Required Documents for Residency Based on Family Reunion in Brazil.

09/08/24  If the Polícia Federal tell you to register some of your documents at the Cartório de Registro de Títulos e Documentos, then you should smile pleasantly and do it:  there's NO percentage to fighting with the PF while you're trying to get them to approve your residency or an extension.

But it's still an unusual request, so I wouldn't go to the bother and expense of doing it unless they asked for it, and if they didn't bring it up, I wouldn't either. 

@easygoer1050

We successfully opened an account with Banco do Brasil without needing the plastic card. However, when attempting to open an account with Itaú Bank, they required the card.

Regarding the plastic card, we did not receive any email notification, nor did our friends. The provided link to check its status was down for some time, and I later forgot to follow up. When I checked again, it appeared the card was ready for pick-up three weeks after our interview.

@Obinnau How long ago did you have your child? Do you have your card yet? How was the process? I am thinking of doing the same thing and would like some info and would love to message you if you dont mind.

Hello @abthree,

I have a question - I’ve had two digital nomad visa’s obtained (both with varying difficulty as I have two middle names, only one was on my passport and both are on my birth certificate).

I’m now in the seemingly endless process of obtaining residency by Family Reunion (my English wife has a renewed work Visa until 2033.

Now, I renewed my passport last October with both middle names, exactly matching my Birth & Wedding Certificate as advised by the PF and all the info I could find. The ‘immigration company’ I’ve used have been an absolute shambles because essentially I had my appointment at the PF at end of January, had my photo taken and fingerprints and the caseworker even wrote the Validade date on my appointment page.

However at the last minute, she confirmed with her manager that the residency couldn’t be finalised at my current (now expired) CRNM card had only one middle name and everything else had both. The shambolic immigration company didn’t state I needed the sworn translation of the birth certificate even though I sent the translated one through to them at the end of November 2024.

Im coming to the end of the 60 day extension but haven’t been able to get an appointment. I have the checklist sheet that the caseworker uses with everything ticked apart from the birth certificate section which has an X in it and an explanation of what I need at the bottom.

Do you know if I would need to book another appointment to finish this or can I just return with all the docs and the one I was missing (not told to bring) with the checklist saying I have this now, can you process? Does my wife need to attend again as well as on the checklist there is a tick where it says ‘Atesto a presença do chamante’.

Sorry for the essay!

Exasperated Expat

03/26/25 @Emlyn M.  How frustrating!  Has the immigration company you worked with offered to help in any way? 

I'm assuming that by "the caseworker" you mean the PF person who handled your application, not an employee of the immigration company.  I'm also assuming that you have a Sworn Translation of your Birth Certificate, and not an informal one.  If those assumptions are correct, you can try going to the PF, showing the person at the Information desk your checklist and the additional document, and asking how to get it included in your file.  Your wife should probably go with you; unless one of both of you speaks very good Portuguese, it would help to have a friend along who does, as well.  Best of luck.

@Emlyn M Quick Note. My Brazilian Permanent Residency was achieved by my Brazilian American daughter because my Brazilian wife of 25 years (and me the accomplice) did not register the marriage with the Brazilian Consulate in the USA when we were married. My wife also tended to use several different names.

Good Luck in making it through. The smallest missing or incorrect detail can easily derail the process.

Roddie in Retirement🕵

PS. You are not alone. My first "Immigration lawyers" - fancy office, penthouse suite, fine wine cart, in Fortaleza took my money and messed around for about 6 months before they admitted they did not know what they were doing. Fortunately, my wife's friend knew a good lawyer. I was also helped a lot by @abthree and the Expat.Com  BrainTrust.

Fortunately, I am in a unique position with my wife. EVERYONE who stepped up in person was someone we knew or met through other friends. It really gets to be "Who You Know" in Brazil.

Thanks both @abthree @roddiesho

They are still 'helping me' in terms of searching for an appointment every day but there are none, I've been checking Agenda Web every day too. The only one that came up was at 14.00 on a Tuesday but I checked at 13.54 so I just laughed (6 minutes to get across SP).

Yes, the caseworker was the person at the PF who handled my application. I think if she comes with me and the person at the information desk is nice enough I MAY get lucky and they may give me a ticket to complete the process.

Will return to the dreaded PF and let you know how I get on.

You're Welcome! Imagining that all will be successful, this would be a good time to learn as much Portuguese as possible. 😎

A side note: I don’t know what country you are from you mentioned your wife is from the UK. If you have a foreign drivers license and your home country is part of Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, then if you ever plan on trading your home country’s driving license for a Brazilian CNH, your name on your license better be the same as your passport and residence card else, you will have problems. The name must match. They don’t like missing middle names etc..

