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Residence — grounds and documents

The grounds for a residence permit in Brazil: a child, marriage or stable union, digital nomad, property; the document set and what to check in advance.

Residence (autorização de residência) is permission to live in Brazil beyond the tourist period. You apply to the Polícia Federal (PF), and after approval you register and receive the RNM / CRNM. Below is an overview of the grounds immigrants write about most often and the papers worth gathering in advance. This is not legal advice: in every case the PF sets the list of documents.

Checked on 8 October 2026. Rules change: check the official pages at the end.

In short

  • You can switch from tourist to resident status without leaving Brazil: a family filing on the basis of a child's birth did so in December 2024 (post).
  • Four grounds come up most often: a child born in Brazil; marriage or a stable union with a Brazilian; the digital nomad visa; buying property.
  • Almost all foreign papers need an apostille and a sworn translator's translation: Translations and apostille.
  • Get a CPF first: you need it to apply (CPF).

A child born in Brazil

The parents of a Brazilian child get residence through family reunification. According to parents' accounts, the set for filing in February 2025 looked like this (post, 06.02.2025):

  • birth certificates of both parents with an apostille;
  • a marriage certificate with an apostille, if you are married;
  • a certificate of no criminal record from your country of citizenship, with an apostille;
  • a CPF and valid passports;
  • proof of residence: a lease or a declaração from the owner.

A sworn translator translates everything foreign. A no-criminal-record certificate can be obtained at the Russian consulate in Brazil: in February 2025 it was issued there in Portuguese and did not need translating. In 2022 the order was different: the certificate was issued in Russian and had to be translated (post, 28.10.2022). The procedure has changed, so ask the consulate in advance what language it issues the certificate in now. Russia's consulates in Rio, São Paulo and Brasília work by appointment; for the certificates you need the originals of your birth certificate and internal passport (post, 26.12.2024).

Check the spelling of names beforehand: a Brazilian child's birth certificate records the parents, and a mismatch between documents then follows you through every procedure (post, 08.11.2022). Other family members (grandparents) can get residence through reunification: in October 2022 an application for a child's grandmother was accepted the first time, and the protocol was issued on the spot (post).

Marriage or a stable union

Residence can also come through marriage to a Brazilian citizen. The alternative to marriage is união estável, a stable union: it is registered at a notary office (cartório), and then the documents are filed with the PF. According to the channel author, legally it differs little from marriage (post, 17.12.2023). As after a marriage, by the author's account you can apply for naturalisation after one year of residence instead of four: more on the Citizenship page.

The digital nomad visa

For people who work remotely for a foreign employer or clients. The conditions on the Brazilian Foreign Ministry page (as of the check date): proven income from a foreign source of at least US$ 1,500 a month, or US$ 18,000 in a bank account; the initial residence period is up to one year. According to the authors you can apply in two ways: at a consulate before the trip, or already in Brazil at the end of the tourist stay. An example from July 2023: the package was sent by courier to the Brazilian embassy in Moscow, the visa was put in the passport and returned by post, and after entry they registered with the PF within 90 days (post, 07.07.2023). The application rules have changed over time, so take the current list from the consulate's page.

Buying property

A foreigner can get residence as a real-estate investor. According to a law-firm overview: the minimum value of the property is R$ 1,000,000, and R$ 700,000 in the North and Northeast regions; the permit is issued for four years, after which you can ask for indefinite residence. The property must be in an urban area, may be under construction, and you must own it for the whole residence period. Details in Buying a home.

What to gather in advance

  • Passports valid for at least two more years: otherwise you will have to renew them mid-process.
  • Birth and marriage certificates of the new type, with an apostille; after a surname change, the document recording it.
  • A no-criminal-record certificate (from Russia or at the consulate, see above).
  • A driving licence valid for at least two more years: it can be exchanged for a Brazilian one (Exchanging a licence).
  • 3×4 photos and a general power of attorney for a close person at home.

The last three items are tips from channel authors based on their own move preparation (post, 01.05.2023, post, 15.10.2025).

Sources

Official:

Personal experience (channels @russo_no_brasil, @brazil_lifehacks and @svoibrazil, in Russian):