BRAZIL REAL ESTATE INVESTOR VISA: HOW TO LIVE LEGALLY IN BRAZIL THROUGH PROPERTY INVESTMENT

While European programmes are closing — Portugal removed the property route in 2023, Spain announced the end of its programme, and Greece doubled the minimum threshold to €800,000 in the most sought-after areas — Brazil is moving in the opposite direction.

Brazil's residency-by-investment programme for property buyers is active, fully regulated, and priced significantly below any comparable alternative in Europe or North America. For foreign nationals who wish to live legally in Brazil, it is today one of the most solid routes available in the world.

This article explains how the programme works, what is required, and how InHorizons can support you through every stage of the process.

What Is the Brazil Real Estate Investor Visa?

Brazil allows foreign nationals to obtain legal residency in the country by purchasing urban property with funds transferred from abroad. The programme is informally referred to as the "Brazilian Golden Visa" and leads to the VIPER (Visto de Residência Permanente por Investimento — Permanent Residency Visa by Investment), which confers permanent resident status.

The legal basis is Law nº 13.445/2017 (Brazil's Migration Act), Decree nº 9.199/2017, and Normative Resolution nº 36/2018 of the National Immigration Council (CNIg), as amended by Resolution CNIG MJSP nº 46/2021. Applications are assessed by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), with consular processing through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for applicants residing abroad.

The authorisation is not merely symbolic. It confers the right to live, work, study, and conduct business in Brazil — for the holder and their dependants — from the date it is granted.

Minimum Investment

From approximately USD 140,000 Minimum threshold in the North and North-East regions of Brazil (R$ 700,000)

The thresholds established by RN nº 36/2018, as consolidated with the 2021 amendments, are the following:

• R$ 1,000,000 — South, South-East, and Central-West regions (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Brasília, and other states in these regions);

• R$ 700,000 — North and North-East regions — a reduction of up to 30% under § 1 of Article 2 of the Resolution (Bahia, Ceará, Pernambuco, Amazonas, Pará, and other states).

  
  

The investment may be distributed across one or more properties, provided the combined value meets the required minimum. Co-ownership is permitted, provided each co-owner individually meets the minimum threshold.

Both completed properties — with a registered public deed — and off-plan developments qualify, provided the purchase contract is duly registered and the development holds a valid construction licence (alvará) and registered incorporation memorial (memorial de incorporação). Only urban property is eligible.

Funds must enter Brazil through the official banking system, with a formal declaration issued by a Central Bank-authorised institution confirming the international capital transfer. Transfers via intermediary platforms are not accepted for this purpose.

An important point worth noting: partial financing is permitted. The minimum qualifying amount (R$ 1,000,000 or R$ 700,000) must be demonstrated through funds of foreign origin, but any value exceeding that threshold may be financed through Brazilian credit institutions.

How Brazil Compares to European Programmes

Country / Programme	Minimum Investment	Property Route	Current Status
Brazil — VIPER	≈ USD 140,000 – 200,000	✔ Available	Active and open
Portugal	€ 250,000+	✘ Removed in 2023	Restricted
Spain	€ 500,000	✔ Available	Programme closing
Greece	€ 800,000 (prime areas)	✔ Available	Threshold doubled in 2024
Italy	€ 250,000+	Limited	Active, complex process
Malta	≈ € 175,000 + mandatory donation	Lease option	Active, high scrutiny

Brazil offers full legal residency — including the right to work and access to public services — at an entry point 60 to 80 per cent below comparable European programmes in the largest economy in Latin America, with a population of over 210 million.

What the Authorisation Provides

Once granted, the Brazil Real Estate Investor Visa authorisation gives the holder and their dependants:

• Legal residency in Brazil — initial authorisation valid for 4 years, under RN nº 36/2018 as amended in 2021;

• Right to live, work, and study in Brazil without any additional permit;

• Inclusion of dependants — spouse or civil partner, children, stepchildren, and parents

• Access to education and the Brazilian banking system;

• Flexible minimum presence — only 14 days in Brazil every two years to maintain the authorisation, pursuant to Article 6 of RN nº 36/2018;

• Pathway to permanent residency — after 4 years of temporary residency, with the investment maintained, the holder may apply to convert the authorisation to an indefinite term;

• Pathway to Brazilian citizenship — after converting to permanent residency, a further 4 years of permanent residency are required for ordinary naturalisation, under Article 65 of Law nº 13.445/2017;

  
  

Important: the pathway to citizenship involves two distinct phases — 4 years of temporary residency followed by conversion to permanent status and then a further 4 years of permanent residency. The period of temporary residency does not count towards the naturalisation timeline.

Brazil permits dual citizenship: naturalisation does not require renunciation of your original nationality.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Initial legal consultation and investment strategy Define your objectives, select the region and property type, and receive a document checklist tailored to your nationality and individual circumstances.

2. Obtain a CPF (Brazilian tax identification number) Required for all property transactions in Brazil. It can be obtained online or through a Brazilian consulate in your country of residence.

3. Property due diligence and acquisition Legal review of the property title (matrícula), encumbrances, outstanding tax liabilities, and — for off-plan properties — the construction licence and registered incorporation memorial. Once cleared, sign the public deed of purchase (escritura pública de compra e venda) and register the transfer at the Property Registry (Cartório de Registro de Imóveis).

4. International funds transfer through an authorised banking channel Funds are wired from your overseas account to a Brazilian bank. The institution issues a formal declaration of international capital transfer to the Central Bank, which is an essential document in the authorisation file.

5. Application for prior residency authorisation (MJSP) For applicants outside Brazil, the application is submitted through the MigranteWeb platform. Once the authorisation is published in Brazil's Official Gazette (Diário Oficial da União), it instructs the Brazilian consulate to issue the temporary investor visa.

