Ultimate guide to Brazil work visas & permits

Planning to work in Brazil? The largest country in South America has a vibrant culture and is home to a number of stunning beaches. No wonder it draws in crowds of expats year-on-year. However, all expat employees will need to obtain both a residence permit and a Brazil work visa. Filled with hoops to jump through, the visa application process can be incredibly frustrating. It also requires cooperation with your employer. That’s why we are here to simplify the process for you.

Here is Pacific Prime Latin America’s ultimate one-stop guide to getting your work visas and permits in Brazil.

Types of work visas in Brazil

What types of documents you need to submit depends on the type of visa you’re applying for. Again, you’ll need a residence permit before you could apply for your work visa. All work visas and permits are usually only issued to registered Brazillian companies. In this section, we’ll go over the different types of visas available in Brazil. Curious to see which work visa best fits you? Read on to find out.

1. Permanent work visa (Visto Permanente):

Are you an expat entitled to permanent residency in Brazil? If you are, one of these occupations/categories probably applies to you: professional researchers and scientists (for work that exceeds a period of two years). Alternatively, you are either a manager or director, or an investor with more than USD $50,000 invested, or a company with more than USD $200k invested. In this case, you should go for a permanent work visa.

1. Temporary work visa (Visto Temporario or VITEM V):

This is the most common type of visa. It can last up to 2 years and can be reissued once. After 4 years, you have the option to switch to a permanent visa. Does one of these categories describe you? An expat entering Brazil for technical assistance, research skills, or professional services. If you answer yes, you will need to obtain approval from the Ministry of Labor and Employment before you can get the VITEM V.

1. Business trip visa (VITEM II):

Travelling to Brazil for business? Go for a VITEM II visa. Keep in mind that you cannot accept any money from Brazil-based companies under this visa. It’s valid for up to 10 years, and allows you to stay for a maximum of 90 days per year.

Brazil work visa requirements

Have your documents ready and translated into Portuguese before you apply. Here’s a list of what you need to apply for the most common visa – VITEM V, or the temporary visa:

• Your CV showing 2 years of relevant professional experience in your field of work.
• Certificates or documents proving you’ve completed 9 years of education OR have a relevant degree plus 1 year of professional experience OR a relevant post-graduate degree with no professional experience
• Work contract
• A certified copy of your passport
• Proof of address
• Visa fees, which vary based on which country you’re from. If you’re from the US, it’ll cost you USD $290. Are you a UK citizen? This will set you back USD $225.
• Resident visa – this can be a temporary or permanent visa.

Note that you’ll also need to have a job lined up so you and your employer could start your application process right away.

This is a list of what your company is going to need for your work permit:

• Work Permit Application form
• Applicant and Candidate form
• Company statutes or contractual alterations registered with the Commercial Board or Public Civil Registr
• Document proving a local legal representative has been appointed for the applicant

Unfortunately, every time you change jobs in Brazil, you will have to apply for a new permit.

Application process for a Brazil work visa

Both you and your employer will be heavily involved in this process. To give you an idea of what’s going to happen, here is a rough timeline of the visa application:

What your employer will do:

1. Submit all of your required documents for a visa application to the General Coordination of Immigration Department.
2. These documents will go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. This starts the work visa process in the Brazilian embassy or consulate in your country of residence.

 What you will do:

1. Submit all documents to your local embassy.

Secure health insurance in Brazil

Besides your work visa, it’s important to protect yourself with international health insurance as an expat living in Latin America. International health insurance gives you access to the best medical treatments and facilities no matter where you are in the world. So, you’ll always be prepared no matter what life throws at you. Check out our guide on how to compare health insurance in Latin America.

Alternatively, you can always contact our team of expert insurance advisors for free, impartial advice. They will be happy to help you compare health insurance and find the perfect plan.

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Serena Fung

Senior Content Creator at Pacific Prime Latin America

Serena Fung is a Senior Content Creator at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 2+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog.

Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).

Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.

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