Permanent Residency and Foreign Appointment

It's 2 years indeed.

Have you left Brazil before? If so, check your exit stamp: usually they write "2 anos" there with a pen.

@UhOhDetran

I have recently been advised that you must spend at least 2 continuous weeks in Brazil every 2 years...

@JNSQ86

Ah okay thanks guys! No, this would be my first time.

@Peter Itamaraca

That is interesting. It makes sense. The idea would be to leave for a year on an assignment and just come back after.

01/22/25 @UhOhDetran.  The requirement is usually cited, including by the Polícia Federal, in negative terms, by reference to Art. 135 of Decree No. 9.199 of 20 November 2017 (http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_a … /d9199.htm).  That Article affects so many people that I'll put the translation here in full:

"Art. 135. The loss of the residence permit shall be decreed in the following cases:

I - cessation of the grounds on which the residence permit was based;

II - obtaining a residence permit based on another case; and

III - absence from the country for a period exceeding two years without presenting a justification.

§ 1º The immigrant must notify the Federal Police whenever he or she ceases to meet the conditions on which the residence permit was granted during its validity.

§ 2º The provisions of item I of the caput do not prevent the immigrant from requesting a residence permit based on another case."

I'd draw several conclusions from this text, and from other informed comments:

1. A one year absence should not be a problem;
2. An absence of over two years with prior PF approval will probably not be a problem;
3. An absence of two years with a justification that the PF are willing to accept after the fact would not be a problem.
4. Determining how long a stay in Brazil effectively "breaks" a two year continuous absence is up to local PF discretion.  During and immediately after the pandemic, they were extremely flexible; they may be less so now.  I'll look for more formal guidance, and if I find any, I'll cite it here.

@abthree

Thank you for the very detailed answer and the official source! Yes, it looks like a 1 year absense is okay!

This is interesting cause I lost my Permanent Residency in the 90s traveling to USA, so I will retire in Brasil and always have a question about; applying to reinstate my Permanent Residence or retire with retirement visa, my best bet will be travel to Brasil this year to DF and get to the Policia Federal in person

thanks

I spent 18 months out of the country due to covid travel restrictions, and when I re-entered in late 2022, immigration didn't even blink.