I try to find information that can make border crossings easier on my trip and found Life Remotely. Here was plenty of useful information but I reproduces only the short version in respect for the great job they had done. So those who need more information should visit Life Remotely.
Argentina to Brasil at Iguazu Falls: Border Crossing
Border name: Iguazu Falls
Closest major cities: Puerto Iguazu, Argentina and Foz do Iguaçu, Brasil
Cost for visas: US$160 for US Citizens (must apply in advance) Free for South Africans
Cost for vehicle: $0
Total time: 45 minutes
The Steps
- Drive up to the Argentinian immigration booth. Hand over your passports to be stamped out.
- Drive up to the random aduana official. Hand him your Argentinian temporary vehicle permit.
- Drive over to the Brazilian side. Go past the buildings, park at the back.
- Walk to the office labeled immigration. Fill out the tourist card and hand the official your passports and the card. She will check for your visa (if required) stamp and return the passports.
- Go across the street to the aduana building. Hand in the driver’s passport and the vehicle title. They will issue a temporary import permit, valid for 90 days.
- Live it up, this is Brazil!
Note: Visas for Brazil in Buenos Aires
US Citizens are required to have a visa for Brazil, which must be issued in advance. You can apply from the US to a Brazilian consulate, which we would have done if we had known for sure we would visit Brazil. Instead we applied through the Brazilian consulate in Buenos Aires. Which is here: Carlos Pellegrini 1363 or S34 35.537 W58 22.872
In order to apply, you must present yourself at the consulate at 9am sharp. They do have an online system for scheduling appointments, but this wasn’t working. You will need a copy of the application form, your passport, a passport photo, and a copy of a recent bank statement. You might be required to have a hotel reservation and/or a proof of departure. We had neither of these, and they didn’t ask for them. Note that when you complete the application your address and phone number MUST be in Buenos Aires. Use the ones from your hostel or campground if you need to. Just make sure they are local.
At the consulate they simply took our papers and gave us a bank slip. They told us to go to the ITAU bank and pay the visa fee, and then return between 12 and 1pm the following day. The bad news is that a visa costs US$165. The good news is that you can pay in Argentinian pesos and if you were smart and brought dollars with you and then changed them on the black market, your visa will cost more like US$100. See our Patagonia budget article for more info on this.
It’s not the destination, but the journey, that matters. 