Orientation for your Brazil strategy
Your questions. Clear answers.
Answers on investments, real estate, companies, banking, residency and your reliable presence in Brazil.
Every project is individual. Here you will find initial orientation on the questions our international clients ask most.
Search our answers on investments, real estate, companies, residency and building your structure in Brazil.
Understand Brazil before you decide.
Investing and building a presence in another country raises economic, legal and personal questions. Our answers give you initial orientation. Which structure makes sense for you must then be assessed individually.
This content provides general orientation and does not replace individual legal, tax or financial advice.
Frequently asked
We have not published an answer on that yet. Try a different term — or speak with us directly. Many questions can only be answered by looking at your specific situation.
PlanBrazil
What exactly does PlanBrazil do?
We support international investors, entrepreneurs and families in building a structure in Brazil that works — economically and legally.
That covers investments and real estate, founding or joining companies, building banking relationships, the legal structure, possible residency pathways and ongoing local representation.
So we are neither an immigration consultancy alone, nor a law firm or a brokerage on their own. Our task is to coordinate these areas so they fit together — together with specialised and duly licensed partners.
Who is PlanBrazil for?
Primarily for people with concrete interest and genuine capacity to invest or build an economic presence in Brazil.
That includes investors and entrepreneurs, families with assets, property buyers, and anyone seeking to diversify their assets internationally.
If you are at the very start and first want to understand whether Brazil makes sense for you, that is a good moment for a first conversation.
Do I need to know exactly what I want to do in Brazil?
No. Few clients arrive with a finished plan.
The first step is to understand your goals: available assets, time horizon, business or private interests, and your family’s needs.
From there it becomes clear which paths make sense — and which you can rule out. Often the most valuable outcome early on is eliminating options.
Is PlanBrazil an immigration consultancy?
Residency matters are part of our work, but they are not its starting point.
Our focus is investments, assets, companies, banking structure and legal certainty. In many cases a residency option emerges as a consequence of that structure — not the other way around.
That is precisely what distinguishes us from classic relocation providers: we first build something economically sound, then assess what personal freedoms can follow from it.
What languages does the team speak?
We work with you in German, Portuguese and English.
That is no accident: PlanBrazil’s origins run between Austria, Germany and Brazil. Both partners went to school at Colégio Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, an institution of German tradition.
For you it means contracts, official correspondence and economic matters are explained in your own language — not through a chain of translations.
Who will my contacts be?
Your projects are handled personally by the partners: Bruno Unger for strategy, investments and business development, Rafael Rébula as a lawyer for the legal structure.
Specialised partners join as needed — accountants, sworn translators, licensed brokers or specialist lawyers.
You keep fixed points of contact throughout. Coordinating those involved is our job, so you do not have to mediate between firms, banks and authorities yourself.
Does PlanBrazil only work with clients from Germany?
No. Our focus is the German-speaking region — Germany, Austria and Switzerland — where our roots and cultural understanding lie.
But we also serve clients from other countries. What matters is not nationality, but the project in Brazil and the need for reliable coordination on the ground.
How does working with PlanBrazil begin?
The collaboration follows a clear sequence, so you always know where your project stands:
- Initial conversation: we get to know your goals, priorities and investment expectations.
- Preliminary review: we check requirements, documents and possible routes.
- Scope: together we define what PlanBrazil takes on and which partners join.
- Proposal: you receive a plan with services, participants and fees.
- Implementation: we coordinate the legal, financial and practical steps.
Is the initial conversation free or without obligation?
[INFORMATION TO BE CONFIRMED BY PLANBRAZIL]
As soon as the terms of the initial conversation are finalised, this answer will be completed. Until then, please contact us directly — we explain transparently how we proceed at first contact.
How are fees calculated?
There is no flat rate, because projects differ greatly. A property purchase with subsequent letting takes a different effort from setting up a company with an investment plan.
What counts is the scope and complexity of the project, the number and type of professionals involved, and whether you want one-off support or ongoing representation.
You receive the fees in writing and clearly itemised before we begin — including services provided by external partners.
Investments & Banking
Do I have to live in Brazil to invest there?
In many situations, no. Foreigners can invest in Brazil without being resident there.
