Visa policy of Brazil

  Brazil

  Visa exemption for diplomatic, official and service passports

  Visa exemption for diplomatic passports

Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of countries exempt from visit visas (listed above) also do not need a visa, except those of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco and New Zealand, while those of Australia, Canada and the United States do not need a visa if traveling for tourism.[1]

In addition, holders of diplomatic, official or service passports of Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, China, Congo, East Timor, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Vietnam and Zambia and of diplomatic passports of Cuba, Iran, Pakistan and Uzbekistan do not need a visa.[1]

Brazil has signed visa waiver agreements with the following countries, but they are pending ratification or implementation:

•  European Union – amendment of existing agreement for holders of ordinary passports, redefining the maximum visa-free stay as 90 days within any 180-day period[100]
•  Sierra Leone – for holders of diplomatic, official or service passports, up to 90 days, or the entire period of a mission if accredited to Brazil[101]

In October 2019, the Brazilian government announced its intention to unilaterally waive the visitor visa requirement for nationals of China and India.[102] In November 2021, the Brazilian government announced plans to open a tourism office in China and to formalize the visa exemption for Chinese tourists.[103]

The Mexican government decided to suspend its visa waiver agreement with Brazil from 11 December 2021, requiring a visa or electronic authorization for nationals of Brazil to travel to Mexico. The Brazilian government announced that it would consider a reciprocal requirement for nationals of Mexico to travel to Brazil.[104] On 18 August 2022, Mexico discontinued the issuance of electronic authorizations for nationals of Brazil, requiring a regular visa.[105]

The visit visa (VIVIS) allows stays of up to 90 days, for the following purposes:[96]

• Tourism, including cultural and recreational activities, family visits, attending conferences, volunteer work, research, study and teaching;
• Business, including meetings, events, reporting, filming, surveying, signing contracts, audits, consulting, airplane and ship crew;
• Transit;
• Artistic and sport activities.

Holders of visit visas are not allowed to receive payment from Brazilian sources for the activities during their stay, except for daily allowances for living expenses, payments for entertainment performances, compensation for management of their own business, reimbursement of travel expenses, and competition prizes.[96]

The visit visa is usually valid for multiple entries during the visa validity period, which is generally one year but may be longer for some nationalities. Each stay is initially limited to 90 days, but an extension may be requested from the Federal Police after arrival. The combined stays must not exceed 180 days per any one-year period.[96]

Many types of temporary visas (VITEM) are available, for stays longer than 90 days. Certain types of visas allow employment in Brazil. For some visas based on work or investment, the applicant must obtain authorization from the General Coordination of Immigration (CGIG) before requesting the visa.[96]

All holders of temporary visas intending to stay for more than 90 days are required to register with the Federal Police within 90 days after arrival. After registration, they receive a national migration registration card (CRNM) and are granted residency for a certain period. In some cases this period may be "indeterminate" (permanent residency). Temporary residents may later apply to renew their residency period or convert it to permanent residency in some cases. Only the time spent as a permanent resident qualifies for naturalization.[96]

In addition to registration, a taxpayer number (CPF) is required for various transactions, and a work card (CTPS) is required for those who will be employed in Brazil.[106] These documents may be obtained in digital format online, free of charge.[107][108]

Summary of temporary visas[109][110][111][112]

VITEM	Purpose		Employment in Brazil	CGIG authorization	Nationality	Residency
I	Research, teaching or academic		yes	required	any	2 years, then permanent[lower-alpha 1]
			no	not required		2 years
II	Health care		not allowed	not required	any	1 year, renewable
III	Humanitarian		allowed	not required		2 years, then permanent
IV	Study		allowed[lower-alpha 2]	not required	any	1 year, renewable
V	Paid work		yes	required	any	2 years, then permanent[lower-alpha 3]
			no	in some cases		1 or 2 years[lower-alpha 1]
VI	Working holiday		allowed	not required		1 year
VII	Religious		not allowed	not required	any	2 years, then permanent
VIII	Volunteer work		not allowed	not required	any	1 year
IX	Investment	business	not allowed	required	any	permanent from the start
		real estate				4 years, then permanent
X	Economic, scientific, technological or cultural		not implemented
XI	Family reunification		allowed	not required	any	same as family member, or permanent after 4 years
XII	Artistic and sport		not allowed	required[lower-alpha 4]	any	1 year
XIII	International agreement		allowed	not required		permanent from the start
						2 years, then permanent
XIV	Retirement		not allowed	not required	any	2 years, then permanent
	Digital nomad					1 year, renewable
XV	Medical training		not allowed[lower-alpha 5]	not required	any	3 years, renewable

VITEM III is a humanitarian visa granted to nationals or stateless residents of countries experiencing serious instability, armed conflict, disaster or violations of human rights.[96] Brazil has designated Afghanistan,[113] Haiti,[114] Syria[115] and Ukraine[116] for this type of visa. Residency is granted initially for two years, after which the applicant may request permanent residency.

