Moving to Brazil from the USA

Brazil separates the visa (issued abroad) from the residence permit (registered in-country within 90 days). Missing that second step is the classic mistake.

• Choose your route: VITEM XIV digital nomad, VITEM XI investor, or a work/family permit

  Must

  The digital nomad visa needs USD 1,500/mo of foreign income or USD 18,000 in savings, plus a foreign employment or contracting relationship.

• Apply at a Brazilian consulate in the US before travelling

  Miami, Boston, NYC, DC, LA, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, and Hartford all handle visa files.

• Get a CPF (tax ID) — you can request it at the consulate before you leave

  Must

  Nothing in Brazil works without a CPF: bank accounts, leases, phone plans, even some online purchases.

• Register with the Polícia Federal within 90 days of arrival

  Must

  This converts your visa into a CRNM residence card. Book the appointment the week you land — slots go fast in São Paulo and Rio.

• Plan the investor route if you're buying property or funding a business

  Roughly BRL 700,000 in real estate or BRL 500,000 in a company qualifies for residency.

• Apostilled FBI background check with certified Portuguese translation

  Must

  Translations must be by a tradutor público juramentado — a sworn translator registered with a Brazilian junta comercial.

• Apostilled birth certificate; marriage certificate for spouse applications

  Must

• Proof of income: employment contract, client contracts, or bank statements

  Must

• Health insurance valid in Brazil for the visa period

  Must

• Pet paperwork: USDA-endorsed certificate plus a MAPA/VIGIAGRO inspection on arrival

  No quarantine; rabies vaccination must be at least 30 days old.

• Open an account once you have a CPF and an address — Nubank, Itaú, or Banco do Brasil

  Nubank is by far the easiest for newcomers and is app-only.

• Set up a PIX key immediately

  Must

  PIX is Brazil's instant payment rail and has largely replaced cash and cards for person-to-person and small-merchant payments.

• Use Wise for USD to BRL rather than international wires

• Understand the 183-day tax residency rule

  Must

  183 days in any 12-month period makes you a Brazilian tax resident on worldwide income, with rates up to 27.5%. The digital nomad visa does not exempt you.

• Keep US accounts for FBAR-reportable balances and IRS payments

  There is no US–Brazil income tax treaty; relief comes from the Foreign Tax Credit.

• Land in a furnished rental for the first month

  QuintoAndar, Airbnb, and Charlie all handle short furnished stays in São Paulo and Rio.

• Search QuintoAndar, ZAP Imóveis, and VivaReal

• Use QuintoAndar or a seguro-fiança to avoid needing a fiador

  Must

  Traditional leases require a Brazilian property-owning guarantor; QuintoAndar's model replaces that with an income check and is the standard workaround for foreigners.

• Budget condomínio and IPTU on top of rent

  Building fees can add BRL 600–1,500/mo in Rio and São Paulo — always ask for the valor total.

• Expect BRL 4,000–7,000/mo for a good 2BR in Pinheiros, Botafogo, or Boa Viagem

• Know that SUS, the public system, is free to everyone including foreigners

  Quality varies enormously; emergency care is reliable, elective care means long waits.

• Buy a private plan — Amil, SulAmérica, Bradesco Saúde, or Unimed

  Must

  BRL 400–1,200/mo depending on age and network. Pre-existing conditions carry a 24-month partial waiting period (carência).

• Keep international coverage for the first months

  Must

  Carência periods mean a new local plan won't cover much immediately.

• Note the standout hospitals: Albert Einstein and Sírio-Libanês in São Paulo

• Get yellow fever vaccination if heading to the interior, Amazon, or parts of the southeast

• Attend your Polícia Federal appointment and collect the CRNM card

  Must

• Activate your CPF-linked bank account and PIX key

  Must

• Get a SIM (Vivo, Claro, or TIM) — CPF required

• Load a Bilhete Único (São Paulo) or Cartão Riocard (Rio)

• Exchange your US driver's licence at DETRAN within 180 days of residency

  Must

  Brazil converts US licences with a translation, medical, and psychological exam.

• Enrol children — Escola Americana and Graded are the main English-medium schools, at USD 15,000–35,000/yr