Visitors

Visiting the AES is more than visiting a show. At the AES you are truly part of the audio community of this world. Whether you are the CEO of your company or a studio technician, there are advantages for you at the AES. As the most prominent educational society in the field of audio, we feel it is our duty to provide a technical program that caters for all levels of interest.

Thanks to the continued support of our exhibitors we can make this happen. A vast number of these companies do more than exhibiting at the annual shows. Sustaining members support the AES throughout the year. Technical councils, standards committees, historical committee and the numerous AES sections worldwide are all made possible by the great efforts of companies and audio professionals. Together they weave a network to which our visitors and exhibitors can gain access.

Many exhibiting companies also choose the AES to release new products, giving our visitors the chance to see new technology and product developments for the first time.

The exhibition, the technical program, the network, the sharing of knowledge and information makes the AES your stepping stone into the worldwide audio community.

Traveling to Brazil

Brazil applies the reciprocity principle in relation to demand and concession of visas. This means that a citizen from a foreign country may enter Brazil with or without visa depending on the what his country of origin requires of brazilian citizens. The same principle applies to the charges for the visas and how long he can stay in Brazil.
Citizens from Argentina, Bolívia, Chile, Colômbia, Equador, Paraguai, Peru and Uruguai may enter the country using just their official identification and remain for up to 90 days. You do not have to present a passport. But remember to bring an identification that is valid internationally. Many countries have professional identification cards. Although they may be valid in their countries they are not valid in other countries.

In visits up to 90 days there is no need for a visa in the passports for the following countries South Africa, Bahamas, Barbados, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guiana, Honduras, Panamá, Suriname, Trinidad e Tobago, EC countries and Venezuela (this last for 60 days).
Citizens from the following countries need a visa to enter Brazil: Canada, Cuba, El Salvador, USA, Jamaica, México, Nicarágua, São Tomé e Príncipe and others.
You should consult the brazilian foreign relations ministry website for up to date information as some of the above may have changed: http://www.abe.mre.gov.br/antes/quadro-geral-de-regime-de-vistos

Brazil is South America´s largest country. It spreads across almost half (47.3%) of South America, and occupies a total area of 8,547,403.5 km2. It is the fifth largest country in the world after Canada, the Russian Federation, China and the United States.

Famous for it´s tradition in football (soccer) and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, considered by many as the best in the world. It´s a very diverse country, from the metropolitan São Paulo to the cultural energy of Pernambuco and Bahi, the untouched jungle of the Amazon and world reknowned tourist atractions, such as the Iguaçu Falls and Corcovado. Notable is the interest for the Amazon in the north region, the beaches in the northeast, Pantanal and the Central high plains in the midwest. The historical tourism in Minas Gerais, the beaches in Rio de Janeiro and business in São Paulo share the southeast interest, just as the Pampas Gauchos and the cold climate in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, in the Gaucha Sierra and Vinhedos Valley.

Power outlets

Brazil has two types of alternate current voltages: 127 V (popularly named 110 V) e 220 V, both with a line frequency of 60 Hz. If they are not bivolt (or variable) check before conecting any equipments or appliances. The most common plugs are two pin round, european type, and flat, american type, although the transition to three pin (ground) round plugs is underway.

Time Zones

Brazil has 3 different time zones:

GMT-2: Fernando de Noronha and other oceanic islands.
GMT-3: Is the official time of Brasilia (capital of Brazil) and adopted in most parts of the country. All of the south, southeast, northeast, Tocatins, Amapá states and the eastern part of Para in the north and the states of Goias and the Federal District in the midwest region.
GMT-4: States of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso, in the midwest region and the states of Amazonas, Rondônia, Acre and Roraima, besides the west part of the state of Pará, in the north region.

Language

The oficial language, spoken by all the population with relatively small dialectal difference, is portuguese. Brazil is the only portuguese speaking country in the Americas, giving it a distinct cultural identity relative to the other countries of the continent.
There are also many Brazilians who are descendants of immigrants and who speak German and Italian, especially in cities in southern Brazil.

Currency
The Brazilian currency unit is the Real ($R). Dollars and Travelers Checks can easily be changed in hotels, banks or travel agencies. Most establishments accept credit cards.