If you have at least R$500,000 to invest in Brazil, you can apply for an investor visa, which will allow you to invest in real estate, start a business or invest in an existing Brazilian company.

The first step – getting your business plan approved

This type of visa was revised in 2015, where the government increased the investment amount from R$150,000 to the current level of R$500,000. The first step is for your business plan to be approved by the Brazilian authorities. If you wish to apply for this visa, the first step is contacting the Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública).

What are your rights on the Investor visa?

If you are approved for this visa, you have one year to make your way to Brazil before it expires. You are granted indefinite leave (permanent residency) right from the start. Your visa will remain this way as long as your investment stays in Brazil.

While this visa entitles you to remain living and working in the country indefinitely, as long as your investment remains in Brazil, you will need to renew your visa after three years initially. If your investment is still in the country, it will be renewed automatically.

After four years in the country, you can normally apply for Brazilian citizenship should you wish.

You can travel outside of Brazil while on this visa. But if you leave Brazil for more than two years, your visa will lapse.

If you decide that you wish to take your investment out of Brazil, you can do so at any time. However, this will result in your visa not being renewed in future.

Can I bring my family to Brazil as an investor?

Yes, you are eligible to bring your family members with you. However, there are a few restrictions. These family members are eligible to apply for visas of their own on the basis of your investment:

• Your spouse – regardless of gender
• Children (and step-children) under the age of 18 (and above 18 if disabled and unable to provide for themselves)
• Parents (if you can prove that they require your support)
• Siblings, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren if they are orphans and under 18, or if they are disabled and unable to support themselves then the age requirement does not apply

Applying for the Investor Visa

After your investment plan has been approved by the Brazilian authorities, you will apply for the investor visa in your home country at your nearest Brazil Consulate General. Here is a typical list of documents you can expect to be asked to provide:

• Your passport
• One colour passport photo
• Criminal record check from your home country and each country you have lived in as a resident for the past twelve months
• Original birth certificate

Be inspired: Meet Petra & Felix

Read our interview with Petra who entered Brazil with her family on an investor visa. Today they run the chic boutique hotel Villa Balthazar and the upscale Balthazar Bakery in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro. Hear her advice on staying sane and succeeding in the world of business in Brazil.

How can we help?

If you’re considering investing in Brazil but you’re not sure where to begin, contact us for advice. We can help connect you with lawyers, industry and professionals. Let us steer you in the right direction when it comes to Brazilian bureaucracy and networking.