This is not a packing list with swimwear on it. It is the short set of things that decide whether a health problem in Brazil is an inconvenience or a lost day — and one or two items you can safely leave at home.

Your medication, packed properly

  • Enough for the whole trip, plus a few days' margin for delays.
  • In original packaging, so it can be identified at customs and by any doctor here.
  • In your hand luggage, not the hold. Lost bags happen.
  • With your prescription or a letter from your doctor available — it can be requested.

The list that saves the most time

One note on your phone, and a paper copy in your wallet:

  • The medicines you take, with generic names — brand names vary by country
  • Your allergies
  • Existing conditions and any recent surgery
  • Your blood type, if you know it
  • An emergency contact

Handing that over is worth twenty minutes of a conversation you cannot have in Portuguese.

Documents worth having

  • Passport, and the entry record you receive on arrival
  • Your insurance policy number and its assistance phone number, saved offline
  • A photo of everything, stored somewhere you can reach without your bag

What you do not need

  • A yellow fever certificate to enter — Brazil does not ask for it. Vaccination may still be advisable depending on where you are going.
  • A CPF. The Brazilian tax number is not required for a private or online consultation.

A small kit, for the ordinary things

A simple analgesic you already tolerate, oral rehydration sachets, sunscreen, insect repellent, and anything you use for motion sickness. That covers most of what actually happens. Everything beyond it is better prescribed by a doctor who has seen you than guessed at in a pharmacy.

Frequently asked questions about packing for Brazil

Should medication go in hand luggage?

Yes. Keep it with you, in its original packaging.

Do I need a doctor's letter?

It is not required, but it helps — especially if you carry a large quantity or an unusual medicine.

Do I need a vaccination certificate for Brazil?

Not to enter. Some other countries require one from travellers arriving from Brazil.

What if I forget something important?

A doctor licensed in Brazil can assess you and issue a prescription valid at any pharmacy in the country.

General information, not individual medical advice. Reviewed by Dr. Marcelo Rafael Lujan, CRM-SC 42.900.

Forgot something, or ran out mid-trip? See a Brazilian-licensed doctor online, in English, without leaving where you are staying.