VITEM VI is a working holiday visa, whose primary purpose must be tourism but paid work is also allowed. This visa is available only by international agreement with the country of nationality.[96] Such agreements are in effect with Australia,[117] France,[118] Germany[119] and New Zealand.[120] These agreements require that the applicant be between 18 and 30 years of age, and allow a stay of up to one year.

VITEM IX is available for three types of investment. One type is for managers and executives whose companies invest at least 600,000 BRL in a Brazilian company, or at least 150,000 BRL and also generate at least 10 new jobs within two years.[121] Another type is for applicants who personally invest at least 500,000 BRL in a Brazilian company, or at least 150,000 BRL in research activities.[122] In both cases, the applicant is granted permanent residency from the start.

The other type of investment requires the personal purchase of urban real estate, for at least 700,000 BRL if located in the North or Northeast region, or at least 1 million BRL if located in another region. In this case, residency is granted initially for four years, after which the applicant may request permanent residency.[123]

VITEM XI is available for spouses, domestic partners, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and dependent siblings of a Brazilian citizen, or of a person holding or applying for Brazilian residency not also based on family reunification, and for legal guardians of a Brazilian citizen. For this visa, residency is granted initially for the same period as the family member. Applicants may request permanent residency when the family member acquires it or after four years of residency.[124][125]

VITEM XIII is available for nationals of countries with residency agreements. Agreements providing permanent residency from the start are in effect with Argentina[126] and Uruguay.[127] A Mercosur agreement is also in effect with Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru, providing residency initially for two years, after which the applicant may request permanent residency.[128]

VITEM XIV is available for retirees and beneficiaries of survivor pensions who have a monthly income of at least 2,000 USD and can transfer it to Brazil. Residency is granted initially for two years, after which the applicant may request permanent residency.[129][130]

VITEM XIV is also available for digital nomads, who work remotely for a foreign employer using telecommunications technology, with a monthly income of at least 1,500 USD from a foreign payer or bank funds of at least 18,000 USD. Residency is granted for one year and may be renewed.[131]

VITEM XV (VICAM) is available for medical doctors licensed in countries with more than 1.8 doctors per 1,000 people. They are assigned to work in locations with low numbers of doctors in Brazil. The visa allows a stay of up to three years, renewable for three more years.[132]

Requests for residency with the same purposes and conditions as temporary visas (except VITEM XII and XV) may also be made while the individual is already in Brazil, having entered with a certain visa or waiver but later qualifying for a different or more desirable category. In addition, individuals in various circumstances may also request residency while already in Brazil:[96]

• Former Brazilian nationals[lower-alpha 1][133]
• Refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people[lower-alpha 1][125]
• Unaccompanied minors[lower-alpha 2][134]
• Victims of human trafficking, slavery or other criminal abuses of migrants[lower-alpha 1][135]
• Individuals serving a criminal sentence or probation in Brazil[lower-alpha 3][125]
• Nationals of neighboring countries that have not ratified the Mercosur residency agreement (Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela)[lower-alpha 4][136]
• Nationals of Cuba who have participated in the Mais Médicos medical training program[lower-alpha 4][137]
• Nationals of the Dominican Republic[138] and Senegal[139] who have an application for refugee status under review (requires withdrawing the application)[lower-alpha 4]

Brazil issues diplomatic visas (VIDIP) to representatives of foreign governments or international organizations, as well as official visas (VISOF) to their staff. It also issues courtesy visas (VICOR) to notable people for unofficial trips, to family members and domestic workers of holders of diplomatic or official visas, and to artists and athletes for free cultural events.[96]

For issuing visit and temporary visas, Brazil accepts passports of all entities that have diplomatic relations with it (all member states and observer states of the United Nations, and the Order of Malta), as well as Kosovo and Taiwan. If the applicant does not hold any of these passports, the visa is issued on a laissez-passer.[1]

For issuing diplomatic and official visas, Brazil only accepts passports of entities that have diplomatic relations with it.[1]