Types of residence permits in Brazil with a fixed term - Koetz Internacional e Sucessório (2024)

In general, those wishing to live in Brazil will need to apply for one of the types of residence permits with a fixed term available in the country. These permits are popularly called temporary authorization or temporary residence permits.

It’s worth adding that these permits are required even for people who wish to establish permanent residence in the country. The same goes for naturalization. Because temporary permits are one of the requirements for both permanent residence and naturalization.

However, some exceptions can “skip” straight to permanent authorization, such as company investors.

To apply for a fixed-term residence permit, you also need to know which modality is correct in your case. The modality is defined based on the justification for staying presented to the Brazilian Government.

If you need help moving to or investing in Brazil, consult our specialized legal team by clicking here.

What is the residence permit for?

The residence permit is the permission for the foreigner to establish residence in Brazil. In general, it gives security in working and living in Brazil legally. However, fixed-term authorization is temporary, and it is a prerequisite for permanent authorization in most cases.

In addition, there are different types of temporary authorization, based on the reason for your stay in the country. Understand next.

What is a fixed-term residence permit?

A fixed-term residence permit is an authorization the Brazilian Government can grant to a foreigner who wants to live in the country temporarily. However, it is a requirement, in most cases, to have permanent authorization.

In general, the period of residence with this permit is 2 years, with a possible extension.

As the deadline is reached, you can request an extension of the temporary deadline or make it indefinite. Which means permanently.

But as I explained before, to have permanent authorization, you first need to apply for the temporary one and wait for it to expire.

The text continues after the form.

How to apply for a residence permit?

To apply you must access the Brazilian Government website and fill out the forms. The forms change according to the modality you want to request.

Afterward, you must pay the fees and, finally, attend the Federal Police. There you will receive specific guidelines for your case, as well as information on the next steps.

New documents may be requested, interview carried out, among other criteria, depending on your situation and justification for staying.

That is why it is essential to understand what are the types of residence permits with a fixed and indefinite term.

This way, you will be prepared, with the correct documentation, avoiding delays.

How can a lawyer help me apply for a fixed-term residence permit?

The lawyer will help by analyzing your case and defining, among the options for residence permits with a fixed term, which is best for you. This makes the decision quicker and easier for you. In addition, he will apply to the Government on your behalf, organize the documents, complete the forms correctly, and take care of deadlines and communications for you.

In summary, having a lawyer helps you carry out the bureaucratic process, freeing you from having to worry about it, and avoiding mistakes because he is already specialized. In the end, the lawyer facilitates the achievement of your authorization.

List of types of residence permits with a fixed term

See below the list of types of residence permits with a fixed term and, afterward, an explanation of them.

Digital nomad;
Retired or pensioner;
Real estate investor;
MERCOSUR;
Agreement between Brazil and Argentina;
Agreement between Brazil and Uruguay;
For Study Purposes;
Family Reunion, depending on the type of reunion;
To the immigrant previously regularized based on family reunion;
Health treatment;
For nationals from a bordering country;
Humanitarian reception for Haitian citizens and stateless persons residing in the Republic of Haiti;
To Cubans who have joined the More Doctors Program;
For nationals of the Dominican Republic who have an asylum process in progress in Brazil;
To nationals of the Republic of Senegal who have an asylum process in progress in Brazil;
For immigrants on Provisional Freedom or Sentence;
The child or adolescent who is a national of another country or is stateless, unaccompanied, or separated;
For people who have been victims of human trafficking, slave labor, or violation of rights aggravated by their migratory status;
Anyone who has already possessed Brazilian nationality and does not wish to or does not meet the requirements to reacquire it;
Amendment to an indefinite period of residence for persons affected by the armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic;
For humanitarian reception for people affected by the situation in Afghanistan;
Humanitarian reception affected by the war in Ukraine.

Modalities of residence authorization with a fixed term

As we mentioned, each type of residence permit with a fixed term will have a series of specific requirements. This is because the situation of the digital nomad, for example, is very different from that of a retiree or an investor! Then the justification and documents that prove your conditions will also be different.

Also, to know when you should apply for it, you need to check the deadlines of your visa or your visa waiver, in addition to knowing if you want to accelerate naturalization or not.

What does that mean? It means that if you are determined to become a naturalized Brazilian, you can accelerate this achievement. How? Arriving in Brazil and asking for your temporary residence permit immediately!

Types of Residence Permit with a fixed term: standard, the most common!

The standard fixed-term residence permit is the most common. In general, it has a 2-year term, but a different term may be granted (although we have never seen this happen). In addition, if you decide to use the visa period before applying for authorization, we recommend that you start organizing yourself 6 to 12 months before the visa expires.