Hey all! Merry Christmas! 🙂

I'm about to apply for residency in Brazil (family reunification). My união estável mentions one passport - but I entered Brazil with a different passport, which doesn't require a visa.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Will it pose a problem during my application processing?

12/25/25 @montrealist.  Merry Christmas!  You should not have a problem as long as the CPF on your união estável matches the CPF on your residency application, and as long as you get your application in on time, i.e., while your presence in Brazil is still legal under the terms of the visa waiver you used to enter and has not expired.  If asked, be prepared to show both passports.

Please let us know how it goes.

@montrealist

Hi. Regarding concerns about the Federal Police (PF), in the context of residence authorization applications through a stable union, the PF conducts a thorough review of submitted documents and may identify discrepancies or request additional evidence.

I would suggest performing a preventive "Retificação de união estável" at the notary's office (Cartório-RCPN) contributes to greater peace of mind by minimizing the risk of administrative challenges. This process is expeditious and does not require judicial intervention, often being completed in a short period, frequently in less than an hour, subject to the notary's availability and the submission of supporting documents.

PLEASE NOTE: A rectification of a stable union refers to the procedure for correcting material errors or altering data in a previously executed public deed or declaratory instrument of stable union registered at a notary's office. Under Brazilian law, such rectification can be performed administratively at a notary public office, depending on the nature of the correction.

Regards,

NM

@montrealist

Bear in mind that everyone receives different passports at least every 10 years. I am now on my third one since coming to Brazil, and it has never been an issue, even when documents mention my original one, and I am using a different one...

@abthree

@abthree,  I just received my permanent residency on 4/4/2026.  I had brought all my documents from the US and went to the Catorio in my city.  It is a very small city and they didn't know how to process everything for the Estrangeiro Americano (Gringo to the lay person...lol)  They told my wife that we needed to go to Belem and go to the Catorio there. 

So we drive the 2 1/2 hours and wait.  After speaking to the lady at the counter they told us that we had to go to the other Catorio in Belem.  So we go there and they said no, you have to go back to your city, that is where they process it.  So we go back home and while I am working my wife goes back to our city hall and they said "we don't do that here".  We tried everything and then some.

At this point I had already booked a flight for 4/4/2026 because my 3 months were about up for staying in Brazil.  My wife called some of her friends and one of them had a son who was a lawyer. 

After submitting the documents, within 4 days I had an appointment with the Policia Federal in Belem.  Fingerprints, Photoshoot and a printout.  No interview.  Done!

It might be different in other states and cities but for me, it was a breeze once I had the lawyer.

04/16/26 @CraigDeVigia.  I'm glad that it worked out for you.  I hope that you paid the lawyer well -- he did an exceptionally good job for you.  Once an expat is on the wrong path a lawyer generally becomes necessary to turn things around, but not many manage as well as yours did for you.  And you were very lucky that the PF were cooperative.  They didn't have to be. When will you have your CRNM?

Don't be too hard on the cartórios for not knowing what to do:  processing foreigners for permanent residency isn't their job, and doesn't fall within their jurisdiction:  it's strictly a federal, PF matter.  It's disappointing, though, that the local cartório didn't tell you to go the the Polícia Federal, and hard to understand why the two cartórios in Belém didn't -- they, at least, should have known better.  Still, all's well that ends well. 

Thanks guys!  He did a fantastic job indeed.  Well, you know what they say, it's not what you know, its WHO you know (wink, wink).  The lawyer knew the guy at the PF so I'm sure that had something to do with it, but the lawyer did his research and got me all the forms I needed and was prepared.

Well the PF initially gave us a printout in the very beginning, about 6 months ago but apparently, aside from having the correct documents, did not tell us how to submit them.  Yes, all is well that ends well.

So I came back to the states on 4/4/2026.  I have to be back by 6/18/2026 otherwise my application and everything will be invalid and would have to start all over again.  My CRNM printout is conditional until June 18th.  I am flying back to Belem on 6/8/2026.  I was informed that my card would be ready by then.

04/16/26 @CraigDeVigia.  Sounds like you're ok now, so should continue on the course you're on, but just out of curiosity, why didn't you get a VITEM XI visa at a Brazilian Consulate before you came?  It would have made your life a lot easier.

Because Vitem Xi is only good for a limited amount of time. The goal was to buy the home and live in Brazil full time.  Mission accomplished.

04/16/26 Because Vitem Xi is only good for a limited amount of time. The goal was to buy the home and live in Brazil full time. Mission accomplished. - @CraigDeVigia

Someone apparently misinformed you:  VITEM XI is the usual -- and so much easier -- way  to get a CRNM.  But you've reached the goal even if you took the long way around, so you're home and dry and there's no need to look back.