how difficult is legally owning a firearm in brazil for an expat.

No, you can own a firearm with a permanent residence. Now it is a long process, including a mental health assessment and a criminal background check — that can drag on for months. You also need to justify why you need a gun.
The army, grants permits to hunters and collectors.
Congrees still is debating the president's actions.

it does feel like it could get all undone if and when Bolsonaro is out, not a fan of him but personally i think its one thing hes done thats a positive for the country. just curious is it a very expensive process?

If you are in Brazil, go to a gun shop or the PF office and ask.
In Brazil, all firearms are required to be registered with the minimum age for gun ownership being 25. For citizens to legally own a gun, they must have a gun license, which costs R$88,00, and pay a fee every ten years to renew the gun register. The registration can be done online or in-person with the Federal Police.

As mentioned, you will need a good reason to own one. If you say just for home safety will not fly.

Brazil has no second amendment. Even for law abiding citizens with zero infractions, it's almost impossible to own a Firearm. Because of this tragedy, most people walk the streets in fear, especially the elderly, the disabled and women.

Xpat-Forever wrote:

Brazil has no second amendment. Even for law abiding citizens with zero infractions, it's almost impossible to own a Firearm. Because of this tragedy, most people walk the streets in fear, especially the elderly, the disabled and women.

It is true there is no 2nd amendment in Brazil. In a recent poll 2 out of 3 Brazilians do not want the sale of guns, yet the sale of guns has risen 69% in the last 2 years.

I was once told by an American security person here in Brazil that having a defense weapon in your home is like painting a target on your home.

I understand the desire to try to protect yourself where there seems to be few alternatives to self-protection but if you need that assurance perhaps Brazil is a bad place to be. This place currently has a homicide rate of  just under 30/100k population (USA is under 5/100k) - note it is really difficult to find statistics but the point is that there's a lot more homicide here. There are also a lot of guns here in spite of laws controlling ownership.

Don't jump to the erroneous conclusion that I am fervently against gun ownership. I would just rather have an awesome home security system, a private service that responds quickly to alarms and great relationships with my neighbors just over the walls of our home. Is that 100%? Nothing is 100%.

Oh, another thing - living an ostentatious life rich in consumer goods in a basically poor country is a pretty good "bait" for trouble. Blend in. That was the second piece of advice from the already mentioned security person. Brazilian thieves are pretty good at scoping out their targets.

so if its almost impossible for a law abiding citizen to own firearms, how come there has been a massive surge in firearms sales?

Xpat-Forever wrote:

Brazil has no second amendment. Even for law abiding citizens with zero infractions, it's almost impossible to own a Firearm. Because of this tragedy, most people walk the streets in fear, especially the elderly, the disabled and women.

so if its almost impossible for a law abiding citizen to own firearms, how come there has been a massive surge in firearms sales?

I had one of my houses burglarized a couple times, a vacant one.  The Thief was so incompetent, that upon evading my home, he left his rubber shower shoes ( havaianas ) and a sweater behind.   All for scrap metal he could sell to buy drugs. 

If you live in Rio, then you are taking your chances. 

In Sao Paulo it comes to your choice of neighborhood, and local knowledge.  

A cabbie ( taxi driver for non Americans ) once got robbed at gun point. He went to the known Drug Kingpin to complain, and turned in the assailant.   A couple days later, the assailant turns up, all maimed, returning the money and asking for an apology.  

In posh neighborhoods where law enforcement prevails, you are less likely to get mugged., At worst a pickpocket thief might snatch your cell phone. 

In not so great neighborhoods, you must know how to get to the Don. 

Also, please don't flaunt.  Let the Brazilians to take the hit, with their quest to keep up with the Joneses.  Drive a cheap domestic car, one of those 1000cc jobs.  Mine sits on a front driveway, full of piggeon turd, dents, and my home is a large one.  The nicer the car, the house, the more they stand to reason you are a mark. 

I dress differently, so I attract my fair share of pesky  beggars.  They are like flies.  And I don't even dress dapper. 