Certain formalities do apply: a Brazilian tax number (CPF), proper registration of the capital, solid documentation and — depending on the project — local representation.
The specific requirements depend on the type of investment. Real estate, shareholdings and financial products are treated differently. The specific assessment depends on your personal situation, the chosen structure and the law in force at the time.
Do I need a Brazilian residence permit in order to invest?
Residency and investment are two topics that touch but do not necessarily depend on each other.
You can invest in many cases as a non-resident. Conversely, an investment can, where the legal requirements are met, form the basis for a residency application.
It makes sense to consider both from the outset: the structure of the investment influences which residency routes remain open later.
How can a foreigner open a bank account in Brazil?
Each bank sets its own requirements within the regulatory framework, and they differ considerably.
Commonly required are a Brazilian tax number (CPF), proof of identity, proof of address and information on the origin and purpose of the funds. Your tax residence and profile influence which institutions are viable at all.
No one can guarantee an account will be opened — that decision rests solely with the bank. We prepare the documents, explain the requirements and coordinate contact with suitable institutions.
Does PlanBrazil help with banking relationships?
Yes — in a coordinating role, not as a financial services provider. In practice:
- We explain each institution’s requirements in advance.
- We organise documents, apostilles and sworn translations.
- We coordinate contact with banks and suitable counterparts.
- We follow the process and any queries through to completion.
Can I legally transfer money from Europe to Brazil?
Yes. Capital transfers to Brazil are possible and routine through authorised financial institutions.
What matters is that the transfer is correctly classified and documented: origin of funds, purpose and the applicable foreign-exchange category. For investments, registration of the foreign capital with Brazil’s Central Bank is also key — it is later the basis for repatriation and profit distributions.
That registration is often underestimated. Bringing capital into the country without clean classification creates difficulties in taking it out again in an orderly way.
How is foreign capital registered in Brazil?
Foreign direct investment is recorded electronically with Brazil’s Central Bank. That register documents how much capital entered, when and for what purpose.
The specific form depends on the type of investment and the chosen structure — a shareholding is treated differently from a property purchase.
Registration should be planned before the transfer, not repaired afterwards. The specific assessment depends on your personal situation, the chosen structure and the law in force at the time.
Does PlanBrazil provide investment advice?
No. PlanBrazil supports structure, documentation and coordination with banks and authorised financial partners. Regulated investment advice is provided only by duly licensed providers.
So we tell you how an investment is set up cleanly in legal and organisational terms, and we support the implementation. Which securities or financial products you should acquire is a matter for regulated providers.
What investment options exist in Brazil?
In overview, the usual routes fall into these categories:
- Real estate — for own use, letting or capital appreciation.
- Companies — founding your own company in Brazil.
- Shareholdings — joining an existing company.
- Productive projects — ventures with operations on the ground.
- Financial products — through authorised institutions and regulated providers.
Is investing in Brazil safe?
No investment is free of risk — not in Brazil, not in Europe. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something.
Security comes not from assurances but from diligence: thorough review before the decision, a solid legal structure, complete documentation, sober economic assessment, qualified partners and ongoing oversight.
Then there are factors within your control: diversification, realistic return expectations, and the willingness to walk away from a deal when the review reveals problems.
Which taxes can be relevant for foreign investors?
There is no blanket answer, because too many factors interact: your tax residence, the source of the income, the chosen structure and the type of investment.
Relevant taxes may include those on rental income, on capital gains, on profit distributions, and duties on property acquisition. Then there is how Brazil and your home country handle double taxation.
These questions belong before the investment decision, not after. We coordinate with accountants in Brazil and additionally recommend a review in your home country.
Real estate
Can foreigners buy property in Brazil?
As a rule, yes. Purchase of urban property by foreigners is possible and widespread in Brazil.
There are, however, restrictions depending on location and type of property. Special rules apply particularly to rural land and to areas near borders and in certain security-sensitive zones.
For a typical residential or investment property in a city, those restrictions usually do not apply. Whether they affect your specific property is part of the review before purchase.
Do I have to live in Brazil to own property?
No. Ownership and immigration status are two different things.
You can own Brazilian property without being resident. Among other things you will need a Brazilian tax number (CPF) and, depending on the situation, local representation for ongoing matters.
