Naturalization in Brazil After Marriage

11/19/23 @Gbawekanu.  To apply for naturalization in Brazil, an applicant must:

• Be a legal resident of Brazil, with a CRNM;
• Have lived continuously in Brazil as a legal resident for four years, or for one year if the applicant is the spouse or parent of a Brazilian citizen, prior to applying for naturalization.
• Prove proficiency in the Portuguese Language, either through certification by passing the CelpeBras examination, or through complete documentation (transcript of grades, complete course descriptions, certificate or diploma) of successfully completing a university-level Portuguese course at a Brazilian educational institution approved by the Ministry of Education;
• Provide a current criminal background check from country of origin, with apostille and Sworn Translation;
• Provide current criminal background checks from Brazilian federal and state courts in Brazilian states where the applicant has lived during the preceding four years.

Note that the requirement is for continuous residence, not just having a CRNM.  The applicant is required to justify all absences from Brazil during the year prior to the application, so this is not something that a person wants to do until s/he is able to live in Brazil for a continuous year.

With respect to the CelpeBras examination, the test is comprehensive with a strong orientation toward writing well, but shouldn't be difficult to pass if the applicant speaks, understands, reads, and writes Portuguese at a high level. It does require advance registration, and is only offered twice a year (less during the pandemic). It lasts most of one day and part of a second if you do the written test and the oral test on different days; one long day if you do them on the same day. The written test and the oral test are graded separately, and the final grade is the lower (not the average) of the two.  If at some point you'd like to see what it's like, there's a library of prior year tests here:

https://www.ufrgs.br/acervocelpebras/acervo/

For additional information on CelpeBras from people who have taken it, see this thread:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 30#4748066

Regarding language, if you are from one of the Portuguese speaking African countries you should be fine.

Otherwise expect 900-1100 hours of immersion teaching and speaking beforehand.

  11/19/23  Regarding language, if you are from one of the Portuguese speaking African countries you should be fine.
Otherwise expect 900-1100 hours of immersion teaching and speaking beforehand.
   

    -@Gasparzinho 777

Note that according to his profile, he's a Brit.

Perhaps he moved there, who knows eh ?

Does getting a naturalization status have any meaningful benefits vs. being someone with a permanent resident visa?

  11/20/23  Does getting a naturalization status have any meaningful benefits vs. being someone with a permanent resident visa?        -@manasknew

Not for most people. 

Naturalization confers the right to vote in Brazilian elections (voting is legally required up to the age of 70, optional after) and the right to compete in civil service examinations -- "concursos" -- for government jobs.

Naturalization confers the right to a Brazilian passport, which is a fairly strong one.  Brazil allows dual citizenship, so does not require naturalized citizens to renounce any other citizenships they hold.  This may not be true of other countries where they are citizens, however.

Naturalization also imposes a military service obligation on males under 40, but in fact almost everyone over 19 is excused.

Aside from the above, a legal permanent resident is guaranteed all the rights in Brazil that a citizen enjoys.

You should always strive to hold more than one passport regardless of where you live.