Brazil Work Visa 2026: VITEM V Requirements and Fees
Brazil's work visa is the temporary visa VITEM V, and for a job with a Brazilian employer it comes at the end of a two-step process. First the employer obtains a prior residence authorisation from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. Then the worker applies for the visa at a Brazilian consulate, and registers with the Federal Police after arriving. This guide sets out each step, the documents, what consulates charge, how long the stages take, and the visa rules for US, Indian and Pakistani citizens, as published by Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and read on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
Your Brazilian employer requests a prior residence authorisation through the Ministry of Justice's MigranteWeb system. Once it is published, you apply for the VITEM V at the consulate within 6 months, because the authorisation expires after that. Consular fees vary by consulate and nationality: the Embassy in Helsinki charges €100,00 for most nationalities, and the Embassy in San José lists US$290 for US passports. After entry you register with the Federal Police within 90 days. US, Indian and Pakistani citizens all need a visa.
How the Brazil work visa works
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Justice and Public Security | Assesses the documents and decides the residence authorisation |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs (consulates) | Issues the visa |
| Federal Police | Registers you in Brazil |
The legal basis is the Migration Law, Law No. 13.445 of 24 May 2017, and Decree No. 9.199 of 20 November 2017. Requests based on work or a job offer go to the Ministry's General Coordination of Labour Immigration (CGIL) through MigranteWeb, version 2.0, under the Normative Resolutions of the National Immigration Council.
Step 1: the prior residence authorisation
- Who applies: for a prior residence authorisation, the institution or the immigrant can apply. For someone already in Brazil, the company or the immigrant applies for residence directly.
- What is filed: the basic documents of Normative Resolution No. 01/2017, the residence authorisation request form, the documents of the Normative Resolution for the specific activity, and the federal payment slip (GRU) with proof of payment.
- Format: documents are uploaded to MigranteWeb as PDF files of no more than 10 MB.
- Tracking: the process can be followed with a federal government login or through MigranteWeb's public search.
- After approval: the decision is communicated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and published in the Official Gazette (DOU), and you go to the consulate to obtain the temporary visa.
- If refused: you can ask for reconsideration, pointing out the error, with no new documents accepted at that stage. The analysis takes up to 30 days and a new GRU must be paid.
Step 2: the VITEM V at the consulate
The Consulate-General in Tokyo lists the activities a work visa covers, among them a formal employment relationship with a salary paid by a Brazilian legal entity, technical assistance or technology transfer under an agreement between foreign and Brazilian legal entities, and work as a foreign news correspondent. For most of them, the visa depends on the prior residence authorisation.
- Application form: filled in online, with the documents uploaded, then printed and signed.
- Passport: with at least 2 unused pages.
- Photograph: recent, taken within 3 months.
- Criminal record certificate: showing your full name and city of birth exactly as in the passport, apostilled where required.
- Matching data: no visa is granted if your name, date or place of birth, or the company, differs from the prior residence authorisation. Only the Brazilian company can ask the Ministry for a correction.
- Deadline: the prior residence authorisation is valid for 6 months from the Ministry's decision. If you do not apply within that time, a new authorisation is needed.
Requirements are set by each consulate, so use the page of the consulate for your place of residence.
Cost
| Item | Amount | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary work visa, most nationalities | €100,00 | Embassy of Brazil in Helsinki |
| VITEM V, US passport | US$290 | Embassy of Brazil in San José |
| VITEM V, Costa Rican passport | US$100 | Embassy of Brazil in San José |
| Prior residence authorisation | Paid by GRU, the federal payment slip | Ministry of Justice |
The San José embassy asks other nationalities to check with its consular section. The pages we read publish no fee for Indian or Pakistani passports, so check with the consulate where you will apply.
Processing time
- Reconsideration of a refusal: up to 30 days, and the same for a new application, according to the Ministry of Justice's FAQ.
- Consulate: the Embassy in Helsinki estimates up to 5 working days after all documents are received and fees are paid. It adds that nationals of certain countries need additional consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which can take longer.
The Ministry of Justice pages we read publish no standard processing time for a first prior residence authorisation.
Visa rules by nationality
Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a general table of visa rules, updated on 7 October 2026. For ordinary passports on a visit:
| Passport | Visit visa | To work |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Visa required | VITEM V after prior residence authorisation |
| Canada | Visa required | VITEM V after prior residence authorisation |
| India | Visa required | VITEM V after prior residence authorisation |
| Pakistan | Visa required | VITEM V after prior residence authorisation |
| Bangladesh | Visa required | VITEM V after prior residence authorisation |
After you arrive: Federal Police registration
Temporary visa holders must register with the Federal Police within 90 days of first entry, according to the Embassy in Helsinki. Registration is a civil identification with biographical and biometric data, and gives you a National Migration Registry number (RNM) and the National Migration Registry Card (CRNM). For the wider move, see our moving to Brazil guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Brazil work visa requirements?
A prior residence authorisation obtained by the employer from the Ministry of Justice, then the VITEM V application at the consulate with the online form, passport, photograph and criminal record certificate whose data matches the authorisation exactly.
Can I apply for a Brazil work visa online?
The prior residence authorisation is filed online in MigranteWeb, and the consular visa form is completed online. Consulates then handle the application under their own procedures.
How much does a Brazil work visa cost for US citizens?
The Embassy of Brazil in San José lists US$290 for a US passport. Fees vary by consulate and nationality.
What is the Brazil work visa fee for Pakistani or Indian citizens?
The pages we read publish no fee for these passports. The Embassy in Helsinki charges €100,00 for most nationalities with some exceptions, so ask the consulate where you apply.
Do US citizens need a visa for Brazil?
Yes. Brazil's general visa table, updated on 7 October 2026, shows a visa requirement for visits by US ordinary passport holders, and work needs the VITEM V.
How long is the prior residence authorisation valid?
6 months from the Ministry of Justice's decision. Apply for the visa within that time, or a new authorisation is needed.
Do I have to register after arriving in Brazil?
Yes. Register with the Federal Police within 90 days of first entry to receive your RNM number and CRNM card.
Official sources
- Ministry of Justice and Public Security — Labour residence authorisation (Portuguese)
- Ministry of Justice and Public Security — Labour immigration FAQ (Portuguese)
- Embassy of Brazil in Helsinki — Temporary work visa (VITEM V)
- Consulate-General of Brazil in Tokyo — VITEM V Work
- Embassy of Brazil in San José — VITEM V
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Entry visas to Brazil, general table (PDF)
All steps, fees and deadlines verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Information, not legal advice.