Conversely, a property purchase can, where the legal requirements are met, form the basis for a residency application — as a possibility, not automatically.
Does PlanBrazil help with the property search?
Yes, from defining criteria through to handover. The process usually includes:
- Criteria: location, property type, intended use and return expectations.
- Search and shortlisting of suitable properties, with licensed brokers.
- Viewings — in person, or on your behalf with a report and imagery.
- Review of the property, the seller and the developer.
- Negotiation and coordination of the purchase through to registration.
Does PlanBrazil check the legal status of a property?
We coordinate the legal and documentary review, carried out by qualified professionals — in our case led by our lawyer partner.
In Brazil this review matters especially, because encumbrances, pending proceedings or tax arrears are not always visible from the title record alone. It covers both the property and the seller as a person.
Only once that review is cleanly completed should payment follow.
What is checked before a property purchase?
The review covers the property, the seller and the surroundings. It usually includes:
- Ownership and the current title record (matrícula).
- Liens, mortgages, attachments and other encumbrances.
- The property’s tax position and outstanding charges.
- Building regularity and permits.
- The seller’s situation, including pending proceedings.
- Owners’ association: bylaws, reserves, minutes and arrears.
- Contracts, pre-agreements and existing rights of use.
Can I buy a property remotely?
In many cases, yes. The usual route is a power of attorney under which a trusted person in Brazil carries out the necessary acts for you.
For that to work, the power of attorney must be formally correct, notarised or apostilled abroad, and translated by a sworn translator. Its scope and limits should be set deliberately.
We prepare these documents and align them in advance with the notary office, so they are accepted at the decisive moment.
Can PlanBrazil represent me at viewings?
Yes. We view properties on your behalf and document them so you can make a sound decision from a distance.
That includes photos and video, assessments of condition, surroundings and neighbourhood, and notes on details rarely visible in sellers’ own imagery.
Scope and frequency follow what is agreed.
Does PlanBrazil support you after the purchase?
Yes — for many clients that is the real reason for working with us. After acquisition we take on, as agreed:
- Management of the property and coordination of service providers.
- Maintenance, repairs and tradespeople.
- Letting, tenant relations and accounting.
- Representation before the owners’ association and authorities.
- Resolving day-to-day matters while you are in Europe.
Can a property be let?
As a rule, yes — but conditions differ considerably depending on the letting model.
Conventional long-term letting follows different rules from short-term holiday letting. Besides the law, the owners’ association bylaws are decisive: many developments restrict or prohibit short-term letting.
If holiday-letting income is part of your calculation, that question should be settled before the purchase — not after.
Can a real estate investment lead to residency?
Yes, Brazilian law provides a corresponding route. It is tied to a minimum amount, to funds of foreign origin, and to a series of formal requirements.
The order matters: the property should make economic sense first. The residency option is a possible additional benefit — not a reason to buy a poor property.
Approval is never guaranteed; it depends on meeting the requirements and on the authorities’ decision. We have set out the details on a dedicated page.
Can property be acquired jointly with a spouse or family members?
Yes, joint ownership is possible. The question is less whether it works than how it should be structured.
The ownership structure affects taxes, succession planning and — where relevant — residency matters. For joint ownership, a residency application carries its own requirements as to each party’s share.
So the structure should be settled before purchase, with your assets in Europe in view. Restructuring later is usually expensive.
What additional costs arise on a property purchase?
Besides the price, further items apply, varying by state and municipality:
- Property transfer tax (ITBI), levied by the municipality.
- Notarial deed and entry in the land register.
- Legal and documentary review.
- Fees for advice and coordination.
- Broker commission, where applicable.
- Ongoing: property tax (IPTU), service charges and maintenance.
Companies
Can a foreigner set up a company in Brazil?
Yes. Foreigners can incorporate companies in Brazil or join existing ones.
Requirements include a Brazilian tax number, a suitable corporate form, registration with the competent commercial registry and — for non-resident shareholders — representation in Brazil.
Which structure makes sense depends on the venture: an operating company with staff imposes different requirements from a pure holding structure.
What is a CNPJ?
The CNPJ is a legal entity’s registration number with the Brazilian tax authority — comparable to a tax and identification number for companies.
