This is the application made inside Brazil to live here legally. Once approved, it produces the migration registration and the issue of the CRNM, the Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório.
A residence permit (autorização de residência) is the act that allows a foreign national to reside legally in Brazil. It is applied for inside the country, at the Polícia Federal (Federal Police), on one of the grounds in Lei 13.445/2017: family reunion, work, study, investment or remote work. Once granted, it gives the right to the CRNM residence card.
A residence permit is not a single application with a single requirement. Lei 13.445/2017 sets out distinct grounds, each with its own evidence. Choosing the wrong ground is the most common cause of requests for correction and of refusal.
You can qualify on more than one ground at the same time. When that happens, one of them is faster, more stable or less dependent on other people. Identifying which one is the purpose of the initial analysis.
A comparison of the legal grounds most used by people applying for residence in Brazil.
| Ground | Who it is for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Family reunion | People with a spouse, partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling who is Brazilian or resident in Brazil | Proving the family tie is the heart of the case. A stable union requires robust evidence of life together. |
| Employment | People hired by a Brazilian company | The application depends on the employer's initiative and paperwork, not only on yours. |
| Study | People accepted by a Brazilian educational institution | Tied to the course: suspending or dropping out affects the validity of your residence. |
| Investment | People investing in Brazilian property or in a Brazilian company | There is a minimum amount set by resolution and the lawful origin of the funds must be proved. |
| Digital nomad | People working remotely for an employer or client outside Brazil | Set out in Resolução CNIg nº 45/2021. Requires proof of income earned abroad. |
| Humanitarian reception | Nationals of countries in a situation of serious instability or humanitarian crisis | Depends on a specific regulation in force for the country of origin. |
What each route requires in practice.
This is the most used route and the most poorly prepared. What decides the case is not the family relationship itself, it is the documentary proof of it. Foreign certificates have to be apostilled and translated by a public translator. In a stable union, a declaratory deed on its own is rarely enough: the authority expects a body of evidence of life together over time.
Two sides are involved. The Brazilian company has to prove the hiring and, on several grounds, obtain prior work authorization. On your side come your degree, proof of experience and criminal record checks. Coordinating both sides on the same timeline is what avoids doing the work twice.
Residence follows the course: it starts with acceptance by the institution and is renewed in line with the course length. If you change course or institution, that has to be reported. Unreported changes create an irregular status without the student noticing.
This applies to investment in property or in a Brazilian company, with a minimum amount set by resolution of the Conselho Nacional de Imigração (National Immigration Council). Beyond the amount, the authority examines the lawful origin of the funds and, for a company, the investment plan and the jobs created.
Created by Resolução CNIg nº 45/2021 for people who live in Brazil but work for clients abroad. It requires a contract or other proof of services provided to a foreign employer or client and proof of monthly income in foreign currency. It does not authorize employment with a Brazilian company.
Nationals of Mercosur member and associated States have a residence route of their own, with a leaner document list. If your nationality qualifies, this is almost always the fastest path, and plenty of people apply on another ground without knowing this option existed.
The procedure is electronic and the application is filed in the Polícia Federal system.
Identify which of the grounds in Lei 13.445/2017 you fall under and, where more than one applies, which one delivers the best result in your case.
Certificates and diplomas issued outside Brazil need an Apostille of the Hague Convention or consular legalization, and then a sworn translation (tradução juramentada). This is the longest stage and it has to start first.
CPF, proof of address in Brazil, criminal record checks and the documents specific to the ground you are applying on.
Registering the application in the official system, paying the fees and booking the appointment at the Polícia Federal unit.
Attending in person for the collection of biometric data and follow-up through to the issue of the Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório.
The definitive list depends on the grounds, but these items appear in most cases.
On several grounds, yes. Family reunion and Mercosur, for example, allow an application made inside the territory with no specific prior visa. The critical point is timing: the application has to be made while your stay is still regular, or the case starts to involve regularization as well.
It depends on the grounds. Residence through family reunion, for example, allows paid activity. Digital nomad residence does not authorize employment with a Brazilian company. Check the work authorization attached to your grounds before signing any contract.
There are permits for a fixed term and permits for an indefinite term, depending on the grounds. Fixed-term permits have to be renewed before they expire, and missing that deadline is one of the most common causes of irregular status.
A spouse, partner and children can generally obtain residence through family reunion linked to yours. These are normally separate cases, filed together, and not a single collective application.
An administrative appeal is available, with its own deadline. It is also possible to refile the application on other legal grounds, where they exist. That is why it matters to understand the reason for the refusal before simply filing again.
The rules cited on this page follow Lei 13.445/2017 (the Migration Law) and Decreto 9.199/2017. Requirements, deadlines and amounts may be changed by later regulations. Confirm the rule in force before making any decision.
In the free case analysis we identify the correct legal grounds that apply to you, before you spend time or money on documents.
Answer five questions. You get a reply setting out the immigration route that fits your situation.