That is, you need to seek your lawyer, organize your documents, and understand the process, 6 to 12 months before the date of applying for the residence permit. Incidentally, this is valid for all types of residence permits with a fixed term.

So, the required documents are:

valid travel document or official identity document;
two 3×4 photos, recent, in color and with a white background;
birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate, since your ID doesn’t include affiliation data in it;
proof of fee payments when applicable: residence permit and National Migration Registration Card (CNRM);
completed application form;
among others.

Types of Residence Permit: Digital Nomad

In short, the Digital Nomad visa has a term of up to 1 year. Thus, if you are interested, you can apply for aa residence permit of 1 year and, after that, an extension of 1 more year. In total, the stay of a Digital Nomad in Brazil can reach 3 years.

It is worth adding that the documentation is similar to that of the visa, as it is enough to prove that you continue as a digital nomad.

However, like all types of residence permit with a fixed term, they must be requested expressly from the Brazilian Government, since all of them are not automatic and must be applied for.

Residence permit for retirees or pensioners

The retiree or pensioner arrives in the country with a visa of this modality. They need to prove net income from a proven foreign source of at least $2000 per month.

To apply for a residence permit for a specific period, the retiree or pensioner, already in Brazil, must prove that he/she remains in this condition. That is, who has still retired or a pensioner who receives 2000 net dollars per month from a foreign source.

Your temporary residence permit will generally last for 2 years.

Types of Residence Permit: Real estate investor

The real estate investor must prove the purchase of property in Brazil, in the amount of:

R$1,000,000.00 (one million reais), if in the South, Southeast, or Midwest regions;
R$700,000.00 (seven hundred thousand reais) if it is in the North or Northeast regions.

The property can be under construction or already built.

In addition, the order can be placed while you still abroad or in Brazil.

If you are already in Brazil, you can apply directly for a residence permit, which will be for up to 4 years.

Residence permit for an entrepreneur

The residence permit for entrepreneurs will be indefinite. That is, it is not necessary to ask for authorization within a determined period in advance!

In addition, foreign businessmen can apply for authorization while outside Brazil, via the Internet and present the necessary documentation at the relevant Brazilian Consulate, after approval of the request by the Ministry of Labor.

If already in Brazil, then apply to the Ministry of Labor.

Residence permit by MERCOSUR

Citizens of other MERCOSUR countries can apply for a residence permit for a specific period without any type of visa. This is because they are visa-free to enter Brazil. Then they can enter and then apply for a residence permit.

Types of Residence Permit: by the Agreement between Brazil and Argentina

According to the Agreement between Brazil and Argentina, the residence permit requires:

own application, through an electronic form duly completed on the website of the Federal Police;
1 3×4 photo, recent, in color, white background, plain paper, front view;
statement of an e-mail address and other means of contact, preferably accompanied by a simple copy of proof of residence;
passport or identity document valid for entry into the territory and copy;
birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate, when the travel document or official identity document does not contain data on parentage;
among others.

And unlike the MERCOSUR agreement, the length of stay will be indefinite. That means, permanent.

Residence permit by the Agreement between Brazil and Uruguay

According to the residence permit Agreement between Brazil and Uruguay, it is necessary to present the following documents:

own application, through an electronic form duly completed on the website of the Federal Police;
1 3×4 photo, recent, in color, white background, plain paper, front view;
statement of an e-mail address and other means of contact, preferably accompanied by a simple copy of proof of residence;
passport or identity document valid for entry into the territory and copy;
birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate, when the travel document or official identity document does not contain data on parentage;
among others.

In Brazil, requests must be made to the Federal Police, and the length of stay, in this case, is indefinite.

Types of Residence Permit: Study Purposes

The residence permit for study purposes requires you to prove your student relationship with the institution. In addition, you must submit other documents:

Residence Permit for Family Reunion by marriage

The residence permit for Family Reunion by marriage requires documents from the caller (who is in Brazil) and the called (who intends to come to Brazil), mainly for proof of the family bond. In addition, if there is economic dependence between the two, it will also be essential to prove this condition.

The documents requested by the Brazilian Government are:

application form available on the Federal Police website, duly completed;
two 3×4 photos;
valid travel document or official identity document;
proof of payment of residence permit fees and issuance of the National Migration Registry card, when applicable;
birth certificate or marriage certificate to prove kinship between the applicant and the Brazilian or immigrant beneficiary of a residence permit or a document that proves the bond;
proof of a stable relationship between the applicant and the Brazilian or the immigrant beneficiary of the residence permit;
joint declaration of both spouses or partners, under the penalties of the law, regarding the continuity of effective union and coexistence;
identity document of the Brazilian or immigrant beneficiary of authorization of residence with which the applicant wishes to meet;
declaration, under the penalties of the law, that the caller resides in Brazil;
documents proving economic dependence, when applicable;
among others.

