Apply for Permanent Residency in Brazil versus Consulate Abroad

Latam 玩偶姐姐 · 2025-07-01T19:48:07+02:00

Explore the pros and cons of applying for Permanent Residency in Brazil versus at a consulate abroad, focusing on timelines and costs related to your child's birth.

Latam 玩偶姐姐 New member

Member since Yesterday 17:40:25

Latam 玩偶姐姐New memberYesterday 17:48:07

Hi all!

Thanks first of all to everyone here, on the Brazil forum, who have taken the time to thoughtfully and thoroughly respond to others' questions. It's inspiring to see people helping one another just to make their lives a little easier.

My question is what changes, eg. timeline and/or cost/benefit, when applying for Permanent Residency ("PR") IN Brazil versus in a Brazilian consulate abroad? The basis for requesting the PR is the birth of a child in Brazil.

Our situation is as follows. My wife just gave birth to our child in Sao Paulo. We plan on staying for 2 months, and then flying back to our home country for 2-3 months and then returning to Brazil. Would it make sense to try and get the PR process done before leaving, or at least start the process while physically in Brazil? Is there any advantage or disadvantage to applying NOW versus in 2 months' time? Any idea on PR processing time at Brazilian consulates in general? I understand that it varies by location.

FWIW the intention is to give living in Brazil a chance next year, 2026. This is not our first visit. We're both fluent in Spanish and my wife has previously studied some Portuguese.

Thank you.聽聽

abthree Brazil Expert

Member since 28 December 2017

abthreeBrazil ExpertYesterday 20:20:43

6193

07/01/25聽 @Latam 玩偶姐姐.聽 Welcome, and congratulations!聽 If you have all the necessary documents with you to apply for residency at the Federal Police (PF) now -- the gating item is usually a criminal background check less than 90 days old from the country or countries where you've lived for the last five years -- you can save time and effort by applying now.聽 In the past, there were places in Brazil that could turn around an application like yours in about a month if the documentation was complete.聽 S茫o Paulo has a reputation for longer delays, but I don't know what the situation is now.聽

If you tell the PF that "the intention is to give living in Brazil a chance next year, 2026", they're liable to respond that you should try when you're ready to live here then, so you should not volunteer that information.聽 If asked directly, though, you should always respond truthfully to questions from the PF.

Regardless, make sure that you're child's documentation is perfect, and that you have duplicate originals or authenticated copies of the birth certificate and any related documents.聽 Since you'll be traveling, get a Brazilian passport for your child.聽 That's from the PF, too.

If you leave Brazil without obtaining residency, you're better off getting VITEM XI family reunion visas at a Brazilian Consulate in your home country and returning on those.聽 The time that you've used up on your Tourist Visas won't count against you then, and the registration process at the PF will be a lot simpler with the right visa.聽 Confirm this with the Consulate, but chances are that you'll need to show little or no additional documentation besides the VITEM XI.

roddiesho Serial expat

Member since 10 November 2022

roddieshoSerial expatYesterday 21:10:03

951

@Latam 玩偶姐姐 Definitely follow @abthree's advice. Being a Brazilian Permanent Resident I may add a few others.

1) Get accustomed to not comparing Brazilian Portuguese to Spanish. I live in a very small village in Northeastern Brazil Use this time to simply learn Brazilian Portuguese. Knowing Spanish is not the advantage you think it is when you are actually here.

2). It took me a year to get my Permanent Brazilian Residency. Half of that was with a very bad lawyer, however it will always take you 2 or 3 times more than than you think.

3). Follow the guidelines and time frame for leaving Brazil and coming back, especially the "Don't Tell" advice. I was physically detained for several hours after I came back to Brazil when I went to Miami for my US FBI Fingerprints etc.聽 The Customs Agent is on their own in keeping you out no matter what your advisers told you before. I also had every document known to man, but "not done" is "not done"聽 Being in the process does not carry much weight in Brazil, so make sure if you have the appropriate visa. It was also recommended that you have a refundable return ticket Even if you don't plan on using it. Having a one-way ticket with no Permanent Documentation will not work.聽

4). In the end I have one daughter 24, years old who is an American AND a Brazilian Citizen with an American AND Brazilian passport that is actually the reason I am a legal Brazilian Permanent Resident. My wife who is the smartest non-college educated person I know took complete care of her before she could even walk. She took her to Brazil right after she was born in the US. at such an early age that her first language is actually Brazilian Portuguese.

Good Luck!

Roddie in Retirement馃槑