Getting married in Brazil, Permanent Visa and documents required

In my opinion everything will be fine

What do suggest doing? Do what the consulate suggest "address it with the marriage certficate ready both consulate and cartorio 1 marriage certificate" or just sign and submit the visa form with my father's second name missing?

Will they be rigid and have me go after a beurocractic catastrophy? Having to go do another process. Who knows what (if you do know, please let me know).

My thinking is that White Visa Form is finalized and all in the system


Will they be able to have a simple change in their system to conform to the marriage certificate information?

Hey!
Just wanna say thanks for this post. I used it the whole time throughout my wife and I getting married.
Very useful information.. thanks a lot

I have a question though:
I've got my protocolo and was told to go back after 3 months to get my ID card.
This card I have to get stamped 3 months later..  and then every 6 months.
But..  4 months down the line and I still haven't been back to exchange my protocolo for my ID card as I've broken my toe.  Do you think this is going to be an issue?
What's stopping me from going there in a couple of months, collecting the card and getting a new stamp too?

Hey!
Just wanna say thanks for this post. I used it the whole time throughout my wife and I getting married.
Very useful information.. thanks a lot

I have a question though:
I've got my protocolo and was told to go back after 3 months to get my ID card.
This card I have to get stamped 3 months later..  and then every 6 months.
But..  4 months down the line and I still haven't been back to exchange my protocolo for my ID card as I've broken my toe.  Do you think this is going to be an issue?
What's stopping me from going there in a couple of months, collecting the card and getting a new stamp too?

I doubt you'll get anything more than a good tonguelashing:  well deserved, if "I broke my toe!" sounds like as lame an excuse for being late to them as it does to me!
Still, don't waste any more time in limping on over there:   no point in compounding the offense. 

I'm sorry you're having a bad day.  Thanks for your constructive response but unfortunately it has no value to me.

It shouldn't be an issue. just go get it before they send it back.

Jim

Does your protocol have an expiration date? What do you mean that you have to get a stamp in 3 months and then every 6 months?

@MattyBRUK - let us know how things went in the end. I'm also waiting for my card ID. But still have some weeks before I will call them to ask if they have my card.

Hello! For proof of address is it possible to just use my husbands name as our apartment is in his name?

Klopes

In combination with your Brazilian Marriage Certificate that lists both your names (or your "Traslado de Casamento", if you were married in the US and registered the marriage at the Cartório after you got to Brazil), yes.  That's what we used.

As others have said, and I agree with them that You should be ok. They did not ask for my birth certificate either. They only wanted that white form you speak of, my passport including the family Reunion Visa, Police Certificate issued within 90 days and certified by Brazilian Embassy/consulate in Canada and then had to Fill out some paperwork at the Federal Police (but my Brazillian wife took care of filling out these forms hahaha)
Best wishes and Luck

Yep.  Fortunately (since they would need to be apostilled and translated by a Sworn Translator), birth certificates are usually secondary documents used to show the spelling of your parents' names.  Since a marriage Certidão from a Brazilian Consulate or a marriage certificate or Traslado de Casamento from a Cartório are official Brazilian documents that already have that information, birth certificates normally aren't required when one or more of those documents is available.

I'm a Nigerian married a Brazilian but I have divorced her. My resident in Brazil is four years can I do naturalization?

If you have a CRNM; your record with the PF is clean and no complaints recorded from your ex-spouse; you haven´t been out of the country for more than 2 years; then you should inquire to the corresponding authorities of how to execute your claim...

robal

thanks ! that was great !!
one question, i married a brazilian abroad , not in brazil , and i want to get the permanent residence (viper) , they told me that i can earn it here in the brazilian consulate .
my question is , this viper makes you officially a permanent resident , like i don't need to go to brazil after i earn it to do any procedures there ? because ive heard that the only thing i would do in brazil is to live one year to grant the nationality if i want , not more .