Also get used to take a cab, just don't sit at the bus stop. You will be a  sitting duck. Subway and trains are ok, as they are heavily patrolled, and there are surveillance  cameras everywhere.

On the curbside, keep your cell phone out of sight.  If you are to take a call or message, find a place out of the pedestrian pathway before you are to return that call. 

Be mindful telemarketing firms in Brazil are tricky, They spoof their calls with cell phone numbers.   So get used to record your callers, and let the phone ring. 

Your typical Brazilian caller, poor or rich, is such a cheapskate they don't even bother to use dial tone, they go straight to whatssapp. So you know the call is legit if they are using whatsapp.    

As for guns, you shoot one of those bastards, you stand to get into a whole lot of trouble for actually doing the right thing. 

If I could do a bow and arrow, or knife, or anything lethal, I would.  I haven't come up with a practical one. 

Quoting Tsun Zu, battles are won before they are fought.  So preemptive and preventive are your best allies. 

On second thoughts, there are no laws as far as keeping a vicious dogs in your home.  Get a mean dog, and take it for walks.  

Also get used to take a cab, just don't sit at the bus stop. You will be a  sitting duck. Subway and trains are ok, as they are heavily patrolled, and there are surveillance  cameras everywhere.

On the curbside, keep ...

you got a point.

The ones I picked up were from a reputable breeder close to my city. Its not his source of income, Dogs were showdogs and each dog gets training before it lands to you so that saved me so much time. lol

But sounds weird. I do feel that not drawing out a lavish lifestyle will get you anywhere here. as you can see in LA - more and more people getting robbed who use rich cars rich clothes at a higher frequency. 

But what I do see more of lately in high frequency is more people brandishing their phones and items more freely.

Not sure what the case of causing that kind of care free mentality. but its been gaining pace. But I am in the northeast. not sure if that has anything to do with it.

just stay out of cities. worldwide, civilization is crumbling and cities are becoming more and more dangerous.  small town and rural folk are generally more honest and friendly, everywhere .....

I am a retired Madison Wisconsin police detective planning to move to Brazil at some point with my wife. I have guns here in the US because I used them for work, but I would never even consider trying to take one to Brazil. Gun violence has become so horrendous in the US. I have no desire to see it become as bad in Brazil. If you stay out of the large cities, use reasonable precautions when out in smaller cities, and use home security and/or dogs, you will be perfectly safe without having to try to get guns into the country. But I am not a particularly fearful person either, and I trust my instincts (and my wife) to help keep us both safe.

I was once told by an American security person here in Brazil that having a defense weapon in your home is like painting a target on your home.

I understand the desire to try to protect yourself where there seems to be few ... - @mberigan

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Something to keep in mind, the majority of Brazilians live in a very few large cities, whereas in the USA, the population is much more spreqad out.  

I am not sure about your US homicide rate statistics as St. Luois in 2019' was at over 64/100k, and Baltimore at 58/100k. 

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Something to keep in min, the majority of Brazilians live in a very few large cities, wheras in the USA, the population is much more spread out. 

In addition, I am not so sure where you got your statistics, "According to Atlas da Violencia 2019, Sao Paulo has a homicide rate of 13.2/100 000 inhabitants. This is nearly one-third of the homicide rate from Rio de Janeiro (35.6/100 000)."  

https://expatriateconsultancy.com/is-sa … han%20Rio.

In comparison, in 2019, St, Louis had a homicide rate of over 65/100k and Baltimore was at 58/100K.

 [link under review]

Key is to stay away from densely populated areas.  

There are low crime communities out there. The farther south and midwest, the better. 

Magnets for petty crime are tourist destination places, generally the coastline ( South being an exception ).

If you want to live close the the coast line, contemplate living in a community close enough but not on the coastline.  Unless it is a seafaring community.

If the place is industrious, then there is less prevailing crime.

Most of the State of Parana, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Suil outside Porto Alegre. Minas for most part, Sao Paulo, specially on its hinterland.

@mberigan

Well all you need in Brazil to be a target, own an iPhone to be assaulted and robbed and have your life threatened.

so you’re going to live with an old Nokia and walk around looking like a homeless person?

