Work Permits for Brazil
Most nationalities are required to apply for a visa before being allowed to enter Brazil. In order to obtain a tourist visa your passport needs to be valid for at least six months after your date of entry. Visitor’s Visas or Tourist Visas are usually valid for three months (90 days). Immigration authorities tend to check for a valid onward ticket and a bank statement showing that visitors have sufficient funds for the duration of the time you will be in Brazil.
Business travellers are required to apply for a Short Stay Business Visa, which entitles them to travel to Brazil on business, for conferences and trade fairs. Business visas are usually given for a period of up to three months.
Expats or people intending to work in Brazil need to apply for a Work Visa or Temporary Residence Visa. In order to obtain this visa expats need jump through a number of hoops. First, it's necessary to find a job in Brazil, either with a Brazilian company or a company based in Brazil. Then the company is required to submit an application on your behalf to Immigration at the Ministry of Labour. Temporary residence visas generally take between two and three months to be processed. The necessary documents needed include:
Permanent Visas are also available. This type of visa is offered to those who are married to Brazilian citizens, various high-level business people, research specialists as well as those who wish to retire in Brazil. Companies need to invest a great deal into the Brazilian economy or a Brazil based company in order for a permanent visa to be granted to one of their employees.
Expats over 50 years of age are able to get a permanent visa in order to retire in Brazil, but they are required to prove that they will transfer $2,000 per month to their Brazilian bank account. Expats who can speak Portuguese and who invest an excess of $50,000 into a Brazilian company are able to get a Permanent Visa valid for five years. After this amount of time the permanent visa can be renewed provided that they have created employment for a minimum of ten Brazilian citizens.
Once you have arrived in Brazil anyone staying for more than three months must get an Identity Card by registering with the Federal Police, a Work Card from the Labour Department and a Tax Identification Card from the Ministry of Finance.
Visitors who have recently travelled to a country that is a yellow fever risk need an International Immunization Certificate against yellow fever. However, this yellow fever vaccination is generally recommended to all expats travelling to Brazil.
Tourist, short stay and temporary visas generally take a minimum of five working days to process, however the various Brazilian embassies do change rules on occasion and they have been known to request in-person interviews with some applicants.
Like many large countries, Brazil has its fair share of bureaucracy, particularly when dealing with government institutions. The best way to get things done is by remaining calm and patient, and possibly insisting that your company or employer takes care of the process for you, or employs a visa agency.
Business travellers are required to apply for a Short Stay Business Visa, which entitles them to travel to Brazil on business, for conferences and trade fairs. Business visas are usually given for a period of up to three months.
Expats or people intending to work in Brazil need to apply for a Work Visa or Temporary Residence Visa. In order to obtain this visa expats need jump through a number of hoops. First, it's necessary to find a job in Brazil, either with a Brazilian company or a company based in Brazil. Then the company is required to submit an application on your behalf to Immigration at the Ministry of Labour. Temporary residence visas generally take between two and three months to be processed. The necessary documents needed include:- Passport valid for at least 6 months after date of entry, with at least two blank pages
- Completed application forms
- Criminal Clearance Certificate
- Two passport photos
- Bank statements showing sufficient funds in able to live in Brazil
- Education qualifications and degree certificates
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae showing relevant experience for the job you’ve applied for
- Approved Health Check/Medical Examination
- A letter of introduction from your future employer is not required but does tend to be very helpful
Permanent Visas are also available. This type of visa is offered to those who are married to Brazilian citizens, various high-level business people, research specialists as well as those who wish to retire in Brazil. Companies need to invest a great deal into the Brazilian economy or a Brazil based company in order for a permanent visa to be granted to one of their employees.
Expats over 50 years of age are able to get a permanent visa in order to retire in Brazil, but they are required to prove that they will transfer $2,000 per month to their Brazilian bank account. Expats who can speak Portuguese and who invest an excess of $50,000 into a Brazilian company are able to get a Permanent Visa valid for five years. After this amount of time the permanent visa can be renewed provided that they have created employment for a minimum of ten Brazilian citizens.
Once you have arrived in Brazil anyone staying for more than three months must get an Identity Card by registering with the Federal Police, a Work Card from the Labour Department and a Tax Identification Card from the Ministry of Finance.
Visitors who have recently travelled to a country that is a yellow fever risk need an International Immunization Certificate against yellow fever. However, this yellow fever vaccination is generally recommended to all expats travelling to Brazil.
Tourist, short stay and temporary visas generally take a minimum of five working days to process, however the various Brazilian embassies do change rules on occasion and they have been known to request in-person interviews with some applicants.
Like many large countries, Brazil has its fair share of bureaucracy, particularly when dealing with government institutions. The best way to get things done is by remaining calm and patient, and possibly insisting that your company or employer takes care of the process for you, or employs a visa agency.