I'm not sure who "they" are, but "they" told you wrong.  As I explained in the other thread, VIPER was abolished in 2017.  Old ones continue to be valid, but Brazilian Consulates are no longer issuing new ones, so you can't get one.
VIPER DID entitle the holder to permanent residency -- that was the great thing about it -- but s/he STILL  had to go to Brazil and register with the Federal Police to make it effective.  With VITEM, you have to go through the whole Federal Police process; all VITEM does is let you do that.
It is technically true that, if you're married to a Brazilian, you qualify for naturalization after one year of permanent residence (counted from the issue date of your CRNM), instead of the usual four years.  However, to do that you need to (1.) actually BE in Brazil for one continuous year, or clear any absences in advance with the Federal Police, and (2.) go through another paperwork process with the Federal Police, including providing rigorous proof of your Portuguese language capabilities, usually by passing the CELPE-BRAS test, which is only given twice a year.  Registration for next month's CELPE-BRAS has already closed; the next one should be in October, or thereabouts.
BTW, if you and your Brazilian spouse haven't registered your marriage yet a Brazilian Consulate, you definitely want to do that before you come to Brazil, and have the Consular Certidão in hand when you arrive.  Once you get to Brazil, for your marriage to have legal effect, you're going to need to register it with the Cartório do 1o Offício in your spouse's hometown.  With the Consular Certidão, that process is pretty much automatic; without it, members here have reported going through nine kinds of hell with Cartórios.

Hey,

Just a quick update on my visa situ...

I went on Thursday to the Polícia Federal in Niterói with all my required documents for a residency visa to triple check they were correct and the lady who I dealt with couldn't have been nicer! She checked everything and although I had my own declarations she gave me two that the Polícia Federal deem "better". So i had my appointment this morning at the same place and the same lady dealt with us. The process was so easy. Once she checked the documents again she passed onto her colleague who processed everything. They took my biometrics and gave me an official certificate to show I am now a legal resident in brazil. She advised there is currently a backlog for visas but to return in 3 months to collect my identity card and if it's not ready to come back again in another 3 months. She also advised that this certificate is enough for me to start working here.

Another thing I found out is you do not need a visa in order to apply for your CPF, I went to my local post office and paid 7 real and they processed this for me, I just had to go online and print one document to register it.

Hope this can help others.

Aisling

Aisling,
Congratulations- wonderful news.  Thanks for the update.  So glad it all worked out for you.

Thank you very much!

Aisling

Turns out the whole situation has changed.  They've moved the police HQ from Galeão to the national airport at the end of Flamengo Beach.  Everything is much simpler..  they've literally just given me a piece of paper that says because I'm married here I have a 9 years - enough time to apply for citizenship.  In terms of the RNE card.. they give you a website to check a code and it flashed up green to say "your card has arrived go and collect".  I'm off to pick it up next week 👍🏼
I think they're trying to make all this complex burocracia much more simple.  Parabéns.

Dear James,

Are the changes regarding permanency application based on marriage still in place?

Remy,

James died several years ago, and is no longer with us.

Yes, the changes are still in place, and probably will be for a long time.  Brazil completely revised its laws on immigration in May of 2017, and the changes went into effect at the end of November of 2017.  The previous law was in effect for about forty years, and this one is clearly designed to last for a similar amount of time.

The principal changes are:
1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can no longer issue Permanent Visas (VIPER) to foreigners abroad through Brazilian Consulates, although VIPERs issued prior to November 2017 continue to be valid.  Under the new law, Consulates issue temporary visas (VITEM), that allow a prospective immigrant to come to Brazil and apply to the Ministry of Justice, through the Federal Police, for permanency.  All permanency decisions are now made by the Ministry of Justice; under the old law, responsibility was shared with Foreign Affairs.  The most important effect of this change for immigrants from non-Portuguese speaking countries is that ALL documents to be presented to the Federal Police, except for the passport, need to carry apostilles from the issuing authority, and be translated by a Brazilian Sworn Translator into Portuguese.  If an immigrant's country is not a party to the Hague Convention on Apostilles, the documents need to be legalized at a Brazilian Consulate in the issuing country before coming.
2, The VIPER for retirees was eliminated, although those issued prior to the reform continue to be in effect.
3. The terms for residency by reason of investment were revised.
4.  Rule for migration for humanitarian reasons/asylum were liberalized and expanded.
5. The word "estrangeiro/foreigner" was replaced in the law by "migrante/migrant", with corresponding changes in terminology for the all relevant documents and registries.

