Brazil Nomad Visa

What is the Brazil digital nomad visa?

Brazil's digital nomad visa is a temporary visa known as VITEM XIV. It was created by Brazil's National Immigration Council (CNIg) in Resolution 45/2021, which Itamaraty says was published on 24 January 2022, and it lets you live in Brazil while working remotely for an employer or clients abroad.

The residence it leads to lasts one year at first and can be renewed for one more year. Brazil's consulates issue the visa; the residence card itself is a Federal Police document, obtained after you arrive.

Who can apply for the Brazil digital nomad visa?

You qualify if you can do your job remotely, using digital tools, for a foreign employer or for foreign clients. The regulation excludes anyone working for an employer based in Brazil.

The consulate pages ask for three kinds of proof that you are a digital nomad: a declaration that you can work remotely, a contract or other evidence of your link to a foreign employer or client, and proof that you can support yourself. If you need that foreign employer or client first, browse remote jobs for Nigerians.

How much income do you need for the Brazil digital nomad visa?

The consulate page we used does not state a figure; it only asks for proof of means of subsistence. Law firms that have translated CNIg Resolution 45/2021, such as Oliveira Lawyers, report that it asks for either:

• income of at least US$1,500 a month from a paying source outside Brazil, or
• at least US$18,000 available in the bank.

We could not open the resolution on a Brazilian government site to confirm these amounts, so ask the Lagos consulate what it expects to see before you apply.

How long can you stay, and can you renew it?

Residence is granted for one year, and the consular page says it can be renewed for another year. According to the translated resolution, renewal needs a copy of your Brazilian residence card (CRNM) and new criminal record certificates, among other documents.

The visa itself is your entry document. After arriving you register with the Federal Police, which issues the residence card.

How much does it cost?

Brazil sets visa fees partly by nationality. For Nigerian passport holders, the Lagos consulate lists US$80 for a visit visa and US$100 for several temporary visas (work, study, health, missionary and family reunion), paid in US dollars to the consulate's UBA account. It does not list VITEM XIV.

Confirm the VITEM XIV fee with the consulate before paying, and only pay once you have an application protocol number, as the consulate instructs.

What documents do you need?

The Itamaraty consulate page for VITEM XIV lists:

• A passport valid for at least six months, with at least two blank visa pages.
• One recent 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm photo.
• The signed receipt of the online visa request form.
• A police certificate, valid for 90 days after issue, legalised or apostilled.
• Your birth certificate, legalised or apostilled.
• Travel or health insurance with medical cover valid in Brazil.
• A declaration that you can work remotely, in English or Portuguese, with your signature notarised and apostilled.
• Your contract or other proof of your foreign employer or client, and proof of means of subsistence.
• A CPF, Brazil's individual taxpayer number, which foreigners who intend to live in Brazil must have.

Consulates may ask for more documents or an explanation.

How do you apply from Nigeria?

The Brazilian Embassy in Abuja says visas for all of Nigeria are handled by the Consulate-General in Lagos. Visits are by appointment only, and the consulate says it does not work through third parties.

1. Create a login on the Lagos e-Consular portal (ec-lagos.itamaraty.gov.br) with a personal email address.
2. Fill the MRE visa request form at formulario-mre.serpro.gov.br, choose the digital nomad temporary visa, and upload your documents. Print and sign the form receipt.
3. Get your CPF, and have your remote work declaration notarised and apostilled.
4. Book a visa appointment in e-Consular, choosing the correct service. The consulate warns that booking a different service to get an earlier date can lead to refusal.
5. Pay the fee to the consulate account after you have a protocol number, then attend with original documents.
6. After arriving in Brazil, register with the Federal Police to receive your residence card.

Premium membership includes nomad visa assistance if you want help with the forms.

How long does processing take?

No official processing time is published. The Amsterdam consulate reviews uploaded documents before it offers an appointment, and Lagos emails you when the process is complete rather than giving step-by-step updates.

Do you pay tax in Brazil on a digital nomad visa?

The official visa pages we checked say nothing about tax, and we found no tax exemption for digital nomads in them. Tax residence in Brazil is decided by the federal revenue service, Receita Federal, under its own rules, which can apply to foreigners living in the country.

Speak to a Brazilian tax adviser before you move, and check your Nigerian position too. This is general information, not tax advice.

Can you bring your family?

Yes, through a separate visa. The Lagos consulate's family reunion visa (VITEM XI) is open to close, economically dependent relatives of a foreign temporary or permanent resident of Brazil who holds a residence card. Once you are registered and have your card, your spouse or children can apply as your dependants.

What to know before you move

• Working hours: Brasília time is UTC-3, four hours behind Lagos, so a 9am start in São Paulo or Rio is 1pm in Lagos. That leaves a good overlap with Nigerian and European clients. Some western states run one or two hours further behind.
• CPF: you need it for the visa itself, and it is also the number used across Brazilian banking and everyday services.
• Police certificate timing: it is only valid for 90 days, so request it last.
• Language: the consular requirements accept English or Portuguese for the remote work declaration and contract; ask Lagos whether other documents need a translation.

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