PASSPORT

A valid passport is required to travel to Brazil. We recommend applying for one as soon as possible if you do not have it yet, as passports often take a while to be processed.

VISA

A visa is required for most travelers to Brazil, including U.S. and Canadian citizens. Please visit the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism Portal for the lists of countries whose citizens need or need not a visa. For further information about visa application requirements, please visit the website of the Brazilian Embassy in Washington or contact your local Brazilian Consulate office.
For those who need a letter of invitation for the visa application, please register with the conference first, fill in the letter request form and send it to the registration chair by fax (+55 24 2233 6071).

AIRPORT

Rio's international airport has excellent access to Rio's south zone where most of the major hotels are located. The airport is served by 28 international carriers as well as the three major Brazilian airlines and between them they offer direct flights to-and-from more than 80 international cities and most of the major Brazilian centers of population. A shuttle service operates between Rio and São Paulo and is based at Rio's smaller city center airport, Santos Dumont. An efficient taxi and bus service links the international airport with the main hotels and residential areas.

Airport transfers

• Shuttle service (about BRL 15) - Tourists coming to Rio de Janeiro have a shuttle service with comfortable mini-buses running between Rio's International Airport and associated hotels, providing a calm, convenient and economical service.
• Transfer provided by Grahn Operator (CCGrid07 Tour/Hotel Operator) (about USD 40) - A bilingual driver guide will pick up passengers at the airport. Maximum of 2 passengers. Prepayment with credit card is required. The service includes primary information about the city, useful hints, etc.

Taxis

• Radio Taxis (about USD 22) - Radio Taxi vouchers can be purchased at the arrival after customs. Payment with credit card is accepted and hostesses are bilingual. In some companies the driver can also charge directly the passenger. Recommended radio taxi services are from Cootramo (+55 21 2560 5442) and Transcoopass (+55 21 2560 4888), which are taxi companies registered with the tourist office.
• Yellow Cab (about USD 14) - Amount charged according to the taximeter. Not recommended for foreigners not able to speak Portuguese (taxi driver will probably not be able to speak English). In case of using this service, we recommend the use the official Yellow Cab company at the airport.

OTHER INFORMATION

Other useful information about Rio - climate, communications, electric current, etc - can be found at the website of Rio's Convention and Visitors Bureau .