6. Visa issuance at the Brazilian consulate With the published authorisation in hand, you present your file at the Brazilian consulate in your country of residence.

7. Registration with the Federal Police and CRNM card After entering Brazil on the temporary investor visa, you have 90 days to register with the Federal Police and receive the Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório (CRNM) — Brazil's official residency card. For applicants who obtained their authorisation whilst already in Brazil through the domestic route, the deadline is 30 days from the date of publication of the authorisation in the Official Gazette. Failure to register within these deadlines carries penalties under Article 307 of Decree nº 9.199/2017.

Required Documents

The list below represents the standard document set for the property investment route. Requirements may vary depending on nationality and individual circumstances:

• ✔ Valid passport (minimum two blank pages);

• ✔ CPF (Brazilian tax identification number);

• ✔ Criminal record certificate — from each country of residence in the past 12 months

• ✔ Proof of residence abroad (past 12 months);

• ✔ Registered public deed of purchase or duly registered purchase promise contract (off-plan property);

• ✔ Updated property registry extract (matrícula), free of encumbrances, issued by the Property Registry;

• ✔ Bank declaration confirming international capital transfer, issued by a Central Bank-authorised institution;

• ✔ Photographs (standard 3×4 cm, white background, full face);

• ✔ Sworn translation of all foreign-language documents;

• ✔ Apostille under the Hague Convention on all foreign public documents;

• ✔ Health insurance valid in Brazil (required in certain consular jurisdictions);

• ✔ For off-plan properties: registered incorporation, memorial and construction licence.

  
  

Dependants listed in the authorisation require equivalent personal documentation, with the exception of criminal record certificates for those under 18. Where a dependant is a minor, written authorisation from both legal guardians is required — or from the sole guardian with proof of that status or from a competent authority. Where both parents are present at the consular appointment, they may sign before the consular authority directly.

Maintaining and Renewing Your Residency

The initial authorisation is valid for a period of 4 years. During this period, the holder must:

• Maintain the qualifying investment — the property may not be sold without replacement by an equivalent qualifying investment;

• Meet the minimum presence requirement — at least 14 days in Brazil, consecutive or otherwise, every two years from the date of Federal Police registration, pursuant to Article 6 of RN nº 36/2018.

  
  

After 4 years, with the investment maintained and all conditions met, the holder may apply to convert the authorisation to an indefinite term (permanent residency), presenting the CRNM and criminal record certificates covering the period.

The sale of the qualifying property without equivalent replacement, at any point, constitutes grounds for cancellation of the residency authorisation under Article 6-B of RN nº 36/2018.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply from outside Brazil? Yes. The prior authorisation application can be submitted from abroad via the MigranteWeb platform, with the visa issued at the Brazilian consulate in your country of residence. Travel to Brazil is not required before the authorisation is granted.

Can I rent out the property whilst living elsewhere? Yes. The property may be used for personal residence, rental income, or both. There is no prohibition on generating rental yield from the qualifying investment. Destinations such as Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro offer strong demand for both short- and long-term rentals.

Am I required to live in Brazil full-time? No. The minimum presence requirement is 14 days in Brazil every two years — one of the most flexible physical presence requirements among comparable residency-by-investment programmes worldwide.

Can my spouse and children be included? Yes. Dependants — spouse or civil partner, children, stepchildren, and parents — may be included in the same authorisation at no additional investment threshold. They receive the same residency status as the principal applicant.

Is the programme open to nationals of any country? Yes. The current regulatory framework contains no nationality-based exclusions. The programme is open to nationals of any country.

Will I have to renounce my current citizenship? No. Brazil permits dual citizenship and does not require renunciation of the original nationality upon naturalisation. Whether your country of origin also permits dual citizenship is a separate matter governed by your national law.

How long does the full process take? The timeline varies considerably depending on the applicant's nationality, the consular jurisdiction, the completeness of the documentation submitted, and the volume of cases under assessment at the MJSP. It is not possible to provide a reliable fixed estimate. Thorough document preparation from the outset is the single most important factor in avoiding delays. For an assessment based on your specific circumstances, contact InHorizons directly.

What is the total timeline to Brazilian citizenship? The pathway involves two distinct phases: first, 4 years of temporary residency (with the investment maintained and minimum presence observed); then conversion to permanent residency, followed by a further 4 years of permanent residency for ordinary naturalisation under Article 65 of Law nº 13.445/2017. The period of temporary residency does not count towards the naturalisation timeline.

How can International Horizons help?

The process of obtaining residency through property investment in Brazil involves simultaneous steps across different jurisdictions: property due diligence, international capital transfer, administrative filing with the MJSP, and consular procedure. Each stage has legal consequences — and errors are rarely corrected without cost.

InHorizons advises international clients throughout the entire process, from initial investment strategy to permanent residency, combining expertise in Brazilian and European regulatory frameworks with coordinated action across both jurisdictions.

Contact us for an initial consultation. We assess your specific circumstances, identify the most appropriate route, and ensure each stage is handled with full legal rigour.

Book a consultation →

**This article is produced for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Dollar and euro equivalents are approximations based on exchange rates as at mid-2025 and are subject to currency fluctuation. Regulatory requirements are subject to change by the competent Brazilian authorities. Readers are advised to seek qualified legal counsel before making any investment or immigration decision. Sources: Law nº 13.445/2017; Decree nº 9.199/2017; RN CNIg nº 36/2018, as amended by Resolution CNIG MJSP nº 46/2021; MJSP Immigration Portal; Gov.br — Federal Police.