Naturalization Process

They define permanent residence in Brazil as counting from the date on which you have received your VIPER Permanent Visa, which under the new rules if you apply based on marriage, stable union, family reunion, or having a Brazilian child is granted immediately on application if all your documents are in order. In these cases there is no longer the interminable wait just to be granted the right to permanency.

If however you're applying for permanency on other grounds such as retirement, investment, transformation of a VITEM-V work visa after 3 years then you can wait much much longer.

Also if your application for naturalization is based on marriage or a Brazilian child, the waiting period to qualify for application is reduced to only ONE year.

All of the other requirements still apply, including passing the CELPE-Bras test of proficiency in the Portuguese language. There is no longer a home visit by the Federal Police for VIPER applications on the above mentioned grounds, but there still is a home visit for naturalization applications.

Hope this answers your questions.

Cheers,
William James Woodward, Expat-blog Experts Team

Good day,

After having read a few posts, it seems I cannot apply for Brazilian citizenship although I have been married with my Brazilian wife for over 5 years and our children are dual citizens.
Our marriage in Europe has been registered at the Brazilian consulate as well as in Brazil.
I do have a CPF.

Would the best first step be to apply for a VIPER permanent visa you mentioned in this post, James? And, can I apply from abroad?
If yes, what documents should I provide? Birth certificate (issued in the last 6 months?), Brazilian marriage certificate, our children's birth certificates (the ones registered at the Brazilian consulate, certidã de nasimento)?

Obrigado!

Hello hinmelvic,

While you certainly can apply for a VIPER Permanent Visa while abroad, you MUST reside in Brazil for a continuous period of ONE YEAR, from the date of being granted permanency before you can qualify for Ordinary Naturalization based on marriage or a Brazilian child.

You must also meet all of the other requirements for naturalization, which includes passing a test in fluency in Portuguese,

Unless you are intending to return to Brazil to take up permanent residence you wouldn't be considered for naturalization at any rate. Also the process itself will take at least one year from the time you request naturalization.

See the Ministry of Justice website for further information on Ordinary Naturalization:

http://www.justica.gov.br/seus-direitos … uralizacao

For the process of requesting permanency in Brazil see:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=403321

Cheers,
James    Expat-blog Experts Team