Worth distinguishing: the CNPJ is not the company itself. The company comes into being through its articles of association and their registration; the CNPJ is the corresponding tax registration.
Without a CNPJ a company can barely operate: it is required for accounts, contracts, invoices and taxes.
Do I have to live in Brazil to be a shareholder?
No. Non-resident individuals can also be shareholders of a Brazilian company.
This generally requires a Brazilian tax number and a representative resident in Brazil holding an appropriate power of attorney, who receives service of process and handles formalities.
Separate requirements apply to management, distinct from those for shareholders — see the question on local management.
Can I take a stake in an existing company?
Yes. Joining an existing company is possible and common in practice.
It demands considerably more care than a new incorporation: you take on the company’s history with it. Tax, employment and litigation legacies can affect the company and, indirectly, your stake.
Here thorough due diligence is not a formality but the decisive part of the transaction.
Does PlanBrazil help with incorporation?
Yes, coordinating across all the disciplines involved:
- Design of the corporate and shareholding structure.
- Articles of association and accompanying contracts.
- Registrations with the commercial registry and tax authorities.
- Onboarding of accounting and ongoing obligations.
- Compliance matters and local representation.
Does PlanBrazil help find business opportunities?
Yes, under a corresponding mandate. That includes prospecting in the desired sector, an initial assessment of the possibilities, approaching potential partners and coordinating the review.
We do not make business decisions for you and give no return promises. Our role is to open up options, examine them critically and present them so that you can decide.
What is examined in a due diligence?
The scope follows the size and type of transaction. The usual areas are:
- Legal: contracts, proceedings, licences and liability risks.
- Tax: charges, outstanding items and proceedings.
- Employment: employment relationships and disputes.
- Corporate: shareholdings, bylaws and resolutions.
- Financial: accounts, liabilities and cash flows.
- Operational: processes, dependencies and key people.
- Reputational: environment, partners and public information.
Does a Brazilian company need a local manager?
A blanket answer here would be misleading. Requirements differ by corporate form, activity, and whether the shareholders are resident in Brazil.
As orientation: for day-to-day management and dealings with authorities, a presence in Brazil able to act is practically indispensable. In what formal role that presence appears — as manager, attorney-in-fact or shareholder representative — is part of structuring.
The specific assessment depends on your personal situation, the chosen structure and the law in force at the time.
Can a business investment lead to residency?
Yes, Brazilian law provides a dedicated residency route for investments in a Brazilian company.
It requires more than a capital contribution: an investment or business plan is needed, setting out among other things how the venture is to generate jobs or income in the country. Implementation of that plan must be evidenced later.
Approval is not guaranteed. It depends on the legal requirements, the documentation and the decision of the competent authorities.
Does PlanBrazil support you after incorporation too?
Yes. Setting up is the beginning, not the end. On an ongoing basis we take on, as agreed:
- Coordination of accounting, tax and legal advice.
- Compliance and ongoing obligations.
- Contracts, negotiations and amendments.
- Communication with authorities and local partners.
- Representation of shareholders and operational organisation on site.
Who handles the accounting?
Accounting is handled by an accountant or accounting firm licensed in Brazil. That is not a matter of preference but a legal requirement.
PlanBrazil coordinates that relationship: we introduce suitable partners, ensure the flow of information, and make sure deadlines are met and documents presented in an understandable way.
For you that means one point of contact instead of several interfaces in a foreign language.
Can I expand a European company into Brazil?
Yes, and there are several routes. The usual ones are founding a Brazilian subsidiary, taking a stake in an existing local company, or investing without your own operating structure.
Which route fits depends on your business model, the intended scale, tax considerations, and how much operational presence you really need in Brazil.
That decision should be reviewed legally and fiscally in both countries before structures are created.
Residency
Do I have to move to Brazil immediately if I build a residency option?
No. A residency option does not automatically mean relocating your centre of life.
Each modality does, however, have its own rules on registration, presence and maintenance. Some routes require only a modest minimum presence over a longer period; others are stricter.
So it is important to know the presence rules before choosing a route — they determine which option fits your life in Europe.
What residency options exist?
