— from Brazil, with love
A plain-English roadmap to VITEM XIV — eligibility, the USD 1,500/month income rule, documents, application, taxes, plus residency by property and 30 city & culture guides for life in Brazil.
your move, in three steps —
Most guides bury you in legal jargon. We made this site to do the opposite — show you exactly what to do, in what order, and where to get help.
The Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV) is the fastest path. There are also property and retirement routes if you plan to stay longer.
Read the visa guide 02do the workIncome proof, FBI background check, apostilles, health insurance, consulate booking — done in the right order so nothing bounces back.
Open the checklist 03phone a friendResearched immigration lawyers (OAB-licensed) and real estate agencies that work with foreigners — plus how to vet your own.
See resources— landing-day toolkit —
Banking, health insurance, and a SIM card. The setups that pay for themselves in the first month.
The bridge account every nomad in Brazil needs. Hold USD, EUR, and BRL in one place; receive your foreign salary; convert at the real exchange rate. Use it before your Brazilian bank opens — and after, because the FX is better than any local bank.
Open a Wise account + Insurance · Visa-requiredHealth insurance that meets the Brazilian Digital Nomad Visa's USD 30,000 coverage requirement. Cheapest of the compliant options for nomads under 40, simple to buy online, claim-friendly. Your visa application needs proof of insurance — this is the easiest path to get one.
Get a SafetyWing quote ≡ eSIM · landing dayAn eSIM you can install before you board. Brazilian eSIMs from ~USD 5 for 1 GB. Lets you order an Uber from GRU/GIG/FLN before you've even cleared customs and saves you a week of fumbling for a Brazilian SIM (which needs your CPF anyway).
Browse Airalo Brazil eSIMs
Brazil's digital nomad visa, officially VITEM XIV, came into force in January 2022. Three years later, it has settled into something quieter than the headlines first suggested: not a stunt, not a stampede, but a steady inflow of remote workers who chose this country deliberately, after considering Lisbon and Mexico City and Bali, and decided the food, the music, the hours of sun, and the cost of an oceanfront one-bedroom outweighed the inconveniences.
The math is straightforward. USD 1,500 per month in foreign income — or USD 18,000 in savings — and you qualify. Health insurance covering Brazil with at least USD 30,000 of coverage. A clean criminal record from your home country, apostilled. The visa is valid for one year and renewable for a second. After that, several routes to permanent residency open up, including the popular VIPER property route that only requires 14 days every two years.
"The infrastructure is unequal, but Brazil itself is unbeatable. After a year, I started telling friends to stop asking if it's worth it."
What the official documents won't tell you is the texture of an ordinary Tuesday. Coffee is sweeter here. The internet works. The afternoon downpour stops as quickly as it started. Many nomads live well on USD 1,500–2,500 per month, even in the major hubs — Floripa, São Paulo, and Recife are world-class for remote work. Some weeks the bureaucracy is exquisite; some weeks it's the opposite. You learn to sit with both.
scribbled in the margins —
From Floripa's beach-and-laptop scene to Rio's contradictions and Jeri's sand-street calm — here's where to actually live.
— a confession —
Three years in, we've answered the same questions a hundred times. So here it is: the 30-step checklist, the visa explainer, twenty city guides, ten culture essays, all the resources we trust. Free. No signup.
Open the Checklist →— field notes —
Four moments in the application that catch most people off guard. Save yourself the rework.
January, week one
Get the CPF first. Free, online, five minutes. Without it, you can't open a bank account, sign a lease, buy a Brazilian SIM, or rent a beach chair on certain Bahian beaches (yes, really). See the step-by-step →
"It's the only document that's both bureaucratic and beloved."
February, week three
FBI background check is straightforward. Apostilling it through the State Department or your jurisdiction's Secretary of State takes 2–6 weeks depending on backlog. Start this on day one of your application — not week three.
"The internet works. The apostille office, less so."
March, week two
Each Brazilian consulate has its own quirks. Miami is fast but strict on docs. NYC is famously efficient. SF varies by season. London asks for fewer translations than Paris. Get the checklist for the consulate covering your home address before you start.
"There is no universal Brazilian consulate. There are forty-two of them."
April, week one
Once you arrive, you have 90 days to register at the Polícia Federal. They photograph you, take your fingerprints, and issue your CRNM (the residency card). Don't miss this — fines compound.
"The arrival is fun. The registration is a Tuesday morning."
— questions we hear most —
The six we get most often about the Brazilian Digital Nomad Visa. Click any to expand.
Typical end-to-end time is 4–8 weeks. The Brazilian Ministry of Justice cut its document processing window to 15–30 days in 2025, but you should add time for your consulate appointment, document gathering, and apostilles.
Yes. As of April 2025, citizens of the US, Canada, and Australia need a tourist e-visa to enter Brazil for any reason — including visiting before applying for the Digital Nomad Visa. As of January 2026, the requirement extended to Mexico, France, and several other nationalities. The e-visa is R$257 (~USD 51) and approved in 48–72 hours. See the e-visa breakdown →
If you stay more than 183 days within a 12-month period you generally become a Brazilian tax resident, and worldwide income may become taxable. Brazil has tax treaties with several countries. Speak with a Brazilian tax accountant before you cross 183 days — see our resources for listed firms.
Yes — spouse and dependent children are eligible for accompanying visas. Marriage and birth certificates must be apostilled and sworn-translated into Portuguese. Income thresholds typically increase 25–50% per dependent.
The Digital Nomad Visa is faster (1–2 months) and cheaper. The VIPER property route takes longer but gives you a 4-year permit and only requires 14 days every two years in Brazil — ideal if you want flexibility, not full-time residence.
You don't strictly need it before you arrive, but it's the single best piece of paperwork to have early. The CPF is Brazil's tax ID, required for renting, banking, and a Brazilian SIM. Free, online, takes minutes. See the step-by-step →
— a few people we trust —
A sample from our full directory of Brazilian lawyers, real estate agencies, and accountants who work with foreigners. Independent listings — not endorsements.
OAB-licensed practice focused specifically on the Digital Nomad Visa. Publishes 50+ Digital Nomad Visa applications and a 95%+ stated approval rate, with English-language consultations.
getbrazilvisa.comBuilt in 2007 specifically to serve foreign buyers in Rio's Zona Sul (Ipanema, Leblon, Copacabana). Strong inventory in nomad-popular neighborhoods with a published English-language buyer's guide.
rioexclusive.comCross-border accounting firm with offices in São Paulo, Rio, Boston, and Miami. Best fit for US citizens who need IRS (FBAR, FATCA, Form 8938) and Brazilian Receita Federal filings handled together.
drummondadvisors.comAlways verify OAB/CRECI numbers and get fees in writing before engaging any third party.
last note —
Open the checklist, work through the items as you go, and ping a lawyer when you hit anything you'd like a second pair of eyes on. Two months from now, you could be working from a Brazilian beach.