) is for the traveler what the voter registration card is for every Brazilian: it is rarely requested and in general you can drive outside Brazil only with your valid driver’s license, as established by the Vienna Convention.
Furthermore, even if you have a PID, it is not enough to travel with it alone – you must also bring your Brazilian driver’s license, as the international document has no value on its own.
See too:
• How to run the United States
• How to rent a car in Orlando – tips to save money
Therefore, having a PID is not a requirement to rent a car and drive in the United States, although having the document, which has an English translation, can help you if you are stopped by a guard who does not know international traffic laws and conventions. .
What do you need to enter the United States with minors?
If you are traveling with minors, then there is some bureaucracy to follow even before leaving Brazil.
The determination of the National Council of Justice is that Brazilian minors can only travel abroad if they are accompanied “by both parents or, in the absence of one of them, with Authorization for Travel for Minors”.
On the Itamaraty website there is detailed information on the subject, in addition to the forms that need to be filled out. And, if one of the parents has passed away, remember to bring the death certificate.
How long can I stay in the United States on a tourist visa?
In general, Travelers can stay up to 180 days in the United States with a tourist visabut always check what the officer stamped in your passport at the time of immigration.
The American visa is valid for ten years and allows multiple entries into the country, without limitation.
How to go to the United States for the first time: step by step
- Step 1: Get your Brazilian passport. Find out more here.
- Step 2: With your passport issued, make an appointment to obtain your American visa. Remember that the interview can take up to a year to schedule, so do this well in advance. Find out more here.
- Step 3: With your visa approved, buy your ticket. Attention: do not buy a ticket to the United States if you do not yet have a visa, as it may be refused, leaving you at a loss.
- Step 4: Only then create the itinerary, book the hotels and take out travel insurance.