Brazilian law provides several routes. The most relevant for our clients are:
- Real estate investment — purchase of property above a value set by regulation.
- Business investment — investment in a Brazilian company with an investment plan.
- Family — reunification with a spouse, children or other eligible relatives.
- Retirement — based on pension or retirement income.
- Work and professional activities.
- Digital nomads — remote work for a foreign employer.
- Other statutory grounds, depending on personal circumstances.
What is the difference between a residence permit and the CRNM?
These two terms are often confused, but they mean different things.
The residence authorisation is the official decision establishing your right to reside. It is the legal basis.
The CRNM — Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório — is the identity document issued after registration with the Federal Police. It evidences the registration that follows from the authorisation.
In practice: the authorisation gives you the right, the CRNM proves it. For accounts, contracts and official business you need the document.
How does residency through real estate investment work?
In principle: someone who acquires, with their own funds of foreign origin, urban property above a value set by regulation can apply for a residence authorisation. The threshold is lower in certain regions of the country.
The property may be completed or under construction; each variant has its own documentary requirements. Residence is granted initially for a fixed term and can become indefinite where conditions are maintained.
Amounts, terms and presence obligations are set out, with the legal bases, on a dedicated page.
How does residency through business investment work?
Here the amount alone is not the focus — the economic venture is. An investment or business plan with a multi-year implementation horizon is required.
The plan must set out, among other things, sector and location, the purpose of the venture, and the intended creation of jobs or income. The authority reviews that potential as a priority, and implementation must be evidenced later.
For innovation and technology ventures the rules provide separate conditions. Details are on the dedicated page.
Can my family be included?
In many cases, yes. The Migration Law provides for residence authorisation for family reunification.
It can cover, among others, spouses and partners, children and — depending on the situation — other relatives with recognised dependency.
Each family member files their own application with their own documents; it is not a collective procedure. So the family should be planned in from the outset, not only after the main application is granted.
How long does a residency procedure take?
A firm blanket figure would not be serious. Duration varies considerably.
It depends on the chosen modality, the completeness of documents, the competent authority and processing location, any further requirements raised, and current workloads.
What you can influence is preparation: complete, correctly apostilled and translated documents avoid queries — and queries are, in our experience, the biggest source of delay.
Which documents are normally required?
The exact list follows the modality. Regularly included are:
- Application form of the competent authority.
- Valid travel document.
- Civil status records, such as birth or marriage certificates.
- Evidence of the underlying ground — such as ownership, investment or income.
- Financial evidence, including capital transfers.
- Criminal record certificates from countries of recent residence.
- Apostilles and sworn translations.
Do documents need an apostille and translation?
As a rule, yes. Documents issued abroad must be formally recognised for use in Brazil.
For countries in the Hague Convention — including Germany, Austria and Switzerland — that is done via the apostille. For countries outside it, consular legalisation through a Brazilian mission is required.
In addition, Brazil almost always requires translation by a translator sworn in Brazil. A translation prepared in your home country is often not accepted.
Can an application be prepared from abroad?
Yes, much of the preparation can be done from Europe: obtaining certificates, apostilles, translations, assembling the documentation and settling the structure.
Certain steps, however, require acts in Brazil or at a Brazilian mission — such as registration with the Federal Police and biometric capture for the CRNM.
Which steps require attendance depends on the modality and should be planned early, so travel can be sensibly combined.
Is residency guaranteed if I invest?
No. Every approval depends on meeting the legal requirements, on the documentation, and on the decision of the competent authorities.
Serious support can markedly improve the prospects — through clean preparation, complete evidence and the right choice of modality. It cannot give an assurance, and anyone who does should make you suspicious.
That is why we advise justifying the investment economically first. Then the residency option is an added benefit, not a risk.
Can a residence authorisation be lost?
Yes. Residence authorisations are tied to requirements that must continue to be met.
Loss is a possibility particularly where the basis for the grant falls away, where presence or notification duties are not met, or where incorrect information was given in the procedure.
In practice: material changes — such as selling the property, exiting a shareholding, or extended absences — should be reviewed legally beforehand, not after.
May I work in Brazil with a residence permit?
That depends on the modality and cannot be answered in blanket terms.