The period of stay granted to the called will be defined according to the caller. If the caller is Brazilian, it lasts as long as the relationship lasts. However, if the caller is a foreigner with a residence permit, the deadline for the call will be the same as that of the caller.

Residence Permit for Family Reunion by stable union

For the residence permit for a family reunion by the stable union, it’s necessary to present:

stable union certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of origin of the call; or
proof of stable union issued by a competent court in Brazil or corresponding authority abroad; or
certificate or similar document issued by a national civil registry authority, or foreign equivalent;

Declaration, under the penalties of the law, of two people who attest to the existence of the stable union and, at least, one of the following documents:

proof of dependency issued by the tax authority or body corresponding to the Federal Revenue Service;
religious marriage certificate;
testamentary dispositions that prove the bond;
life insurance policy in which one of the interested parties appears as the insurance holder and the other as the beneficiary;
deed of purchase and sale registered at the Real Estate Property Registry, in which the interested parties appear as owners or property lease agreements in which they appear as tenants;
joint bank account;
birth certificate of the couple’s foreign child;
another document capable of proving the stable union.

Residence permit by family reunion by descent

To obtain a family residence permit by descent, you must also present documents required by the Brazilian Government:

Own application, through an electronic form duly completed on the PF website (available at Obtain Residence Permit);
3×4 photo;
Statement of email address and means of contact, accompanied by a simple copy of proof of residence;
Valid travel document or official identity document;
Birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate, when the travel document or official identity document does not contain data on parentage;
Criminal record certificates or equivalent documents issued by the competent judicial authority where you have resided in the last five years;
Declaration of absence of criminal record in any country, in the five years before the date of application for a residence permit;
Birth or marriage certificate to prove kinship with the caller;
Caller’s identity document;
A declaration that the calling family member resides in Brazil;
Documents proving economic dependence, when applicable;
Documents proving the guardianship, guardianship, or custody of a Brazilian, when applicable;
Proof of payment of residence permit fees and CRNM issue, when applicable.

Types of Residence Authorization for previously regularized immigrants based on family reunion

It demands:

National Migration Registry card;
2 photos 3×4;
proof of payment of the residence permit fees and the issuance of the National Immigration Registration Card, when applicable;
completed application form;
criminal record certificates or equivalent documents issued by the competent judicial authority where you have resided in the last five years;
among others.

The period of stay granted to the called will be defined according to the caller. If the caller is Brazilian, it lasts as long as the relationship lasts. However, if caller is a foreigner with a residence permit, the deadline for the call will be the same as that of the caller.

Types of a residence permit with a fixed term: Health Care

In principle, for the residence permit for health treatment, the foreigner needs to present:

travel document or official identity document;
two 3×4 photos;
proof of payment of the residence permit fees and the issuance of the National Immigration Registration Card, when applicable;
completed application form;
among others.

The request for a residence permit may be formalized by the immigrant’s spouse, adult child, legal representative, or attorney.

Types of Residence Permit: national from a bordering country

The residence permit for a person from a border country depends on the following documents:

travel document or identity card issued by the official identification entity of the country of nationality;
proof of habitual residence in a border municipality of a neighboring country;
criminal record certificates or equivalent documents issued by the competent judicial authority where you have resided in the last five years;
among others.

Therefore, the period of stay in Brazil is 2 years.

Residence permit for humanitarian reception for Haitian citizens and stateless persons residing in the Republic of Haiti

The following documents must be submitted:

valid travel document;
completed visa application form;
proof of means of transport for entry into Brazilian territory;
criminal record certificate issued by the Republic of Haiti or, if it is impossible to obtain one, a declaration, under the penalties of the law, of an absence of criminal record in any country.

The period of stay in the country is 2 years.

Residence Permit for Cubans who have joined the “More Doctors” Program (Mais Médicos)

For the residence permit for Cubans who have joined the Mais Médicos Program, it is necessary to present:

own application, through an electronic form duly completed on the PF website;
One 3×4 photo, recent, in color, white background, plain paper, front view;
statement of electronic address and other means of contact;
travel document or official identity document;
among others.

The period of permanence in Brazil is 2 years.

