Brazilian Consulate in DC (permanent resident visa)

Hey, Ken,
I did it through the Consulate General in Chicago last August and it was easy, but the new Law of Migration went into effect in November, the implementing regulations haven't been completed, and all of the agencies are very confused.
How different are the requirements?  If it's just a matter of getting some additional documents, it's definitely worth it.  Arriving here with the Itamaraty's blessing on your paperwork beats heck out of dealing with the Federal Police on your own, now more than ever.  Good luck!

Hi and thanks for the reply. I was aware that there were changes in the process, but l wasn't aware that it was still in a bit of flux. That explains why the information she got in the email differs from what is on the website.

We have plenty of time so l am sure we can get it figured out. It's just that we will need to fly to the consulate as it's too far to drive. So we want to be sure to have everything correct. The irony is there is a consulate only about 3 hours from where we live but it doesn't serve our jurisdiction.

The long pole in the tent can be the FBI criminal background check -  not because of the Brazilians, but because of the FBI.  Last Summer, the wait time ordering direct from the FBI in West Virginia was TEN WEEKS, and I doubt it's improved.
If you're not more than three months out, consider one of their "Aporoved Channelers".  It's a total scam, and expensive, but they turn it around in 2-3 days.  Be sure to get the electronic plus paper package.  It's more expensive, but the document they give you is indistinguishable from the FBI's, and you have a printable PDF backup.

I guess they are too busy with the Trump/Russia bot thing. Lol. No worries, as l am more than a year away from the move. Just trying to get things lined up well in advance.

As of November 21, 2017 Consulates stopped issuing  Permanent resident visas due to the changes in the new immigration law, Permanent resident will only be issue in Brazil 

The Consulate will issue you a temporary resident visa, once you are in Brazil you can apply to change the temporary resident visa to permanent resident at the Federal Police, please see requirement below:

Documents needed to  change the period of family residence, from temporary to indeterminate:

National Migration Register Card;
Two (02) recent 3x4 size photos, colored, white background, plain paper, front; Click here for guidelines on photography.
Proof of payment of the residence permit fees and issue of the National Immigration Registry Card, when applicable;
Completed application form;
Declaration, under the penalties of the law, of absence of criminal records in the last year;
Proof that the calling family member had the status of his or her term of residence changed from determined to indeterminate; and
Declaration, under the penalties of the law, that there is economic dependence on the calling family, in the case of a brother older than eighteen years of Brazilian or of an immigrant receiving a residence permit

Yes, l had read that they are only issuing the true “permanent resident” visa once you are in the country. I am not anticipating an problems. As l said we have been married more than 10 years and already have a place to live until we decide where to buy a property.
Again, thanks for your input. Very helpful

Any documents you get now will not be any good a year from now. You might want to just wait. Also if you are going to move to Brazil why not do your permanency there. The paperwork is easier.

Jim

Hey Jim,

Thanks for the advice. I am not gathering the actual paperwork now, rather the list of requirements. I recently moved to another state here in the US, which means I now have to use the consulate in DC. The info on their website was different from what they said in an email. So now I think I understand it's because of the changes in their laws since last November.

Ken Aquarius,

Sometimes you may get someone who wants something additional. There is a difference in requirements also if you decide to do it in Brazil. Nothing is standard.

Jim

if your wife is Brazilian and you should direct a lawyer in Brazil who can help you solve this problem without any difficulties because in Brazil there is a lot of bureaucracy and so if you go alone you will have to waste a lot of time and nerves.

If I had it to do over, I would find a great Brazilian lawyer who specializes in Immigration.  I echo the frustration, delays & ridiculous circular paperwork involved.  If I didn't have my wife' Portuguese to lean on, I would never have gotten my Perm. Res (& probably woulda ended up going nutz'!).

I will pose a question to the Forum:  Does anyone have a great 'advogado de imigração' to recommend
for sheparding stuff through Policia Federal?  I don't have any visa issues at the moment, but will need to renew in a few years.

We've searched and searched for an immigration lawyer, and they seem to be very rare, even in a city like Manaus, with over 2 million people and a wave of refugees coming in every day from Venezuela.  Maybe in São Paulo and Rio.  The Brazilian legal profession apparently classifies Immigration Law as a subset of International Law, and it doesn't attract nearly as many practitioners as it does in the US.

Yes.  Probably there are more in the South.  Seems like there's enough demand to find more of these guys.  But hey!  That's Brasil.

Unless you have an extraordinary circumstance a lawyer is a waste of money. My wife and I did mine very easily. in one trip with the paperwork and another to pick up the CIE.

Jim

I wish that we had your experience.  In our city, Itajai, it took multiple trips with often different requirements from the local office.  This was compounded by a very limited amount of appointment slots & very short office hours.  This was all in conjunction with the paperwork being processed at other
agencies, both Brazil & US.  When we'd get one hurdle cleared, it would be weeks & months before we could get an appointment for the next hurdle.  I was working in Africa at the time, so coordination with physically having to be in Brazil was a challenge, but I managed to be there on P.Fed's schedule.
Overall, this took the better part of 9 months...so, having someone to be able to expedite matters, like the Immigration Attorney we had in Atlanta for my Wife's US Citizenship, would've mad a big difference.

Yes, an attorney has cost, and yes, I can handle all of the paperwork.  But I don't have their channels to get things done in a timely manner.  Any Advogados out there listening:  You've got a lucrative business in Brasil that you're not tapping into.

My last RNE card issued was in Itajai. It´s a very small office in a shopping center, so their workload is limited. I wonder if it´s better to do it in Florianopolis, but then again it´s a very touristy city and the workload is heavy as i´ve seen when I was living there for a few years.

Anywhere in Brazil - that quote "depende quem tu conhece" very much applies. Lawyers and influencial people runs the show and they do facilitate things for people they know especially customs (alfandega). You have to have the dough to fuel such easy influx of comfort if you know what I mean...

robal

Some semi-random thoughts on dealing with the Federal Police (and other Brazilian bureaucracies):
  -- Dress like you're going to church:  slacks, "social" (i.e., collared) shirt for men,
     slacks or skirts for women, shoes for both -- leave the flip-flops under your bed.
-- Forget you ever heard the word "você".  Everybody is "A Senhora" or "O Senhor" until     
    they give you what you want.
-- At least one person on your team should speak flawless Portuguese, and that person
    should do most of the talking. 
-- Try to avoid contradicting or showing impatience with your spokesperson:  shooting
    your own troops never helps.
-- "O Senhor tem condições a ..." and "A Senhora pode dar um jeito para ..."  followed by
   a request are keys that have opened many a surprising door that seemed locked tight.
-- Avoid answering any suggestion with "não", if you can; try to replace it with "Entendo,
   mas  podemos ...?" and an alternative.
-- To paraphrase the old advice about making salad dressing, "be a miser with your
   frowns and a spendthrift with your smiles and thank-yous"