Some residency grounds are tied to a specific activity; others are broader. Someone resident through an investment is in a different position from someone with a work-related permit, or from a digital nomad whose very basis is work for a foreign employer.
The specific assessment depends on your personal situation, the chosen structure and the law in force at the time. This should be clarified before choosing the modality.
Can residency later lead to naturalisation?
Naturalisation is a separate procedure with its own requirements — it does not follow automatically from a residence permit.
Relevant factors include a minimum period of actual residence, the ability to communicate in Portuguese, civil capacity under Brazilian law, and the absence of disqualifying criminal convictions. In certain situations the required period is shortened.
Important for European clients: whether your existing nationality is retained is governed by the law of your home country — not by Brazilian law.
Does PlanBrazil help with Federal Police registration?
Yes, within the agreed scope. After the residence authorisation is granted, registration with the Federal Police follows — only then is the CRNM issued.
We prepare the documents, coordinate the appointment, attend it and follow through to issuance of the document.
This phase is often underestimated: formal errors or missing documents frequently cause delays even though the authorisation itself is already in place.
Family & Future
Can my family be part of my Brazil plan?
Yes — and for most of our clients they are the real reason for the project.
The family can be included on several levels: through the ownership structure of property, through shareholdings in companies, through their own residency options, and through long-term succession planning.
The important thing is to consider these levels together early. A structure tailored to one person alone is often hard to open up to the family later.
Can a spouse and children obtain residency?
In many cases, yes, through the family reunification rules.
Each family member files their own application with their own documentation. Evidence of the family tie is required through official records, apostilled and translated by a sworn translator.
Particular care is needed for unmarried partnerships and blended families — here the quality of the evidence determines how things go.
Does the whole family have to move to Brazil at the same time?
No. Moving together is not a precondition.
Often the reverse is more practical: the structure is built jointly and applications are prepared in a coordinated way, but actual use follows step by step — initially through longer stays, for instance.
The presence and maintenance rules of the chosen modality do, however, apply to each family member.
How can a property be structured for the family?
There are several options: ownership by one person, joint ownership among family members, or holding through a company.
Each variant has different consequences for tax, succession, liability and — where relevant — residency applications. For joint ownership, a residency application carries its own requirements as to each party’s share.
We recommend settling this before purchase, taking the law in your home country into account as well.
Can children go to school in Brazil?
Yes. Larger cities offer a broad range of international and bilingual schools, including German-language institutions with long traditions.
Admission generally requires recognition of previous schooling, for which apostilled and translated certificates are needed. Enrolment deadlines and admission processes differ considerably between schools.
As places at sought-after schools are limited, this should be addressed early — it often influences the choice of neighbourhood too.
How does healthcare work for international families?
Brazil has a public health system alongside a well-developed private sector with high standards in the larger cities.
International families in practice mostly use private health insurance. Admission conditions, waiting periods and coverage differ markedly; pre-existing conditions and age play a role.
It is also worth clarifying how your cover at home behaves during extended stays abroad.
What role does succession and inheritance planning play?
A bigger one than most assume at first. Assets in a second country engage two legal systems at once.
Points to clarify include which succession law applies to Brazilian assets, how the ownership structure affects transfer, what duties arise, and how Brazilian and European rules interact.
These questions should be considered while the structure is built. Correcting matters at succession is regularly more burdensome and costly than thoughtful planning at the start.
Can Brazil be used only part of the time, as a second base?
Yes, and for many of our clients that is precisely the aim: several months a year in Brazil, the rest in Europe.
This is possible but requires attention on two fronts: the presence rules of the chosen residency modality, and the question of tax residence, which turns on length of stay and centre of interests.
Both should be considered together, so that practical use does not trigger unintended tax consequences.
Can I invest today and decide about moving later?
Yes. That is one of the most common paths we support.
You first build an economically sound structure — property, company, banking relationship — and thereby create the basis for later decisions. Whether and when you use Brazil more intensively stays open.
The advantage lies in the sequence: you decide about your centre of life later from a position of preparation, not under time pressure.
What does a Plan B mean to PlanBrazil?
A Plan B is not an escape and not a second-class alternative. It means building economically sound possibilities today and creating additional freedom of action for tomorrow.
