The government of Brazil recently made changes to its in-country registration procedures impacting foreign nationals situated in São Paulo.
All foreign nationals who will be in Brazil for more than 90 days are required to register with Brazil’s Federal Police. Registration for work permit holders must be done within 30 days of the foreign national’s first entry into Brazil pursuant to an endorsed work visa in their passport. Failure to comply with the registration requirement may result in cancellation of the work visa or denial of future entry into Brazil. Equally important, foreign nationals who do not comply with the registration process will not be granted a National Registry of Foreigners Card (RNE) or Social Employment and Social Security Booklet (CTPS). Foreign nationals are required to obtain these forms of identification in order to be placed on local payroll, to open bank accounts, and to apply for driver’s licenses.
Within one month of implementing an appointment-based registration procedure for the São Paulo region, Brazil’s Federal Police Department’s Foreign Division reversed the procedure, and reinstated same-day processing. The appointment-based registration procedure, which required foreign nationals entering Brazil on a work permit and located in São Paulo to make on-line appointments to register, resulted in significant delays of upwards of 60 days to secure an appointment, and 30 additional days to be issued an RNE. While foreign nationals are permitted to work in Brazil with an approved work visa, they may not be placed on Brazilian payroll until the RNE is issued, and they may not travel outside of Brazil before the registration process is completed.
The Federal Police have now returned to utilizing a same-day registration system in São Paulo and card issuance is taking 5 to 7 hours. Foreign nationals who previously applied for registration under the appointment-based registration system are still required to wait for their registration appointment. However, if a foreign national awaiting a registration appointment has urgent international travel, he or she may file for same-day registration one day in advance of departure on a confirmed international flight.
Full compliance with Brazil’s registration procedures is essential to avoiding cancellation of a foreign national’s work visa. Please contact your designated Gibney representative if you have any questions about Brazil’s current procedures, or email immigrationalerts@gibney.com.
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This immigration article is provided as general information for clients and friends of Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP. It does not constitute, and should not be construed as, legal advice. The contents of this article may be considered attorney advertising in some states.