Vitem XI - Stable Union Visa - Help / Ajuda

I did this 5 years ago for a VIPER thru marriage.

The consulate here did everything document wise, and I had to attend at the PF upon arrival to validate, as you did.

There was no requirement for any further payment or paperwork in Rio.....I did sit in Galeao for 5 hours though while the thing was processed and I was photographed and fingerprinted.

Me thinks either procedures have changed, or the PF where you are don't do this very often (probably the reason IMHO).

Can you fly to SDU in Rio and do it there ? That is where one of the 2 largest offices processing gringo visas is located on the 2nd floor of the terminal. No appointment required, however you need to go after 1300 HRS.

09/21/23 @ouaouron.  Good afternoon.  Good to hear that you got your visa. 

It's two different but related processes, and you have to go through them both:

• The visa process at the Consulate (Foreign Ministry), which gets you admitted to Brazil on a resident basis, and
• The residency authorization process at the Polícia Federal (Justice Ministry) that registers you, gives you your authorization to live in Brazil, and gives you your CRNM to prove that you're here legally.

Yes, there are fees for both processes.

Having the visa should make it much easier to go through the PF process than if you tried without the visa -- they may ask to see some of the documents that you presented to the Consulate, but they should not require Sworn Translations or apostilles.  Every PF office is a little different, but it will be the same basic process whether in SC or RS, and you have to start it within 90 days of arrival.

Follow these instructions to register online.  You should be able to print out your GRU (like a boleto) for the fee, and when you complete the Registration Form, it should let you make an appointment at the PF:

https://www.gov.br/pt-br/servicos/obter … migratorio

When you go to your appointment with the PF, and any time that you go the PF office until you have your CRNM, your partner should go with you.  Especially on the first visit, they'll want to see the Brazilian "Chamante".  Unless your Portuguese is really good, let your partner do the talking.  Bring your documents and proof of payment of the GRU with you.  Give them your passport,  the document you received from the Consulate and the proof of payment; give them other documents if requested. 

If the online form doesn't work for you, try it on Firefox; some Brazilian processes seem to prefer that.  If it still doesn't work for you. you and your partner should go to the PF with your documents and explain that you tried to register online but couldn't, and they should make other arrangements for you.

I think Gasparzinho777's advice is solid.  It certainly IMHO depends on who you get and where.  I got a VITEM XIV retirement visa in May 2021, entered Brazil Nov. 2021, and w/i 90 days went to PF to get an RNM.  I am up for I believe "indefinite" status as opposed to my "temporario" status which ends 2 years after issuance, so if anyone has any advice for me and has been through a similar thing please also chime in!  Thanks, this is a great website and very helpful.

What abthree described is how it went down for me as well.

I misunderstood your concern over extra fees and paperwork though.....it sounded like you had to reapply from square one.

First visit they check validity of your visa then they send you out to bring back some forms from the PF website, along with proof of payment of registration fees. It's only a few Reais, which you have to pay at a CORREIOS, you could not do so at a bank at the time, then you return to the PF with the forms and the proof of payment, then, poof, in my case 5 hours later I was celebrating.

As I was in Rio by myself they asked to have my wife send me an image of her PP by What's App to prove she existed and consented.

When it is done DO NOT THROW OUT THE PROTOCOLO FORM under any circumstances. You need to surrender that 3 months later to get your plastic RNE card.

    Hi all,


    -@ouaouaron

I second everything Abthree has written.

Thank you all for your advice! It's really helpful and supportive to hear from your experiences.

09/21/23    Thank you all for your advice! It's really helpful and supportive to hear from your experiences.
       -@ouaouaron

It's not nearly as daunting as it may sound, particularly if your partner is with you and you both come across as pleasant and cooperative.  Best of luck -- please let us know how it goes.

Hi all, I'm still working through this... I went to the Policia Federal in Porto Alegre and Floripa, and both require another 15 documents or so, and additional fees for the residency application.

One of these documents is a notarized criminal record check from the consulate in Vancouver where I applied for the visa. Of course, the consulate in Vancouver does not return original documents, and I am now in Brazil, so there really doesn't seem to be any solution to comply with this request.

I feel like I'm in the crazy house in Asterix for those of you who have seen it (Obtenir le laissez-passer A 38 dans la Maison qui Rend Fou).

Any help / support would be appreciated!

Do you still have the "protocolo" issued to you buy the YVR consulate ? What about everything else they returned with your PP ?

Unless something has changed dramatically, if I were you I'd fly to GRU or SDU and do everything there. They process probably 95% of all visas.......my process was seamless. Mind you it was in 2017.

Reason I say that is that they probably did 40 visas in one day based on what I saw.

And yes, Asterix and Obelisk was hilarious. I grew up in West Germany and I had all those hard covered books.

Thanks Gaspar, I'm spending time in SP next month. I'll try once more in Floripa and if not I'll try there... This is by far the worst bureaucratic experience after having dealt with Canada, USA, Mexico, China, Singapore, Spain... Poor Brazil, so much potential.

   10/11/23 One of these documents is a notarized criminal record check from the consulate in Vancouver where I applied for the visa. Of course, the consulate in Vancouver does not return original documents, and I am now in Brazil, so there really doesn't seem to be any solution to comply with this request.Any help / support would be appreciated! -@ouaouaron

Sorry that this is happening to you.  They should not be re-doing the document package but unfortunately, they have the right to do it if they want to.  This is why I always urge people to have duplicate originals of everything that they possibly can.

Important question:  is the criminal background check the only document that's holding you up, or are there others?  You want to resolve them all at once if you possibly can, not solve one only to discover that there's another one waiting in the weeds.

I can think of three things you could try, with increasing degree of difficulty/expense:

1. Go back to the PF, and let the Brazilian in the couple ask the officer in the nicest way possible and finishing with the magic words, "Are you sure that you really need this?  We're confused because the Consulate told us that since he provided it to them in Vancouver, he wouldn't have to provide it again here.  If they say "no", thank them and take the "no".
2. Can you have a new form sent to anyone in Canada who can get it legalized for you at the Consulate in Vancouver and send it to you?  (So good that Canada will finally be issuing apostilles next year!)
3. Hire an attorney.  Chances are that s/he will find a loophole for you.

Best of luck.

Bureacracy here is part of the charm kkkkkkkk

Is there not a time limit to activate the visa after arrival.....30 or 90 days, etc ? I cannot remember.

Personally I would not go back to the local PF...........I'd go to GRU or SDU with your girlfriend.........but that's just me.

Good luck !!!

Hi all! I just want to thank everyone here who helped me with my visa application. I FINALLY got my VITEM XI two months after arriving in Brazil! I was persistent with the Floripa Policia Federal. Turns out they hardly looked at my documents when I met them in person, and they didn't need originals of anything...

The funny thing is that my cartao de residencia still isn't ready, and it will take another 60 days before I receive it... In the meantime I have a printout of it!

My visa expires in August, and I feel like I should start compiling the documents right away for the PR application. Can anyone on this forum guide me through the process? If it's complicated, I may just reach out to a lawyer as I was just about to give up on this visa.

Muito obrigado!

11/30/23 @ouaouaron.  Congratulations!  Thanks for keeping us updated, so glad that it finally worked out for you.

You're a legal resident of Brazil, so you don't have to worry about renewing your visa.   You'll be able to enter and leave Brazil at will with just your Canadian passport and your CRNM.  You'll need to renew your CRNM periodically until your 60th birthday, but your first renewal will be several years, not months, from now. 👍🏻

Congrats man that's awesome news !!!