In practice: diversifying assets internationally, being present in one of the world’s largest economies, and keeping the option of using the country more intensively — if that matches your wish or your circumstances.
That attitude shapes our work: we first build something that makes sense in its own right. The freedom that follows is the gain on top.
Law & Documents
What documents do I need to invest in Brazil?
The exact list depends on the venture. As a baseline:
- Valid travel document.
- Brazilian tax number (CPF).
- Civil status records, apostilled and translated.
- Evidence of the origin of funds.
- Documentation of capital transfers and their registration.
- Depending on the structure: powers of attorney, corporate documents or purchase contracts.
What is a CPF and what is it for?
The CPF is the tax number for individuals in Brazil, held with the Brazilian tax authority — comparable to a personal tax identification number.
Without a CPF almost nothing is possible in Brazil: it is required for property purchase, bank accounts, shareholdings, contracts and most official business.
Non-resident foreigners can also obtain a CPF. Applying for one is often among the first practical steps of a Brazil project.
What is a sworn translation?
A translation by a publicly appointed and sworn translator in Brazil (tradutor público juramentado).
Only such translations carry official effect before Brazilian authorities and notaries. A translation prepared in your home country — even by a translator sworn there — is generally not accepted.
This surprises many clients and often causes delays. We therefore coordinate translations with translators in Brazil from the outset.
When is an apostille required?
Whenever a public document issued abroad is to have effect in Brazil — such as birth and marriage certificates, criminal record certificates or powers of attorney.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland are parties to the Hague Convention, so the apostille is issued there by the competent authorities. For states outside the Convention, consular legalisation takes its place.
After the apostille comes, as a rule, the sworn translation in Brazil. The two steps belong together.
Can I use a power of attorney issued in Europe?
Yes, if it meets Brazilian formal requirements.
That generally means notarisation or certification in the issuing country, then apostille and sworn translation in Brazil. For certain transactions — such as property purchase — additional requirements apply to form and content.
Content is decisive: a power of attorney drawn too narrowly blocks the project, one drawn too broadly creates unnecessary risk. We draft it to fit and align it with the notary office in advance.
How does legal due diligence protect me?
It shifts risk to where it is manageable: before payment.
The review uncovers encumbrances, pending proceedings, tax arrears or irregularities that often are not apparent from the seller’s own documents alone. In Brazil that concerns not only the asset but the seller as a person.
The outcome is not always a green light. Sometimes the most valuable result of a review is the recommendation not to do the deal.
Who drafts and reviews contracts?
Contracts are drafted and reviewed by qualified lawyers — in our case led by our partner, admitted to the Brazilian Bar Association.
On international projects we also make sure you actually understand the content: we explain the key clauses in your language before signing.
Where sensible, we recommend an additional review in your home country — particularly on points touching your assets there.
How is my personal data protected?
We handle your data in line with the Brazilian data protection law (LGPD) and, where applicable, the European General Data Protection Regulation.
That covers in particular confidentiality towards third parties, limited sharing with partners only to the extent necessary, and respect for your rights as a data subject.
How we process data on this website is described in detail in our Privacy Policy.
Does PlanBrazil work with specialised partners?
Yes, and we consider that an advantage rather than a limitation.
Certain services may and should be provided only by duly licensed professionals: accounting by registered accountants, sworn translations by public translators, property brokerage by registered brokers, banking by authorised institutions.
Our role is coordination: we select those involved, steer the process and remain your fixed point of contact — so you do not have to mediate between several providers in a foreign language.
Is legal information updated regularly?
Yes. The legal information published on this site is checked against the Brazilian rules in force and carries a date.
As requirements can change, that check does not replace an up-to-date individual assessment. Before a project begins we confirm the applicable conditions again under the law then in force.
On the detail pages you will find the legal bases and the date of the information.
Can PlanBrazil guarantee an approval or an outcome?
No. Approvals are granted by Brazilian authorities, and no one outside those authorities can promise their decision.
What we can promise is the quality of our work: careful review of requirements, complete and properly prepared documents, a realistic assessment of prospects, and transparent communication even when that assessment is unfavourable.
If in our view a project has no prospect of success, we tell you so — before costs arise.
What happens if authorities request additional documents?
