Problem getting a retirement visa in Brazil

@alevinthal

Retirement or pension

CNIg Normative Resolution No. 40/2019

Who can apply for this visa

the immigrant in the condition of: retired or beneficiary of pension for death that proves the ability to transfer monthly to Brazil the amount, in foreign currency, in an amount equal to or greater than US$ 2,000.00 (two thousand dollars).

(you then basically have to prove some type of income, even if it not a pension, otherwise Brazil will get suspicious about how you will survive here...) :-)

Hi Michael, I have statements that show I have the resources and the required letter from my bank, but if you look at the requirements they also say you need “proof of retirement“ I have asked the Brazilian consulate in Atlanta and San Francisco what that means, and neither knows and say I should ask the federal police because they ultimately decide if I can get a visa.

I am trying to get an appointment with the federal police so they can tell me what I need.

03/25/23 @alevinthal. If you have a defined benefit pension, the cover letter from your pension plan in the package you used to request your payments should work.

If, like many people today, you don't have a defined benefit pension, but your employer gave you a letter confirming your retirement when you left, that should also work.

Both of the above were accepted for the old, pre-2017 Retirement Visa.

If you were self-employed or don't have either of the above, I'd try a sworn affidavit that includes the details of your retirement.

hum..... if you are not retired, don't benefit of retirement... why would you ask for retirement visa????

@abthree  hi. I don’t have a pension and I can get a letter from my last employer, but I doubt that will mean much to the authorities. I like your suggestion of having a sworn affidavit explaining how I became retired and possibly signed by my lawyer. Do you think that would work?

@Michel Duce I’m not sure what you mean, I am retired, but I can’t prove it with an official document

@Michel Duce

Many so-called self employed such as myself have no proof of retirement. Many have never collected a pay check from some big company or movement job, we just stop working. Currently, about 6% of Americans fall into this category. https://20somethingfinance.com/self-employment-poll/

03/25/23  @abthree hi. I don’t have a pension and I can get a letter from my last employer, but I doubt that will mean much to the authorities. I like your suggestion of having a sworn affidavit explaining how I became retired and possibly signed by my lawyer. Do you think that would work?
-@alevinthal

You could have both.  A letter on your employer's letterhead confirming the date of your retirement might have greater effect than you think.

A sworn, notarized affidavit prepared by your lawyer is a good idea, just be careful not to over-explain.  When dealing with Brazilian bureaucracy, the more unrequested information that you provide, the more opportunities for questions you create.   Name, age, identifying information, the work you retired from, and date of retirement should be enough.

@rraypo OK, thanks for that. Do you have any suggestions regarding my visa?

@abthree thanks, submitting a noterized affidavit  seems like a great approach. FYI, my situation in a nutshell is: I had a bad accident in early 2019 that put me in the hospital for four months. I went back to work until the end of 2019, then decided to take a break from work and never went back. now I am living in floripa with my girlfriend but can only stay for 90 days.

this story together with a letter from my employer in 2019 might do for the visa requirement. my LinkedIn profile also reflects this.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestions. That’s what I will do and I hope it works.

03/25/23 @alevinthal.  Best of luck to you! 

@rraypo OK, thanks for that. Do you have any suggestions regarding my visa?
-@alevinthal

When we get stuck, I have a professional facilitator in SP that I call upon. He was given to me by another member of this group and we have used him and passed him on to numerous other people.  PM me if interested

@alevinthal

Hope that this Notarized document works for you!  In my case, noone at (Chicago Consulate where I applied for my Retirement Visa) ever asked for "Proof of Retirement."  I am on Social Security Disability (SSDI) and so they were just looking to verify that income met the threshhold of minimum $2000 Us dollars/month.  Not sure if this is helpful in your case, but it seemed they were more interested in where the income is coming from than an actual "Retirement."   Best wishes.  Martin

@rraypo I am interested in getting the name of your facilitator in SP. I have a temporary resident visa based on retirement that expires in November and I want to apply for permanent residency based on retirement. I also have some questions about applying for a new Canadian passport at the Consulate General of Canada in SP.

Is it still a requirement that one be a temporary resident for 5 years before becoming eligible for permanent residency?  Just wondering...I still have 3 years to go. 

@Viajanete  Are you asking about citizenship?  AFAIK there is no longer such a thing as "Permanent" residency.  What you get now is a CRNM with an indeterminate expiration date.

@mikehunter you can apply to become a citizen after four years as a permanent residenthttps://residencies.io/residency/brazil/permanent-residency/br1

@MA22 I hope that’s true, I am just crossing all of my T’s.

@alevinthal I don't believe they are 100% equivalent. For most purposes they are, but there are important differences, such as tax implications. For example, under the old law, if you obtained a "Permanent Retiree Visa" you were automatically considered a tax resident on day 1. Now, tax residency only applies if you stay more that 183 days after your first entry, within a consecutive 365 day (or 366 day as the case may be) time period. You can also become a tax resident regardless of your residency or citizenship status. The 183 day rule applies regardless.

04/05/23 Is it still a requirement that one be a temporary resident for 5 years before becoming eligible for permanent residency? Just wondering...I still have 3 years to go.
-@Viajanete

I'm not sure what the government's longterm plan is for people with  VITEM XIV retirement visas is; I don't think that they have one.  As more and more of you renew, the pressure will grow on them to come up with one.   The "Bleeding Edge" is never a comfortable place to be, but I imagine that that's where you are for one more round of renewals.  Sorry.

@mikehunter ok