Before you start

Unlocked handset
CPF
Brazilian address, for postpaid

Step-by-step

1
Obtain your CPF first
Registration of any SIM requires it. There is no anonymous prepaid option in Brazil.
OnlineWho: You
2
Buy a prepaid chip
Available from operator stores, supermarkets and newsstands. Registration is done at purchase against your CPF.
In personWho: YouCommonly BRL 10–30 including credit
3
Top up as needed
Recharges are available in shops, through banking apps and via Pix.
Mobile appWho: You
4
Move to postpaid when settled
Postpaid plans offer better data value but involve a credit check against your CPF, which a new arrival will have no history for.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

CPF
Passport
Brazilian address, for postpaid

Things most newcomers don’t know

No CPF, no phone — there is no anonymous SIM in Brazil.

This puts the CPF ahead of the phone in your sequence, and the phone ahead of your bank account in practice. Getting the CPF from a consulate before flying collapses the whole chain.

Source: ANATEL registration requirements

A new CPF has no credit history, which limits postpaid.

Brazilian credit scoring is central to postpaid approval and you start at zero. Expect prepaid for the first months regardless of income.

Source: community-reported

Coverage in São Paulo is strong across all four networks.

Choose on price rather than coverage inside the metro area. The differences appear on interstate travel, not in the city.

Source: community-reported