Can you move to Brazil?

Brazilian citizenship by naturalization is governed by the Migration Law (Lei 13.445/2017). The ordinary path requires 4 years of continuous legal residency, basic Portuguese language ability, and no disqualifying criminal record; this period is reduced to 1 year for those with a Brazilian spouse/partner or a Brazilian child, or 2 years for applicants who have rendered relevant services to Brazil or have recognized professional/scientific/artistic ability. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries qualify under the reduced constitutional requirements.

Brazil does have a dedicated digital nomad visa, VITEM XIV (created by Normative Resolution CNIg/MJ), for remote workers employed by or contracting with companies outside Brazil. Applicants must show foreign-sourced monthly income of at least US$1,500 (or equivalent) or savings of at least US$18,000, and apply at a Brazilian consulate abroad or convert an existing tourist entry in-country.

Brazil offers several residency pathways for relocating foreigners without a local job offer: an investor visa (real estate or business investment), a retirement (aposentado) visa for those with a qualifying pension/passive income, a digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV) for remote workers, a work visa (VITEM V) tied to a Brazilian employer, and family reunion for those with a Brazilian spouse, partner, or child. Real-estate investment and retirement routes are the most common for non-working relocators; specific thresholds are set by regulation and should be reconfirmed with a consulate or immigration lawyer before applying, since they are periodically adjusted.

Brazil does not have one single 'permanent residency visa' application -- permanent residency is reached via several routes: immediately for family reunion with a Brazilian spouse/partner or child, immediately for most business-investment (VIPER) applicants, or after an initial temporary residency period (e.g. real-estate investment, retirement, or work visa holders) that converts to permanent status once renewal/maintenance conditions are met. All routes are registered through the same CRNM (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório) card issued by the Polícia Federal.

Brazilian residency processing happens in two stages with different timelines: consular/MJSP approval of the visa itself, and Polícia Federal registration for the CRNM residency card after arrival. Total time varies significantly by visa category, but a rough range across common categories is 1-4 months for the visa stage and roughly 1-3 months for the post-arrival CRNM stage.

Nearly every foreign document used in a Brazilian residency application -- criminal record certificates, birth/marriage certificates, diplomas, income/pension proof, powers of attorney -- must be apostilled (or consular-legalized, for the small number of non-Hague-Convention countries) and translated into Portuguese by a sworn (juramentado) translator before Brazilian authorities will accept it. After the visa is issued, holders must register in person with the Polícia Federal to receive the CRNM residency card.

Brazil's retirement visa (VITEM XI, sometimes marketed as the 'aposentado' visa) lets a foreign retiree obtain residency by proving a qualifying foreign pension or Social Security income. It is applied for at a Brazilian consulate before departure and converts to a CRNM residency card after registering with the Polícia Federal on arrival.

Brazil's main work visa is the VITEM V temporary visa, governed by the Migration Law (Lei 13.445/2017). It is strictly employer-sponsored: the Brazilian employer must first obtain a residence-authorization approval from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) before a consulate abroad will issue the visa. The visa is tied to a specific employer, role, and scope of work.