Al
@abthree
American and Brazilian citizen
Forum posts
6398
Contacts
32
About me
American and Brazilian
Speaks English, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, some Spanish
Registration: 28 December 2017
Activity
No More Paying A Ransom for Amazon.com Orders by Roddie Simmons
Let me explain. This is not something I think will happen to others, hopefully. I live in a very small village of less than 3,000 people in Northeastern Brazil. There are times when I do not think I can get a product locally (i.e., my computer ...
04/15/26 Very insightful. Thank you so much for the explanation! - @CraigDeVigia You're very welcome.BTW, this tax regime applies to gifts as well, so it's a very good idea to ask friends and family abroad to NOT send you packages without clearing ... Read More
No More Paying A Ransom for Amazon.com Orders by Roddie Simmons
Let me explain. This is not something I think will happen to others, hopefully. I live in a very small village of less than 3,000 people in Northeastern Brazil. There are times when I do not think I can get a product locally (i.e., my computer ...
04/14/26 @CraigDeVigia. The tariff ("II", "Imposto de Importação") is what it is, whoever the seller. The state VAT ("ICMS", "Imposto Sobre A Circulação de Mercadorias e Serviços de Transporte Interestadual e ... Read More
New members of the Brazil forum, introduce yourselves here - 2026 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Brazil forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
04/14/26 @CraigDeVigia. Welcome, Craig! It's great to have more representation for the North here -- my husband and I live in Manaus in Amazonas, the next state over. Of course, in the North "the next state over" means something very different -- ... Read More
Brazilian Passport by onthabay
Hello, I'm an American living in Brazil with a permanent residency card. I keep seeing Instagram ads, and other ads saying "Get Your Brazilian Passport Now!" I have asked administrators at my local Federal Police station where I received my Perm. ...
04/12/26 Thx. Somehow i expected this to be harder. How much does it cost, all-in?Also, which of the four levels of the CelpeBras exam do you have to pass? - @Kurterino Yes, it's easier than you might think. The biggest obstacle is ... Read More
Brazilian Passport by onthabay
Hello, I'm an American living in Brazil with a permanent residency card. I keep seeing Instagram ads, and other ads saying "Get Your Brazilian Passport Now!" I have asked administrators at my local Federal Police station where I received my Perm. ...
01/10/26 @onthabay. Hi, Rick. No, a Permanent Resident cannot get a Brazilian Passport; only a citizen, by birth or naturalization, can. Here are the authoritative requirements:https://www.gov.br/mj/pt-br/assuntos/se … ... Read More
Mozzarella by Kurterino
This is the second time I’m opening a thread about food, and just like the last one, it’s about a dairy product (last time I inquired about cream). I like to bake a pizza once in a while, it’s a tasty meal and very easy to make at ...
04/10/26 @bepmoht. Yes indeed -- thanks for the memories! 😃 Read More
Mozzarella by Kurterino
This is the second time I’m opening a thread about food, and just like the last one, it’s about a dairy product (last time I inquired about cream). I like to bake a pizza once in a while, it’s a tasty meal and very easy to make at ...
04/10/26 @Kurterino Well, I did some reading, and it is indeed possible to make mozzarella at home, and all you need is milk and vinegar. However, normally you would need “rennet” (I hope that is the correct word, I think ... Read More
Banking and transferring money from the U.S. by onthabay
Hello, My name is Rick. I live in a small town in the state of SP. I am married to a Brazilian, and I retired last year and we moved here. I have been trying to open a bank account in my name, showed them my CPF # and my permanent residencey card, ...
04/09/26I had an ITAU account set up last year (I finally had my CRNM card approved back then) and recently they took my money out and transferred it to a NU bank account (which I had as well)...I had never seen that before...I will be visiting ITAU ... Read More
carnê-leão by ibdegen
Sorry if this is covered in another topic, but I have not found anything. I am a retired American with a permanent residence visa. I have been paying taxes for the past two years in Brasil and am getting ready to file a return for 2025. For the ...
04/06/26 @ibdegen. Everyone's tax situation is different, so I can't give you individualized tax advice, and am not qualified to do so anyway. I'm a retiree from the US like you are, though, and have been paying taxes in Brazil since 2018, and can ... Read More
Remember: When Changing Phones... by Pablo888
April 4, 2026I just upgraded my phone (twice) recently. The upgrade path was easy but one thing I did not do before wiping out my old phone is:Make sure to login in both the old and new phone and transfer the account from the old to the new by QR ...
04/05/26 @Pablo888. Happy Easter! If you're not currently in Brazil this won't be of much use to you until you are, but the last time I got a new phone I had to authorize it for my Banco do Brasil account at a BB ATM. The process was quick and ... Read More
Updating RNM with New Passport – Process in Brazil by Shahbaz Shaikh786
Hi everyone,I returned to Brazil with a new passport, but my RNM (Registro Nacional Migratório) is still linked to my old passport. There was no issue or fine at immigration.I’d like to know the correct process to update this with the ...
03/30/26 @Shahbax Shaikh786. The reason that you didn't have a problem with your new passport is that your CRNM isn't linked to your passport, old or new. It's an identity card, and it's linked to your identity, which didn't change; only your ... Read More
CRNM / Digital Nomad Visa by ds0007
Questions to those who have a Brazil digital nomad visa:How long is the CRNM valid for? If your digital nomad visa expires is the CRNM no longer valid?Can you use the CRNM to open bank accounts, etc?If the digital nomad visa expires, do they close ...
03/23/26 @*HernameisRio* Note the Frequently Asked Questions section at the end of this article. It confirms what I've said above (and my own experience), that US taxpayers (Brits and Germans, as well) enjoy a substantial savings on taxes because ... Read More
CRNM / Digital Nomad Visa by ds0007
Questions to those who have a Brazil digital nomad visa:How long is the CRNM valid for? If your digital nomad visa expires is the CRNM no longer valid?Can you use the CRNM to open bank accounts, etc?If the digital nomad visa expires, do they close ...
03/22/26 Thanks @abthree. Unfortunately no one has a great resource for me, so year is why im reaching out here for help. I also have heard the US does Not have a tax treaty with Brazil so I think that makes my tax situation worse... do3s anyone ... Read More
CRNM / Digital Nomad Visa by ds0007
Questions to those who have a Brazil digital nomad visa:How long is the CRNM valid for? If your digital nomad visa expires is the CRNM no longer valid?Can you use the CRNM to open bank accounts, etc?If the digital nomad visa expires, do they close ...
03/20/26 @*HernameisRio*. If you've been in Brazil for 183 days in the same tax year, you may have some Brazilian tax liability. As long as you've been paying taxes on all your earnings in your home country, though, your Brazilian taxes may be ... Read More
Renouncing US Citizenship: State Department Reduces Fee 80%
03/19/26 We have sometimes had questions from US Citizen expats about renouncing their US citizenship, so I'm posting reliable information on this new development ... Read More