Stuck — or in an emergency — in Brazil right now?

Emergency phone numbers

These work nationwide, are free to call, and don't require a Brazilian SIM to dial from most carriers.

If you're the victim of a crime

File a police report — a boletim de ocorrência (B.O.) — at the nearest delegacia (police station). Some tourist-heavy areas (Rio, Salvador, Florianópolis) have a dedicated Delegacia de Apoio ao Turista (DEAT) with staff more used to helping foreign visitors — worth asking for by name if one is nearby.

A B.O. is usually required before your embassy will issue an emergency travel document, or before an insurance claim for theft will be accepted — so this is the first step, not an optional extra.

Contact your embassy

Embassies can't act as your travel insurance, but they can issue emergency travel documents, provide a list of local English-speaking lawyers or doctors, and contact your family in a serious emergency. Confirmed official links below — not all consular emergency phone lines are public, so start with the embassy's own site for the current number.

Medical emergencies

For anything urgent, call SAMU (192) or go directly to the nearest pronto-socorro (emergency room) — both public (SUS) and private hospitals in Brazil treat emergencies regardless of nationality or insurance status, though a private hospital will expect payment or insurance details once you're stabilized.

If you have travel insurance, call the assistance line on your policy before you pay anything upfront where possible — many plans have a direct-billing network of hospitals in major Brazilian cities.