Residency pathway
Residency through real estate investment
Buying property in Brazil can, where the legal requirements are met, support an application for residence authorisation — combining asset building with freedom of choice.
In short
CNIg Normative Resolution 36/2018 allows an application for residence authorisation by anyone who acquires, with their own funds of foreign origin, urban property in Brazil above a defined value. The property may be built or under construction. Initial residence is granted for four years and, if conditions are maintained, may be changed to an indefinite term.
Who this pathway suits
- Investors seeking to build property assets in Brazil
- Families wanting a tangible asset alongside a residency option
- Buyers for seasonal personal use, rental income or capital appreciation
- Those who prefer an economic link that is simple to evidence documentarily
What becomes possible
- Initial residence authorisation for four years, convertible to an indefinite term
- Possibility of living in Brazil partially or permanently, as you decide
- Basis for including family members, assessed case by case
- An asset that can generate income through conventional or short-term rental
- After the required residence period, possible access to naturalisation
General requirements
- Purchase of property in an urban area at the minimum value set by the rule — R$ 1,000,000, which may be up to 30% lower in the North and Northeast regions
- Own funds of foreign origin, with the international transfer attested by an institution authorised and registered with the Central Bank
- Built property (with an encumbrance-free title registration) or property under construction (with a registered purchase agreement, building permit and registered development memorandum)
- The minimum value may be reached by combining more than one property held by the same owner
- Financing is admitted only for the portion exceeding the minimum required amount
- Presence in the country of at least 14 days every two years, counted from registration with the Federal Police
Economic and personal context
Unlike other pathways, the link with Brazil here is a tangible asset. The property can be used seasonally, rented conventionally or short-term, and integrated into your international asset strategy. Decisions about location, property type and yield profile come before the immigration question — and that is exactly where the analysis must begin.
How it works, step by step
- 01
Initial assessment and strategy
We understand your asset goals, your time horizon and the role a residency option plays in your planning. Together we define the property profile and region.
- 02
Property search and review
We coordinate property selection and the documentary review of the asset, the seller and the development, with our legal partners and licensed brokers.
- 03
Transfer of funds and purchase
The international transfer is made through authorised financial institutions with the registration required by the Central Bank. We follow the deed and title registration.
- 04
Preparing the application
We gather and check the documentation, including apostilles and sworn translations, and prepare the residence authorisation application.
- 05
Review by the Ministry of Justice
The application is reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, which may carry out on-site checks to verify the investment.
- 06
Federal Police registration and CRNM
Once granted, migration registration is completed with the Federal Police and the CRNM is issued.
Documents usually required
- Residence authorisation application form
- Valid travel document
- Proof of parentage, apostilled and translated by a sworn translator
- CPF (Brazilian tax number)
- Encumbrance-free property title registration, or — for property under construction — registered purchase agreement, building permit and registered development memorandum
- Declaration from an authorised credit institution, registered with the Central Bank, attesting the international capital transfer
- Criminal record certificates from countries of residence over the last five years, apostilled and translated
- Proof of payment of the fee (GRU)
Spouse and family
Including a spouse, partner and children is generally handled through the family reunification rules, with their own documents and requirements. Each family situation must be assessed individually — ideally planned together with the main application rather than afterwards.
Registration and the CRNM
Residence authorisation, migration registration and the CRNM are distinct stages of the same path, and it is worth telling them apart.
The residence authorisation is the act by which the Ministry of Justice and Public Security recognises the right to reside. Registration is then carried out with the Federal Police. Only afterwards is the CRNM — Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório — issued, the migrant’s identification document in Brazil.
The CRNM is not a synonym for the residence authorisation: it is the document evidencing the registration that follows from it. In practice, it is the CRNM that lets you open accounts, sign contracts and prove your status in the country.
What happens after approval
- Registration with the Federal Police and issuance of the CRNM
- Meeting the minimum presence of 14 days every two years
- Maintaining the conditions that supported the grant — their cessation may lead to loss of the authorisation
- After four years, possible change to an indefinite term, evidencing the maintained investment, a copy of the CRNM and criminal record certificates
How PlanBrazil supports you
- We coordinate the initial assessment and investment strategy
- We conduct the legal review with our lawyer partner
- We coordinate, with licensed brokers, the search for and negotiation of the property
- We organise documents, apostilles and sworn translations with public translators
- We coordinate, with authorised financial institutions, the transfer of funds through regular channels
- We support the residency procedure, Federal Police registration and issuance of the CRNM
- We remain your local point of contact after approval
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to live in Brazil to keep residency through real estate investment?
Not permanently. The rule requires a minimum presence of 14 days, consecutive or not, every two years, counted from registration with the Federal Police. This maintains the link without moving your centre of life.
Can the property be under construction?
Yes. The rule expressly provides for property under construction, with its own documentary requirements: a registered purchase agreement, a building permit and a registered development memorandum.
Can I combine more than one property to reach the amount?
Yes, provided all are held in your name as owner and the total reaches the required minimum.
Can I finance the purchase?
Financing is admitted only for the portion exceeding the minimum. The minimum itself must come from your own funds of foreign origin.
Is the CRNM the same as the residence authorisation?
No. The residence authorisation is the decision recognising your right to reside. The CRNM is the identification document issued after migration registration with the Federal Police.
What happens if I sell the property?
The cessation of the grounds supporting the grant may lead to loss of the residence authorisation. Any significant change in assets should be reviewed legally before it is carried out.
Legal basis
Related services
Assess whether your investment opens this pathway
In a no-obligation initial conversation, we analyse your asset objective and check which pathways make sense in your case.