Residence permit for nationals of the Dominican Republic who have a refugee status recognition process in progress in Brazil

In short, for the residence permit for refugees from the Dominican Republic, it is necessary to present:

travel document or official identity document;
two 3×4 photos;
birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate;
criminal record certificate from the states where you have resided in Brazil in the last five years;
declaration, under the penalties of the law, of an absence of criminal record in any country, in the last five years;
document proving that you have submitted a request for recognition of the refugee status until the date of publication of this Ordinance.

The period of residence in Brazil is 2 years.

Residence Permit for nationals of the Republic of Senegal who have a refugee status recognition process in progress in Brazil

For the residence permit for nationals of the Republic of Senegal, you need:

travel document or document proving your identity and nationality, under the terms of the treaties to which the country is a party;
two 3×4 photos;
birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate, if parentage is not stated in the document mentioned in item I;
criminal record certificate from the states where you have resided in Brazil in the last five years;
declaration, under the penalties of the law, of an absence of criminal record in any country, in the last five years;
among others.

The period of stay in the country will be 2 years.

Residence Permit for Immigrants on Provisional Release or Sentence

For the residence permit for immigrants on a provisional release or serving a sentence, it will be necessary to present:

travel document or official identity document;
2 photos 3×4;
birth or marriage certificate or consular certificate, when the documents mentioned in item 1 do not contain data on parentage;
proof of payment of the residence permit fees and the issuance of the National Immigration
Registration Card, when applicable;
among others.

The period of permanence in Brazil is 1 year.

Residence Permit for a child or adolescent who is a national of another country or a stateless person, unaccompanied or separated, who is at a migratory control point at the Brazilian borders or national territory

For a residence permit for a stateless, unaccompanied, or separated child or adolescent from another country, it’s necessary:

2 photos 3×4, with white background;
valid travel document or other document proving the identity and nationality of the child or adolescent, observing the international treaties of which Brazil is a signatory;
indication of the person responsible for the child or adolescent in Brazil, if any, with the statement of an e-mail address and other means of contact;
among others.

The period of stay in Brazil will be evaluated according to each case.

Residence Permit for people who have been victims of human trafficking, slave labor, or violations of rights aggravated by their migratory status

To obtain a residence permit for a person who is a victim of human trafficking, slave labor, or a violation of rights aggravated by a migratory condition, it is necessary to present:

a form containing data on, identification, affiliation, place, and date of birth, nationality; and
indication of address and other means of contact;
passport or other official documents with a photo, issued by the country of origin, which proves identity and nationality, even if the expiration date has expired
among others.

In these cases, the period of permanence in Brazil is indefinite.

Residence permit for a person who has already possessed Brazilian nationality and does not wish to or does not meet the requirements to reacquire it

For a residence permit for a person who has already possessed Brazilian nationality, it is necessary to present:

form, duly completed, stating your identification, affiliation, date, and place of birth, and indication of address and other means of contact;
valid travel document or other document proving your identity and your nationality, under the terms of the treaties to which the country is a party;
document proving your affiliation, duly legalized and translated by a sworn public translator;
proof that he had Brazilian nationality;
proof of loss of Brazilian nationality;
among others.

In this case, the term of residence in Brazil is indefinite.

Change to an indefinite period of residence for the humanitarian reception of people affected by the armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic

To change the indefinite period of residence for the humanitarian reception of affected persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, you must submit:

valid travel document;
International immunization certificate, when required by the National Health Surveillance Agency – Anvisa;
completed visa application form;
proof of means of transport for entry into Brazilian territory;
among others.

The period of permanence in Brazilian soil is indefinite.

Residence Permit for humanitarian reception purposes for Afghan nationals, stateless persons, and persons affected by the situation in Afghanistan

The residence permit for the humanitarian reception of affected people in Afghanistan will be granted if you present:

valid travel document;
completed visa application form;
proof of means of transport for entry into Brazilian territory;
criminal record certificate issued by Afghanistan or, if it is impossible to obtain one, declaration, under the penalties of the law, of an absence of criminal record in any country.

The period of stay in Brazil is 2 years.

Residence permit for war-affected humanitarian reception purposes in Ukraine

To obtain a residence permit for humanitarian reception due to the war in Ukraine, you must present:

valid travel document;
completed visa application form;
proof of means of transport for entry into Brazilian territory;
criminal record certificate issued by Ukraine or, failing that, obtaining it, declaration, under the penalties of the law, of the absence of a criminal record in any country.

The period of permanence in Brazil will be 2 years.

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Carolina Correa

Advogada (OAB/RS 127.271), é bacharel em Relações Internacionais e pós-graduanda em Direito Previdenciário. Atualmente, trabalha na Koetz Advocacia, sendo responsável pelo atendimento e avaliação dos novos casos de estrangeiros que desejam vi...

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