Dear abthree,

I'm sorry to hear that..

Thank you very much for your elaborate reply, I will take it into account.

Remy

I also posted this as a general new question because this thread is So long with so much varied and revised info etc., so sorry!

Americans who've recently been married in Brazil, please help me do this right!   (I read through the very very long thread and so much varied info and revisions and countries....)

1) I just got fresh birth certificates.   I'm assuming I now send them back to that state (sigh) for apostille.

2). AFFIDAVIT OF SINGLE NEVER MARRIED - I can come up with some appropriate affidavit and then get That notarized. BUT who apostilles this?!?.  Should I use a service such as you find on internet who handles these tho ha?

3.  Copies of passport.  Who apostilles this?   An agency in DC?  Can I get this done in a timely manner by mail or should I run to DC? 

4.  Do I need a criminal background check?   If so, from whom?   And who apostiles?   So far this has not been a request over in São Paulo.  Will I need that for permanent visa post-marriage?

Anything else? 

THANK YOU THANK YOU

Hi, Greg,

Are you already in São Paulo, or still in Pittsburgh?  If you're still in PGH, it's easier to get as much of this done as possible before you leave, but it can still be done long distance.  If it's possible to get married in the US before you come, that makes things MUCH easier, but obviously, it requires your fiancé/é to be in the US, too.

First, two general principles about apostilles:
1. Passports do NOT require apostilles, and generally do not require Sworn Translations in Brazil, either:  your passport stands alone as proof of citizenship and identity.
2. Apostilles for US documents issued under the authority of a state, including documents issued by counties or municipalities, and notarized private documents, require an apostille from the Secretary of State of the State where they were issued.
3. Apostilles for US documents issued under Federal authority, like your FBI Background Check, require apostilles from the US Department of State.
4. States will not issue apostilles for Federal documents, and the Department of State will not issue apostilles for State documents, so be sure to make your requests to the right governments.

Now, on your specific questions.
Birth Certificate:  a birth certificate is a secondary document for Brazilian authorities.  They only use it to confirm the names of your parents, which are required on a dizzying number of Brazilian documents -- your passport is the primary document that proves your identity and citizenship.  If you have a new birth certificate, especially if it has a raised seal, they MAY accept it, with a Sworn Translation.  To be 100% safe, get an apostille from the Pennsylvania Secretary of State, if that's where you were born, otherwise from your birth state.
Affidavit that you were never married:  you can do that here, or, if you're married in the US, at the Brazilian Consulate when you register your marriage.  Brazilian Notary Offices ("Cartórios") have a form.
Criminal Background Check,  You will need this from the FBI, and need to have it apostilled by the US State Department, to apply for permanent residency.  If you're still in the US, you will be FAR AHEAD to use an Official FBI Channeller, rather than the FBI.  The Channellers turn the background checks around in 1-2 days, the FBI in West Virginia in 2-3 months.  Channellers also can provide the Background Check in electronic format:  there are services in Washington that can work with that to get your apostille.  They're expensive, but less than going to Washington yourself.
Any other questions, ask away!

Thank you thank you.  I think I'm on the right track

Yes, still here in the States.  Back to São Paulo for three weeks end of May, then back to US for a final few months.   Marriage in US not a possibility as brasil fiancée denied tourist visa (sigh).  Trying to time all of this out very carefully, with current documents, and flights, and my lease here, and selling EVERYTHING, etc etc.  I'm a wreck.

