Immigration

Entry Requirements

U.S. citizens can stay in Brazil for up to 90 days with a visa, which can be obtained only from the Brazilian Embassy or consulates. The Brazilian Embassy in the U.S. is located in Washington D.C. and Brazilian consulates can be found in six cities: Boston, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, California, Miami, Florida, and New York City, New York.

The visa application must be submitted in person with a scheduled appointment. The visa fee of US$185 must be paid through a U.S. Postal Service Money Order and made out to the Consulate General of Brazil. It takes at least five business days for the consulate to process the visa and have it issued. Within 30 days of arrival in Brazil, you will have to schedule an appointment in advance and register with the Brazilian Federal Police Office in the area that you are staying.

For any visa application, you will need the following documents:

• Original valid passport (valid for six months after arrival in Brazil)
• One visa application per applicant
• One passport photograph
• Proof of U.S. legal residency for the past 12 months

For more entry requirements information, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s website.

Temporary Residency

Brazil has a tourist visa called the VITUR visa. It is primarily for those visiting Brazil for recreation, leisure or to visit family and friends. The VITUR visa is good for multiple entries. A visitor can remain in Brazil no longer than 180 days in any 12-month period. It is unlawful to engage in business, training, voluntary work or professional activities with a tourist visa.

In addition to the documents required for a visa (please see Entry Requirements), you will need a printed copy of a document verifying your travel itinerary, such as a statement from your travel agency or a printout of your e-ticket.

There is a reciprocity fee of US$160 and a processing fee of US$20. Both fees are non-refundable, and are to be paid to the Consulate General of Brazil. It takes about five business days for the VITUR visa to process.

For more information on the VITUR Temporary Residency visa, visit the Consulate General of Brazil’s website.

Permanent Residency

Brazil’s permanent visa is called the VIPER visa. This visa is for those who are going to Brazil to be reunited with family, to retire, to work or to make a personal investment in Brazil. It takes four to eight weeks for the visa application to process.

In addition to the documents required for a visa (please see Entry Requirements), you will need a non-criminal-record certificate, issued by the police department and your birth certificate (or other document listing your parents’ names).

For U.S. citizens, a non-criminal-record certificate can be obtained by contacting the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) to request a “Criminal History Record Check.” Provide a cover letter, fingerprints on a standard fingerprint card and proof of identity. It can take up to 12 weeks to process. In addition to a non-criminal record from the FBI, you will also need to obtain a police certificate from your local or state police department, which you must apply for in person.

The FBI CJIS website has more information on how to obtain a Criminal History Record Check.

There is a US$360 reciprocity and US$20 processing fee, which are non-refundable and are to be paid in person to the Brazilian Consulate General. It will take about 10 business days to process the Business Visa application.

When you apply for this visa, you are indicating that you will permanently reside in Brazil. It is important to note that if you leave Brazil for more than two years in a row, your visa will expire.

For more detailed information on the VIPER Permanent Residence visa, please visit the Consulate General of Brazil’s website.

Work Permits

The work visa for Brazil is called the VITEM V visa. This visa is for individuals who have been previously approved with an employment contract, will provide technical assistance or will receive professional training.

In addition to the documents required for a visa (please see Entry Requirements), you will need a non-criminal-record certificate, issued by the Police Department and your birth certificate (or other document listing your parents’ names).

For U.S. citizens, a non-criminal-record certificate can be obtained by contacting the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) to request for a “Criminal History Record Check.” You will need to provide a cover letter, fingerprints on a standard fingerprint card and proof of identity. It can take up to 12 weeks to process. You will also need to obtain a police certificate from your local or state police department, which you must apply for in person.

The FBI CJIS website has more information on how to obtain a Criminal History Record Check.

There is a reciprocity fee of US$190, a US$100 visa fee and a US$20 processing fee. All fees are non-refundable and must be paid in person to the Brazilian Consulate General. It takes about five business days for the VITEM visa to process.

For more details about the VITEM V Work Visa, please visit the Consulate General of Brazil’s website.

Retirement

If you plan to retire in Brazil, you must apply for a VIPER visa for permanent residency, which takes four-to-eight weeks to process.

In addition to the documents required for a visa (please see Entry Requirements), you will need:

• A certified copy of your birth certificate and marriage license (if applicable)
• A letter stating your reason for moving to Brazil
• A business declaration detailing monthly retirement income
• A bank declaration verifying that the applicant can transfer US$3,500 to Brazil monthly plus US$1,500 for each dependent
• Proof of retirement
• A recent non-criminal-record certificate issued by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation

For U.S. citizens, a non-criminal-record certificate can be obtained by contacting the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) to request a “Criminal History Record Check.” Provide a cover letter, fingerprints on a standard fingerprint card, and proof of identity. It can take up to 12 weeks to process. You will also need to obtain a police certificate from your local or state police department, which you must apply for in person.

The FBI CJIS website has more information on how to obtain a Criminal History Record Check.

There is a visa fee of US$200, a reciprocity fee of US$160, and a US$20 processing fee. All fees are non-refundable.

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