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Immigrate to Brazil from South Africa

Immigrate to Brazil from South Africa

South African citizens who travel to Brazil for a short period are not required to obtain a visa. However, visa-free entry is only applicable for a period of 90 days and those who wisht to immigrate to Brazil from South Africa are required to apply for an adequate long-term visa, one that corresponds to their motive for remaining in the country.

Our lawyers in Brazil can provide South African nationals with complete information about the long and short-term visas for the country. For those interested in immigration, we offer specialized assistance and guidance for the application that needs to be submitted with the Embassy of Brazil in South Africa.

The documents needed to immigrate to Brazil from South Africa will differ according to the chosen purpose of the trip: students will be asked to provide the acceptance letter with a Brazilian educational institution while new employees will be asked to offer details about their employment contract and their Brazilian employer.

Understanding the different requirements that apply to the VITEM (long-term) visa issued for a specific purpose will simplify the application process and will increase the applicant’s chances of obtaining a favorable visa approval.

What are the types of visas according to the purpose of the trip to Brazil?

Foreign nationals who wish to relocate to Brazil will, in most cases, apply for a temporary visa that is usually for study or for work purposes.

Our team lists the main types of visas below:

  • Study: undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, secondary education, internship and other activities with a duration of more than 90 days;
  • Research: scientific cooperation, academic programmes, teaching purposes without employment;
  • Family reunion: this can be issued on the grounds of marriage or the grounds of stable union, among other cases;
  • Employment: remunerated work with a Brazilian employer, apprenticeship, technology transfer and others;
  • Other long-term purposes: artistic or sports activities, volunteer services or medical treatment, all with a duration of over 90 days.

A permanent visa is issues for family reunification purposes, for retirement or for foreign investors, under certain conditions that may be outlined by our lawyers.

What are some additional steps for those who immigrate to Brazil from South Africa?

Temporary and permanent foreign residents are issues a foreigner identity card (CIE) once they perform the needed registration with the Federal Police. The applicant needs to fill in the registration form and make the fee payment using the federal payment form, similar to a regular bank payment form. The application is submitted in person with the Federal Police department and one should note that an appointment is usually scheduled (and rescheduled as needed).

Our lawyers can provide you with more details about the step required for foreign nationals who are in the country for temporary or long-term purposes, including those willing to immigrate to Brazil from South Africa. If you are wondering about the Brazilian e-visa, you should know that the Brazilian government does not provide electronic visas to foreign nationals anymore. Previously, nationals of the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan could apply for a visa online and get a Brazil visa through email. The Brazil e-visa was launched in January 2018 and phased down on June 17, 2019. Instead, people from these nations can now visit Brazil without a visa for up to 90 days. They must apply for a Brazilian visa at a Brazilian Consulate for longer visits. If you are interested to immigrate to Brazil on any visa kind, get help from our relocation attorneys. 

How can our law firm in Brazil offer assistance?

Our lawyers can help south African nationals gather all of the needed documents for the application. Moreover, should the Embassy or consulate request more details, we can help with information on how the documents should be submitted, so that the application will have a high success rate.

Our attorneys can help those who wish to immigrate to Brazil from South Africa and, when needed, represent their interests in front of state authorities or when making submissions with various agencies, including any needed communications that may be required pre and post-arrival.

Most types of visas can be extended through an application with the Brazilian Federal Police. Our team can help you make that submission. The permanent visa is for someone who wants to live in Brazil indefinitely. Those who are joining an immediate family member who is either a Brazilian citizen or a Brazilian permanent resident, retirees, directors of religious or charitable organizations, those with investments in Brazil, directors of companies transferred from abroad, those with exceptional abilities in technology and/or academia, and individuals with a job offer are all eligible for this type of visa. If you are interested in acquiring a Brazilian residence permit, the services of our lawyers are at your disposal.

Relocating to another country is a multi-step process, one that involves not only complying with the rules for foreign nationals in the chosen country of relocation but also one that involves a significant level of assimilation. South African nationals in Brazil will need to learn Portuguese and get accustomed with the cultural norms.

Entrepreneurs from South Africa can reach out to us for more details on the Brazil citizenship by investment option, if they consider starting a business in the country.

According to the United Nations, some of the main immigration statistics for Brazil are the following:

  • the total number of international migrants projected for the middle of 2021 is 1.1 million;
  • the percentage of the international migrant stock of the total population (also a projection for mid-2021) is 0.5%;
  • the total population mid-year 2020: 212.6 million.

Our Brazilian lawyers are ready to answer any questions about immigration and can assist clients starting with the very first visa application steps. Contact us for more information on how we can assist you. Jure matrimonii enables Brazilian dual citizenship. It is crucial to understand that marriage to a Brazilian does not provide citizenship by default. Most of the time, applicants must first apply to the federal police for permanent residency. Naturalization is possible after marriage to a Brazilian citizen and one year of residency in the country. You are welcome to get in touch with our lawyers if you are seeking help to apply for citizenship in Brazil.