Before you start

An approved visa — employer-sponsored (VITEM V), digital nomad (VITEM XIV) or family-based
For the nomad visa: proof of remote employment or contracts with a foreign entity and a minimum income
Passport valid for the stay
A Brazilian address for registration

Step-by-step

1
Get a CPF, ideally before you arrive
Brazil's tax number can be obtained without a visa, including from abroad through a Brazilian consulate or online. It gates bank accounts, phone plans and leases, so having it in hand on landing removes the main bottleneck.
OnlineWho: YouFree or nominal
2
Apply for your visa at a Brazilian consulate
The digital nomad visa (VITEM XIV) requires evidence of remote work for a foreign employer and a minimum monthly income or savings. Employer-sponsored routes require the company to secure authorisation first.
OnlineWho: You
3
Enter Brazil and start the 90-day clock
Registration is due within 90 days of your FIRST entry, not of your visa issue date. Leaving and returning does not reset it.
In personWho: You
4
Book and attend the Polícia Federal appointment
Schedule online through the Federal Police system, pay the fees via GRU, and attend for biometrics and document submission. São Paulo appointments book out, so schedule on arrival.
In personWho: YouWithin 90 days of first entry
5
Collect your CRNM
The Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório is your foreign-resident ID. It costs around BRL 372.90 in 2026 and is needed to work, rent and open bank accounts.
In personWho: You≈BRL 372.90
6
Renew before expiry, from inside Brazil
Digital nomad residence runs up to a year and is renewable for an equal period, applied for at the Federal Police while you are in the country.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Approved visa
CPF
Proof of Brazilian address
Birth certificate, apostilled and translated by a sworn translator
Criminal record certificate, apostilled
Paid GRU fee receipts

Things most newcomers don’t know

The 90 days run from first entry, and the deadline has teeth.

Without the CRNM, renewing your residence becomes much harder and in some cases impossible. Newcomers treat it as paperwork that can wait while they find an apartment — it cannot.

Source: Polícia Federal registration requirements

You can get a CPF with no visa at all, and should.

It is the single highest-leverage document in Brazil and it has no immigration prerequisite. Obtaining it before you fly turns your first week from a dependency chain into a checklist.

Source: Receita Federal — CPF for foreigners

Apostilles and sworn translations are the slow part.

Your birth certificate and criminal record need apostilling in the issuing country and translation by a Brazilian tradutor juramentado. Starting these after arrival can blow through the 90-day window on their own.

Source: Polícia Federal document requirements

Mercosur nationals have a far easier path.

The Mercosur residence agreement offers a simplified two-year temporary residence convertible to permanent, with far lighter requirements. If you hold a qualifying nationality, do not use the general route by default.

Source: Mercosur Residence Agreement

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming the 90 days run from visa issue rather than first entry.
Leaving apostilles and sworn translations until after arrival.
Not obtaining a CPF early, then finding banks, leases and phone plans all blocked.
Booking the Federal Police appointment late and finding no slots inside the window.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.