Such requests are not unusual in Brazilian procedures and are not in themselves a sign of trouble.
We handle them: we interpret the request, clarify which documents are actually meant, obtain them, arrange apostilles and translations, and file within the deadline.
Deadlines are the sensitive point — they are regularly tight, and missing one can lead to refusal. We monitor them and come back to you in good time if we need something from your side.
Local representation
What does "local representation" mean?
That someone in Brazil can act for you while you are in Europe.
In practice: we attend appointments, communicate with authorities, banks, notaries and service providers, keep an eye on your property or company, respond to deadlines and keep you informed of progress.
For international clients this is often the decisive point: an investment without reliable presence on the ground generates constant effort and uncertainty — however well the entry was prepared.
Can PlanBrazil represent my interests while I am in Europe?
Yes, within the agreed scope and the powers of attorney granted.
The scope is set out in writing in advance: which acts we may carry out, where your express consent is required, and which decisions remain solely with you.
That clear delineation is in your interest. It creates the ability to act day to day without taking control of material decisions away from you.
Can you oversee property, companies or ongoing projects?
Yes. Ongoing oversight is one of our focuses and covers, as agreed:
- Property: condition, maintenance, tenants, owners’ association and charges.
- Companies: ongoing obligations, partners, providers and dealings with authorities.
- Construction and renovation: progress, tradespeople and handovers.
- Contracts: deadlines, renewals and amendments.
Do I receive reports and regular updates?
Yes. Transparency across distance only works with reliable reporting.
As agreed, you receive regular status reports, documentation with photos or video, summaries after appointments, and immediate notice when something requires your decision.
Rhythm and format we set together at the outset — some clients want monthly overviews, others only event-driven notices.
Can you coordinate appointments, providers and partners?
Yes, that is a core part of our work.
We arrange and attend appointments with authorities, banks and notaries, select tradespeople and providers, obtain quotes, check execution, and steer cooperation with lawyers, accountants and brokers.
Time difference and language make this coordination laborious from Europe. That is exactly the effort we take off your hands.
Do you help with problems after the investment?
Yes. In our experience most issues arise not at entry but in the years that follow.
These can be disputes with tenants or the owners’ association, unexpected charges, defects in the property, difficulties with providers or partners, or requirements from authorities.
We assess the situation, bring in the right professionals where needed, and coordinate the solution — instead of leaving you alone with a problem in a foreign legal system.
Can representation be arranged on a permanent basis?
Yes. Alongside project-based support we offer ongoing representation.
It suits you particularly if you hold assets in Brazil without being there regularly — such as let properties, ongoing shareholdings or several ventures.
Scope and terms are set individually, depending on how extensive your structure is and how much ongoing attention it genuinely requires.
How is it determined what PlanBrazil may take on for me?
On two levels: a written agreement on the scope of services and, where required for legal acts, a power of attorney with clearly defined content.
Both are deliberately bounded. We set out which acts we carry out independently, which require your prior consent, and which decisions remain solely yours — typically anything that commits or transfers assets.
The scope can be adjusted later if your situation changes.
Do I need to grant a power of attorney?
For many acts, yes — particularly for legal transactions such as property purchase, corporate matters or certain dealings with authorities.
For purely organisational tasks, such as obtaining quotes or coordinating providers, a formal power of attorney is often not required.
We check at the outset which powers your project genuinely requires, and draft them as narrowly as possible and as broadly as necessary.
Does PlanBrazil remain my contact after the original project is completed?
Yes, if you wish. PlanBrazil does not only support the entry. We can also remain at your side afterwards as a reliable contact and coordinating presence in Brazil.
For many of our clients that is the real value of the relationship: an investment is quickly made, but keeping a structure working over years takes someone on the ground who knows the project’s history.
Whether and to what extent that support continues is your decision — it is not a condition of working together.
Current, careful and clear.
Legal and regulatory information is checked against the Brazilian rules in force. As requirements can change and every case is individual, we confirm the conditions again before a project begins.
Legally reviewed by: Rafael Rébula, Rechtsanwalt — OAB/RJ 153.537
Your question is as individual as your project.
In a personal initial conversation we clarify your goals and assess which investment, structure and residency options suit you.