Officially, there is no Citizenship by Investment Program in Brazil. Brazil is one of the lesser-known nations to offer an investment-based residency program. The program allows investors to carve their path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship.
Permanent Visa (VIPER):
Your residency status is permanent, although certain categories of people need to renew their permanent residency status after three years, including investors. This is reduced to two years for foreign nationals involved in a Brazilian start-up.
A renewal will be granted, so long as the applicant has not been absent from Brazil for a period of two years, and has maintained the qualifying criteria. This depends on the grounds for the original application. Investors, for example, must continue their investments to remain in Brazil as permanent residents.
Brazilian permanent residency will expire if the holder leaves Brazil for more than two years in a row. But the holder can definitely apply for a new permanent visa.
Citizenship:
After four years of legal residency in Brazil, it is possible to apply for citizenship. This is reduced to one year for those who marry a Brazilian citizen or who have a Brazilian child. Scientists and researchers may be eligible for Brazilian citizenship after two years of legal residency.
A. Brazilian Investor Visa
Getting an investor visa allows a foreigner to live and work permanently in Brazil. Brazil offers its investor visa which grants immediate permanent residency. Through the investor’s visa, your family is included in the application at no additional cost. Upon approval for this visa, you would receive a Yellow Card to indicate permanent residency status. The Yellow Card allows the investor to be treated as a Brazilian citizen. With this Yellow Card, you can also travel throughout South America without the need for a passport, and then you can apply for full Brazilian citizenship after four years of residency status.
Investment Options:
1. Establishing a company
For the Investor visa & Permanent Residency program, you need to invest an amount of BRL 500,000 most commonly by acquiring equity in a Brazilian legal entity (Company) that can be already established or newly incorporated.
2. Establishing a company/buying shares of a company that is in the field of technology, innovation products, or scientific research.
You have the option to establish or buy shares in a Brazilian company that is focused on investing in technology, innovative products, and scientific research, and if the investment creates 10 jobs for Brazilian residents. At least one partner must be highly skilled in the particular area of investment. The minimum amount of investment must be BRL 150,000 and take a specific form defined by the Brazilian government. The company, in this situation, has to have specific characteristics.
3. Real Estate
Applicants can invest BRL 500,000 into a registered Brazilian company, Brazilian government bonds, or approved Brazilian real estate.
B. Retired Person Visa
Under the Resolução Normativa no 45, foreign nationals who wish to retire in Brazil and have a pension that can be regularly transferred to Brazil may obtain a permanent visa (VIPER).
To qualify for the permanent visa, the retired person should have a pension equivalent to at least BRL 6,000 per month (BRL 72,000 per year). Additional amounts may be required to include dependents.
The applicant must provide proof of retirement and a declaration detailing the monthly pension income, both issued by an official institution.
For Investor Visa:
-Be 18 years old or above.
– Business / Investment Plan
– Authorization of Ministry of Labor and Employment.
– Declaratory registration of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Brazil’s Central Bank or the Exchange Contract issued by the bank of exchange that receives the investment (SISBACEN).
– Receipt of the entry of payment of Income-tax for the legal entity’s last year of fiscal operations (if applicable).
– Articles of incorporation of your Brazilian legal entity that received the investment (if applicable).
– Confirmation of the payment of the individual immigration tax.
– Non-criminal record.
– All non-Brazilian documents must be notarized by the competent authorities in their country of origin, and by the respective Brazilian consulate, and then translated by a sworn Brazilian translator in Brazil.
For Retired Person Visa:
– Letter informing the reason for moving to Brazil.
– Declaration from institution detailing monthly retirement income.
– Declaration from a banking institution that the applicant can transfer the funds to Brazil.
– Proof of retirement issued by an official institution.
– All non-Brazilian documents must be notarized by the competent authorities in their country of origin, and by the respective Brazilian consulate, and then translated by a sworn Brazilian translator in Brazil.
– Be 45 years old or older.
1. Select the Investment Options
Invest property of choice and obtain your Brazilian social security number. Register your investment in this particular property with the central bank of Brazil as a foreign direct investment.
2. Transfer of Funds
Transfer the fund to the construction company, through a specific channel with the central bank of Brazil. Follow up with Property Acquisition Documents due to registration according to local legislation.
3. Investor Visa & Permanent Resident
After you transfer the funds, you will then be able to submit your application to Brazil’s ministry of labor.
Once you get the ministry’s approval you can obtain your investor visa at any Brazilian Consulate and subsequently get your RNE “Yellow Card” (Permanent Residency) on your first visit to Brazil. This will set you on the path to Brazilian Citizenship and a Passport.
Privacy World offers its services to anyone, not only looking to obtain residency and/or citizenship processes but our experts figure out legal ways to:
Privacy World can also help you with incorporating your company in Brazil, assisting in getting you settled in the country and coordinating with you so that this experience will be less of a hassle.
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