At very least I think we'll be able to start the marriage license process in São Paulo.   Fiancé has been into cartório twice now to inquire etc.   fiancé was told there are ways to work around that 30 day publication thing but I'll believe that when I see it....

Birth certificate s back to appropriate state for Apostille

No apostille for passport?   (That makes sense but it wouldn't hurt to get one done.....copy and apostille)

Affidavit for single status:   No US document with apostille needed?

Criminal background , I will hold to get that started when I'm back in States in June

Am I on track?

Thank you thank you.

Greg

Denied tourist visa. Have you tried the K-1 fiancee visa yet?
My wife and I found out after 5 failed attempts to get her a tourist visa (4 of which were before we were married) that if their visa application mentions that they know someone in the US, it's basically an automatic denial. Especially with what we have in the White House right now.

Yes, that's exactly the tenor of the visa interview these days; fiancé said virtually everyone in the interview line that day was denied. The personal circumstances are such (fiance's Mother, friends, lifelong home etc in brasil, while I have none of those close ties here)  are that it's better if we just do it all in brasil.

Fiancé visa!!! And do every paperwork in the US. Easy woozy...

robal

You sound good on time.

Too bad about the tourist visa.
From what I've read, it's possible to get the wait time reduced to about 15 days; less than that is doubtful.  If the Cartório is already telling your fiancée that it's a possibility, that's very positive:  a lot of these things are within their discretion, if they're willing to exercise it.  You might want to have her confirm that you can complete the Affidavit that you're single at their office; I'm pretty sure that's the case.

Since it's unnecessary, I'm not sure that the State Department would even give you an apostille for a passport.  "Your" passport isn't a document issued to you -- it continues to be property of the United States Government, you just get to use it.  You can call the Office of Authentications at (202) 485-8000 to confirm, if you're worried.

You'll need passport copies (covers included) several times for different processes.  What has worked well for me was to scan my passport into my computer one spread at a time as jpgs, trim the jpgs, and put them into a Word document, that I just print out every time it's needed.  After your definitive arrival in Brazil, you'll want to put the image of the page with your arrival stamp in the Word document, in place of the corresponding blank page.

I completed my application for Naturalization last month, so had to time my Criminal Background Check much like you will for your Permanent Residency.  The Federal Police want it to be less than 90 days old (with some flexibility), so count back from when you plan to make your request, which should be shortly after your wedding. 
Here's the list of Approved Channellers:  https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ident … ubmissions
Check for who's closest to you.  I was living in Chicago, so I used Accurate Biometrics -- they're great.  They fingerprint you electronically, and provide both a hard copy and an electronic version of your document.  Others probably have similar services.  To get it apostilled by the Department of State, I sent the electronic version to National Apostille Inc. in Washington, DC.  It cost about $300, and was turned around in a couple of days.
For Sworn Translations, I've had several very good experiences with Fidelity Translations.  They work from electronic versions of documents, their prices are reasonable, they turn documents around quickly, and their Sworn Translations are accepted throughout Brazil.  In SP there are local Sworn Translators that you can check for price and turnaround.

If you could prove a close relationship or attachment to the individual you intend to marry, that would certainly hasten the process of approval. Eg: A joint account at any financial establishment in the US with her. You can request a Tax ID number from the IRS for her to establish that account in lieu of the Social Security number. This can be done on-line by you... Then just download the form for the fiancé visa and fire away.

robal

I am so grateful.   They should make your response a sticky note.  This are by far the clearest answer(s) available anywhere

Actually, yes, the 15 day waiting period is exactly what they're telling him.  I think we're going directly to the licensing offices the first day I arrive.

For my wife's tourist visa applications we had her attending business & computer classes, we opened a small restaurant, and even had a friend transfer his house and property into her name. Basically we did everything they told her in the first interview would be seen as strong and virtually unbreakable ties to Brazil. Oh. Almost forgot. We also paid to move her daughter's family from Recife down here to Bertioga so we could honestly claim strong family ties as well.

