Obtain Brazilian citizenship

You can get Brazilian citizenship without giving up your existing nationality. This was pointed out to me by David, a Canadian who lives in Salvador. So now I don’t have to be envious of Brazilians, including my own wife and daughter, who have dual nationality, and who got it without giving up their other passport. The Brazilian Constitution was changed in 1988 and again in 1994, to allow Brazilian economic migrants to maintain their Brazilian nationality.

According to the Brazilian Embassy, citizenship can be granted in after just one year of residency in Brazil, if the applicant has a Brazilian wife or child. For more details, see http://www.brazil.org.uk/page.php?n=484

So why did it take a badtempered article on the Internet for me to get the right information? I had been told so many times that I would have to renounce my British nationality, in order to get the Brazilian one, that I assumed it must be true. It seems that most people are unaware of the relatively recent changes in the Brazilian Constitution. During the era of mass immigration and nationbuilding, European and Japanese immigrants were required to renounce their existing nationality, in order to encourage allegiance to their new homeland. And folk memories of this are still strong.

In the last 30 years, the flow of migrants has been in the opposite direction, as Brazilians sought to escape Brazil’s economic problems by going overseas, often acquiring a second nationality in the process. In the 1980s, many Brazilians were obliged to give up their Brazilian citizenship after living abroad. But it was soon realised that these Brazilians were acquiring second passports mostly for pragmatic reasons, and that at heart they remained Brazilians, true to the Brazilian Motherland, and intent on returning home again one day. So the Constitution was changed, to allow Brazilians to come home.

Which is how you and I also came to benefit, dear reader, assuming that you, like I, are a gringo interested in acquiring Brazilian nationality. We too have benefited from the changes in the Brazilian Constitution, and we too now have the right to Brazilian citizenship while retaining our British, US, Australian, or any other passport.

So how do you qualify for Brazilian citizenship? If you have been a permanent resident of Brazil for 15 years and do not have a criminal record, then you qualify. However, the process can be cut down to four years if you read and write Portuguese, have employment or have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family, are in good health and of “good conduct”. (I’m not sure whether this includes writing misleading articles on the Internet about Brazilian citizenship)

Time requirements can be further reduced to only one year if you have a Brazilian wife or child, or to two years if you are have certain professional, scientific or artistic abilities, or to three years if you own property or a business in Brazil with a certain value.

So it seems that the foreigner can actually get Brazilian citizenship within a year, after marrying a Brazilian. On the other hand, it takes five years for a Brazilian in the same circumstances to get British nationality. Maybe in the interests of reciprocity the British government should make it easier for Brazilians.

What are the advantages and responsibilities of holding a Brazilian passport? You will be able to get through immigration faster. You will be eligible to vote, but did you know that voting is compulsory? If you’re unable to vote, you will have to justify this to the relevant bodies, but this is usually a trivial task. You could be eligible for military service, as Brazil still practices conscription. You will be able to stand for public office, although you can’t be president of Brazil unless you’re born there, and this applies to a few other top jobs. You will be eligible to apply for jobs in the Brazilian public service, which are normally better paid than those in the private sector.

However, if you want to take advantage of these opportunities, and fulfil these duties, you need to speak, read and write Portuguese well. If like me, you picked Portuguese up by chatting to friends and reading the newspaper, it’s time for some serious study, especially if you want to apply for a good job in the Brazilian public service.

Check this website out that proves just how valuable the Brazilian passport is!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Brazilian_citizens

Bearers of Brazilian passports are allowed to enter a number of countries without the need of a visa. Mercosul members and some other countries (as shown below) do not even require a passport; a national or state-issued ID card is enough.

This is an aweeesome blog I read about moving to Brazil. Must read!:

“My ears are still ringing.

At 3pm yesterday afternoon, Brazil completely shut down, and the entire nation sat transfixed in front of their televisions watching their team take on North Korea in the first round of the World Cup. If you haven’t experienced this first hand, put it on your bucket list… it’s well worth it.

After each goal (Brazil scored two), the locals here celebrated as if World War III had just ended. I have never in my life witnessed such pure and honest joy in so much volume.

Frankly, that’s one of the reasons I like this country so much. As a culture, Brazilians are the least depressive and pretentious people that I can think of, and it certainly does one’s sense of perspective a bit of good to spend some time around them.

For would-be expats looking for a potential home, the Brazilian sense of ease may be a big draw, as well as the scenic vistas, cheap property, and warm weather.

In my opinion, though, one of the biggest benefits of spending time in Brazil is the prospect of becoming Brazilian. Over the next 10-years, I’m convinced that a Brazilian passport is going to be one of the most valuable in the world.

Think about it– when was the last time terrorists hijacked an airplane and threatened to kill all the Brazilians? These people have no enemies.

As a travel document, a Brazilian passport enjoys no visa restrictions all over the European Union, Latin America, as well as several countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.

As the economy continues to grow and prosper, however, I also believe that it will one day join the select few countries on the US Visa Waiver Program list… and given the strong trade relationship between Brazil and China, I expect that there will be special visa allowances to that country as well.

The other interesting point to mention about Brazilian citizenship is that the Brazilian government does not extradite its citizens. Period.

This isn’t a license to be an international criminal, but it’s nice to know that one of the world’s largest economies won’t throw you to the wolves if you land in hot water. Let’s be honest, sometimes life deals you a bad card. Brazilian citizenship is an insurance policy against that.

I’ve spent time on the ground here reconnecting with some old contacts and establishing new ones who can streamline the immigration process… and believe me, the Brazilian immigration process is so convoluted that it requires support.

Establishing residency is the critical first step. You don’t need to go to Brazil for this, you can apply at your nearest Brazilian consulate.

This is where it starts to get complicated– depending on who you speak with, the documentation requirements may change, but in general, you will need a police report, medical exam, and proof of economic solvency to the tune of about $2,000 per month, or some such lump sum that satisfies the consular agents.

Again, like most things in Brazil, the process is not exactly black and white, so it helps to be persistent and speak with as many people as possible at the consulate. If you have the means to come to Brazil, my people down here can handle the process for you and make sure it gets pushed through.

Total processing time for residence can take over 3-months. At this point, the Brazilian government will expect you to enter the country and register with the local police.

Now for the good part– you don’t have to live in Brazil full time. Don’t get me wrong, Brazil is a great place, but I don’t like the idea of being chained to geography just to get a passport. In Brazil, you only need to enter the country once every 2-years to ensure that your residency doesn’t get cancelled.

Generally, after 4-years (depending on the visa program that you enter the country under), you are eligible to apply for naturalization. From the time you apply for naturalization to the time that you obtain your passport can take about a year– it’s not especially fast.

Part of the requirement is that you need to be able to speak and understand at least basic Portuguese. If you have background in Spanish or Italian you might find it fairly easy to pick up.

The Brazilian government recognizes dual citizenship without restriction, so you don’t need to give up your other passport unless you want to. There is also no forced military conscription to worry about.

The primary downside of Brazilian residency and citizenship is being caught up in their tax net… but if you properly plant multiple flags, this shouldn’t affect you too greatly.”