@AdiG365 So, I guess someone has to balance the curve. I live in a very small village in Northeastern Brazil. In the two years I have been here I have not even seen a traffic accident, let alone violence. Unfortunately, when people say BRAZIL, they think whatever the commentary is represents the whole country. Brazil is very large, and it is different everywhere. It may be similar to the United States where there is a lot of crime in the major cities, but not so much in smaller areas.

Roddie in Retirement🕵

10/28/24  @mberigan   Well all you need in Brazil to be a target, own an iPhone to be assaulted and robbed and have your life threatened.so you’re going to live with an old Nokia and walk around looking like a homeless person? - @AdiG365

In 2024, there are approximately 210.3 million cellphone connections in Brazil (https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-brazil -- some people obviously have multiples).  Apple has about 18.24% of that market, or over 38 million iPhones  (https://worldpopulationreview.com/count … by-country)  I'll take my oath that the vast, vast majority of those 38+ million people go through their daily lives with their phones and without looking like homeless people, and yet don't have their lives threatened, and don't get ripped off by anyone but Apple. Because they don't walk around like they're clueless.

"All you need in Brazil to be a target" is to be oblivious to your surroundings and careless with your things -- like anywhere else.  In principle there's always the possibility of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the person with a normal sense of self-preservation knows where the "wrong places" are, or at least what the telltale signs are and avoids them, or,  finding himself or herself in one, gets out fast.   

I went to Rio a few years ago. My expat and Brazilian friends told me not to go to Rio, as it's so dangerous.

I saw many of the tourist sites that I hadn't seen in my previous several visits to Rio.

I stayed in a great old hotel in Centro. I rode the VLT. I took the Metro many times. I went to Columbo for breakfast.

I traveled all over Rio without a problem.

I told my friends in Ilhéus that the murdered bodies on the street were swamping the garbage trucks, as they expected to hear. I saw no bodies on the street. No garbage piles. I found Rio to be safe.

Your mileage may vary.

@alan279 Well, I am glad to hear that. I have not been to Rio in about 40 years, but obviously have heard all the conversation. Aside from hanging out on Copacabana Beach across from my apartment I had the pleasure of going to a nighttime concert on a "concert level" by a popular R & B artist on Sugar Loaf Mountain.  Actually, my bad. About 20 years ago i think My Father, Brazilian Mother and Brazilian Wife did a switch trip to Brazil. My Brazilian Mother who had never been to the Northeast went with us to Fortaleza and Parazinho. We also switched and my wife who had never been to Rio visited my Brazilian Mothers house in Niteroi and took the cable car in Rio. During the journey nothing bad happened.

Roddie in Retirement🕵

@Xpat-Forever It’s so funny you say that people walk the streets in fear due to the gun control here. As an “elderly” retired police officer and detective, I dealt with the consequences of the US gun obsession every day. I feel much safer walking the streets here knowing that not every nut job is carrying a gun. I have thought about getting a permit for my police weapon but decided against it and left it in the US under lock and key (of course).

To obtain a firearm in Brazil you need to complete mandatory training, a psychological test and complete the paperwork. A shooting club can help with that. As stated you will need a valid reason for a gun and permits do not necessarily allow you to carry, just to own one in your home (farm or smallholding). Having a gun is not the issue, the question is whether and when you would ever use it, so think carefully before going down this route.

I agree with others that home security, rapid response (not commonly available though) and big dogs provide good protection. It is also true that much of Brazil is not particularly dangerous outside of the major cities. I live in Jardins in São Paulo and crime here is phone snatching, I have a farm in Valinhos which is as safe as anywhere in the developed world. I have however been robbed at gun point in Fortaleza. Having and showing a gun at that time would have cost me my life.

I was reading about it somewhere, i would need to have had citizenship or something for 4 years if memory serves. cant find the legislation now. but how feasible is it do you think? - @sortitoot

I know a handful of legit sporting good dealers who went belly up, because they can't make a living off it. 

Me and my late father, we had some history in the trade.

The only viable exceptions as of now are members of some gun clubs, and people who own farmland, or homesteaders.