Hey Greg,
Sounds like you have a good grip on the things that you have to do and are doing these things correctly. I want you and any other person who may read a post where I give advice that the information and advice I give Is Based Soley Upon my Personal experience with the issue.
1) Good idea on saving the Criminal Records Check (AND YES SIR, IT IS MANDATORY TO HAVE THIS IN ORDER TO PROCESS YOUR PERMANENT RESIDENCY) for last because when you Apply for your CRNM here due to marriage  of a Brazillian. They Require this Criminal certificate, and Has to be issued Within Last 90 Days prior to the application. The Criminal Report has to be Obtained from Federal Government (in your case, the F.B.I.). And yes Obtain an Apostille for it by  U.S. Sec of State. After it has proper Apostille, TAKE IT to local Brazilian Consulate and have them Also Verify and Certify the document. On the back of it, they will Affix their Seal and Sign that the document(s) is True and Legal.
2) If You are looking to get a copy of your passport Notarized, Just Do that Here in Brasil! Very easily done for about 30 Real. Make copies of the passport and any other documents you want to notarize, Take them Along with the Orginals to a Notary Here and Have the local, Brazilian Notary do it. It will be better in long run as the Brazilian Notary Will Always be Accepted and Never Questioned as to its Legality! Nor will you have to have it Translated!
3) Same advice for the Statement of Never being Married...If you do it in P.A, the only thing that the state can give would be maybe and I stress Maybe a Statement that says your Not Currently married in the State of Pennsylvania (because each state is in charge of recording marriages within their own state and No Other State as well as then it goes further down the Line because each County Issues and Records Marriages and Divorces that occurred Solely within their county) If you do this, have the State affix an Apostille and this is done at te Sec of State of Pennsylvania. Again take that Statement after you have Apostille to the Brazilian Consulate and have them Verify and Certify the document as True and Legal. I would Have your Fiance Ask the local Cartario if a Notarized Statement Done in Brasil is Acceptable because it will be much easier for you if it is....
I Would Wait to Go to Brasil Consulate Until you have ALL the Documents you Need for them to Certify and Take All of them at Same Time!
You May Have to Have some of these Documents Translated into Portuguese After You Arrive and Submit them to Various Agencies.
You can Ask the Brazilian Consulate if they Offer this service when you take Documents to them for Verification And Certification. They will tell you what to do if they offer it and if not, it is very easy to have these Documents Translated by Someone here who is Legally Able, I had all my Documents Translated by a Company in Salvador who was Recommended by and Accepted by Brazilian The government
As Official and Certified Transcribe Service 4) Obtain a C.P.F. When you Arrive As it is Needed For Even a simple Transaction such as Buying a Cell Phone, a TV, or setting up Any type of Account such as Internet service, An Abolute Necessary Document needed for every day life here in Brasil but is By far the Easiest to Obtain!
It is Brasils Version of a SSN. And Easily Obtained for about 10 Real. All you need to obtain it is Your Passport, pay the 10 Real and they Issue it On the Spot. Pay the Fee at local Post office (Correos) and take reciept to local tax office who will Issue you C.P.F.
Also, Do Not Bank on any Brazilian Cartario or any other official "Working Around" the Laws in regards to Marriage. And it takes approx SIX Months in Order to Go thru the Beurocratic Process of Submitting Paperwork and having it Approved and then Obtaining a Wedding date, and being a foreigner makes it More difficult because of the Paperwork being submitted on Your behalf, alot will be in English and these political appointees here are horrible slow to begin with and are even worse when it come to processing things that they dont have knowledge about such as Foreign documents.

