Brazil

BRA

Brazil is South America's largest economy, offering a very low cost of living (index 34) and one of the fastest standard naturalisation timelines available at just 4 years of residence. The economy is diversified across agriculture, commodities, and manufacturing, with a growing remote-work scene in cities like Florianópolis and along the Northeast coast. Taxation is residence-based with no foreign-income exemption.

Routes include a Digital Nomad visa, a Retirement visa for qualifying pensioners, and an Investor visa for business capital commitments. The passport ranks 19th globally with visa-free access to around 146 destinations, and dual citizenship is permitted. Portuguese, not Spanish, is the national language, and English proficiency is moderate-to-low (rank 71), so functional Portuguese eases integration outside expat hubs.

Those with Brazilian ancestry have comparatively straightforward pathways to residency. Healthcare (index 58) is mixed: private care in São Paulo and Rio is good and affordable internationally, while the public SUS system is uneven. Safety (index 35) requires active management, with most long-term expats choosing secure neighbourhoods and gated developments.

Naturalisation: 4 years
Tax system: Residence Based
Currency: Brazilian Real (BRL)
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Capital: Brasília
Region: americas
Population: 214,300,000
Cost-of-living: 34 /100

→ If you hold a Brazil passport, see the Brazil nationality guide

Passport Rank

#19

Visa-Free

146

destinations

Visa-free travel

A Brazil passport has visa-free access to 146 destinations. See the full Brazil passport breakdown →

Passports that enter Brazil without a prior visa (99)

Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Costa Rica+81 more

Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.

13 approved English test centres in Brazil →

Country Details

Capital: Brasília
Currency: Brazilian Real (BRL)
Languages: Portuguese
Population: 214,300,000
Tax System: Residence Based
Dual Citizenship: Allowed
Naturalisation: 4 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Tropical / Subtropical
English Proficiency Rank: #71
GDP per capita: $10,713
Life expectancy: 76.02 yrs
Population growth: 0.38%/yr

GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

133

Tax Summary

Tax System: Residence Based
Territorial Taxation: No — worldwide income taxed for residents
Naturalisation: 4 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Allowed

Cost of Living by City

← scroll the table →

Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
São Paulo	$800	$530	$250	$90	$45
Rio de Janeiro	$700	$460	$240	$95	$42

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

São Paulo

23°J

23°F

22°M

20°A

18°M

17°J

16°J

17°A

18°S

20°O

21°N

22°D

Rainfall range: 40–240 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 14h (summer)

Rio de Janeiro

26°J

26°F

26°M

24°A

22°M

21°J

21°A

22°S

23°O

24°N

25°D

Rainfall range: 45–140 mm/month · Daylight 11h (winter) to 14h (summer)

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

VIVIS Visitor
VITEM I Temporary Work
VITEM II Technical Assistance
VITEM III Religious / Mission
VITEM IV Study
VITEM V Volunteer
VITEM XIV Digital Nomad
Investor
Family Reunion
Retirement / Rentista
Mercosur Residence
Researcher
Student

Authority: Polícia Federal
Official Portal: www.gov.br/pf
Phone: +55 61 2024-6000
Email: ouvidoria@pf.gov.br

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years: 4
Language Test: Yes (Portuguese (oral + written basics))
Civic Test: No
Oath Required: Yes
Dual Allowed: Yes
Fee: $60
Processing: ~24 months

Real Estate

Avg price/sqm (capital): $2,000
Transaction taxes: 3%

Foreign buyers: Foreigners may purchase urban real estate freely. Rural land near borders has restrictions. São Paulo prime districts R$ 8,000-12,000/sqm (~$1,600-2,400/sqm). ITBI (transfer tax) ~3% municipal; ITCMD (inheritance) varies by state. No stamp duty. Capital gains tax 15-22.5% on gains for non-residents.

International Schools

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International schools by city, curriculum, and annual tuition
School	City	Curriculum	Tuition (USD/yr)
Escola Americana de São Paulo	São Paulo	US + AP	$20,000–$30,000
Our Lady of Mercy School	Rio de Janeiro	US + IB	$14,000–$22,000

Daily Life Logistics

Internet

200 Mbps median

55% fibre coverage

eSIM: Claro BR, Vivo (Telefonica), TIM Brasil, Oi

Driving

IDP required

Local licence required after 6 months

Exchange eligible: Mercosur countries; select bilateral partners (Portugal, Japan, UK); IDP accepted for 180 days for tourists

Pet Relocation

Quarantine: none

Rabies titre required

EU pet passport: not accepted

Safety

GPI Rank

#132

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Common Risks

⚠lightning robbery (furto-relampago — forced phone unlock)
⚠express kidnapping in São Paulo
⚠card skimming at ATMs
⚠fake Airbnb listings in Rio tourist areas

Examples of areas to avoid: Complexo do Alemão and Maré in Rio, Cracolandia area in São Paulo, Heliopolis after dark

LGBTQ+ Legal Status

Same-Sex Marriage: Legal
Civil Partnerships: Recognised
Anti-Discrimination Law: Yes
ILGA Rank: #36

Religious Life

Halal Food: Limited
Kosher Food: Widely available
Prayer Facilities: Common

Sample Citizenship Test Questions

Q1. In what year was Brazil's current Federal Constitution promulgated?

Answer: 1988

Source: Ministerio da Justica

Q2. Which STF ruling in 2013 extended civil union rights to same-sex couples at the federal level?

Answer: ADI 4277

Source: STF / Ministerio da Justica

Related Guides

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Related on The Citizenship Desk

Move here

Life logistics

Reference tables

Visa Programs

Brazil Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV)

Brazil BRA

Digital Nomad

Processing

1mo

Min. Income

$1,500/mo

Citizenship

Verified 2026-04-20

Brazil Retirement / Passive Income Visa (VIPER)

Brazil BRA

Retirement

Processing

3mo

Min. Income

$2,000/mo

Citizenship

Verified 2026-06-01

Brazil Investor Visa (VITEM XIV)

Brazil BRA

Investment

Processing

3mo

Min. Income

—

Citizenship

Verified 2026-06-01

Cities in Brazil

São Paulo

São Paulo is Latin America's business capital — a sprawling megacity of more than 20 million people housing the regional headquarters of most multinationals operating in South America, alongside Brazil's largest stock exchange and corporate law industry. It is not a lifestyle destination the way Rio or Florianópolis are; people move here for career reasons, and the city rewards that focus with deep professional and cultural infrastructure, plus one of the most diverse immigrant populations in the Americas, including the largest Japanese diaspora outside Japan. Brazil has built out a real menu of residency routes relevant to São Paulo's business orientation. The Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV) allows remote workers employed or contracted abroad to reside for up to a year, renewable; the Retirement/Passive Income Visa (VIPER) targets retirees living off qualifying passive income; and the Investor Visa grants residency for a qualifying capital investment in a Brazilian company. Combined with Brazil's large domestic market and moderate cost of living for a city this scale, these routes make São Paulo a serious contender for entrepreneurs, not just tourists or retirees. Cost of living is moderate by global standards but traffic is severe and safety varies by neighbourhood — most expats concentrate in the Itaim Bibi–Jardins–Vila Olímpia corridor, trading rent for security.