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Aerial view of the City of Rio |
The Consulate General of the United States of America in Rio de Janeiro was established in November, 1971, when the Embassy was transferred to Brasília. Headed by a Consul General, the office is responsible for a broad range of consular and commercial functions and for coordination of United States Government activities in its Consular District, which covers the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia and Sergipe. The Consulate issues non-immigrant visas for the states or Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. Many of its services, as described below, are of interest to U.S. citizens living in or visiting Rio or other parts of the Consular District. The Consulate General also houses offices of the Public Affairs Section, responsible for a wide range of cultural exchanges and information programs in the 5 States of the District. Besides the Department of State, other U.S. Government agencies having offices in Rio Consulate General include the Department of Defense, and the Library of Congress. The Consulate General occupies a building in the center of the city overlooking Guanabara Bay. The building was constructed in 1952 as the United States Embassy Chancery.
What About Emergencies?
For emergencies outside office hours or during weekends and holidays, the
U.S. Marine on duty can be reached by calling the Consulate General (3823-2000). If he cannot resolve your problem, he will ask the Duty Officer to contact you.
Is there anything else the Consulate can do?
The variety of services offered by a Consulate is extensive. The Consulate General can tell you which services may exist to meet a specific need. A telephone call can usually provide the answer. Some examples of things a Consulate CANNOT do: Demand that an American be released from jail, perform marriage ceremonies, offer legal advice or translation services, or provide postal services. Often, however, useful advice can be given on these and other matters.
Non-official programs for Americans
Community organizations in Rio de Janeiro include the American Society, the American Chamber of Commerce, the American Club, The American School, and churches of several denominations where English is spoken. The Instituto Brasil-Estados Unidos (IBEU) is a privately sponsored binational Institute with six branches. Its principal office is at Avenida Copacabana, 690. While primarily providing English language instruction, it also sponsors cultural programs and offers courses in Portuguese language and Brazilian culture.
American Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro
Avenida Presidente Wilson, 147
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Telephone: (0XX 21) 3823-2000
8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Monday through Friday
The Consul General
Elizabeth Lee Martinez is the Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She arrived in Rio on July 21, 2006. Ms. Martinez is serving in Rio de Janeiro for the second time. She began her career with the Foreign Service in 1985 as a Consular officer in Rio. From 1987 to 1988 she was a Political officer at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador. In 1989 she returned to Washington, DC, and served as a desk officer for the Office of Brazilian Affairs in the Department of State where, among other duties, she briefed Congressmen and senior government officials on US-Brazil relations, and political, economic and environmental issues in Brazil. After working as the desk officer for New Zealand, Ms. Martinez moved in 1995 to Casablanca, Morocco, where she served as the Consulate General’s Political, Economic and Labor Officer until 1998. Her next tour was at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, The Bahamas, where she was Chief of the Political/Economic Sectionand served as the Public Affairs Officer.
In 2001, Ms. Martinez returned to the United States and worked as a Senior Watch Officer in the Department of State’s Operations Center, before becoming a Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary. From 2003-2006, she served as Deputy Director and then Director of the State Department’s Executive Secretariat Support Staff.
A native of Ohio, Ms. Martinez earned a B.A. in International Studies from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a Masters degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in Washington, DC. Ms. Martinez is in Rio with her husband and daughter.