If You Want to Speed Up the Marriage Process and Legally get Married WITHIN ONE MONTH AS I did with My Brazillian wife, TAKE YOUR BRIDE TO ARGENTINA AND GET MARRIED THERE! It is A Simple Process and Takes only a few Weeks!
Alana and I Are Coming up on our One Year Anniversary. Was Much, Much easier (and basically All You Need Is Your Passport, that's Right Your Passport). Bring back the marriage license to Brasil and File it here and recieve a Brazillian Document that Recognizes and Legalizes your marriage. We recieved this Document from Cartario 2 Days After we submitted the Documents to Him.
And I Just Recieved my CRNM (Was a Five Month Processing Time)
I will be happy to answer any question you have about this or anything else....
Sorry for the Book, but I wanted to give proper info
Best wishes, Good Luck
Lawrence

Hi Lawrence!
I just joined tonight and was glad I saw your post. Can you please message me and give more specific details on the process you and your wife went through to be married?
I am moving to Brazil next week, May 16. Excited, but dreading the bureaucratic process to be married to my Brazillian fiancé.

Thanks so much!!
Paul

Hey Paul,
Wow! Very Best Wishes to your Fiance and yourself, that is great.....
Ok, here goes me answering your question, will be kinda long hahaha
I will be brief about it here and send you a friend request where we can exchange emails and phone number in order to be more specific about certain names and phone numbers I may reccomend as well as not having a crazy long response here...
Firstly as anyone with Any Knowledge of Brasil and their laws, especially laws about marriage will tell you that to Get Legally married here Requires Federal Government Permission! And it is the Government and Only the government that can legally Marry Two People (Church weddings here Are Always Secondary for Religious purposes Only and Have Absolutely No Legal Validity) With that said in order to obtain the permission it takes Upwards of Six Months to do this and to Recieve a Marriage Date! And all the paperwork they want is outrageous and you will probably find yourself having to get documents from home you dont have and then get the documents Notarized or with an Apostille and Legally Translated....
Which may Seriously make life Hard on you and Fiancee. Also remember that if you come on a Visitor Visa the Visa is only good for 3 months and may be extended for another 3 months and if you are here after the Visa expires and you remain here even though you know you will pay the fine for this at 100 real a day, you are still Illegally here, and the Government WILL NOT MARRY YOU....
So anyway now Onto Argentina. Their Law for Marriage is Simple! All one needs to be married there is a Passport (avoiding a the bullshot documents Brasil requires), Just Your Passport. You can set up an appointment Online with the Ministers Office that Preforms Marriages even before you leave to go to Argentina! Go to the Appointment, fill out their Application, pay their Fees wich are quite reasonable, they then make you go get a Blood test at a hospital that they direct you to For Free by the way and send a Government approved Agent to your hotel or short term apt you are staying to look at it and you and your belongings to proove you are indeed staying at the address you list on Application....that it and then you get Married a Couple Weeks Later Legally and Legally Recognized by Brasil or any other Country in the Civilized world! There are a couple more things you must do if you dont speak Spanish, but it All is Very Easy! I have Names and Numbers of all the people and agencies you may need to include a Government Official who will Translate for you and help with the filing of Documents in order to bring home to Brasil to Take to Cartario to recieve your Brasil Certificate of Marriage! And then when you have the Brasil Marriage Certificate you Can Apply for Your Family Reunion Visa and CRTM (Permanent RESIDENCY).....All Straight Forward, Simple and Fun actually....You Get to Become a Argentina Resident if only for a few weeks and see their Country!
Lawrence

Thank you for this information and good advice.

Hi James. Here is my situation. I'm legally married to my Brazilian wife in Brazil. We married on May 3, 2019. My wife and I have decided that we are to live in Brazil. I'm American and own a house in Florida. My wife applied for a Tourist Visa at the American Embassy in Brasilia. She was denied a Visa to visit for our Honeymoon. They never looked at any documents she provided. My wife has very strong ties to Brazil. She is in her 6th year at IFC ( Government College) and Graduates in December with a Chemical Engineer Degree. My wife has a 9 year old daughter that is in 4th grade. My wife has all her immediate family living in Brazil. We own one house and rent a larger one in Brazil. Neither my wife or her daughter speak English. There are no lies involved with our intentions. I'm 69 and do not have the money or time to play these bogus games on both Countries parts. Any help would be appreciated. Jon