How to acquire a property in Brazil as a foreigner

If you plan to invest in property in Brazil, here is what you need:

Any citizen can purchase properties in Brazil, including foreigners*.

Which documents are required to purchase properties for foreigners in Brazil:
• Passport – or if you are already registered in Brazil your RNE (Registro Nacional de Estrangeiro) or your permanent Visa (Permanência)
• CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física), the Individual Taxpayer Registration from the Finance Authority (Secretaria da Fazenda), if the buyer is married, in Brazil or abroad, the spouse’s CPF and marriage certificate will also be required.

To acquire the CPF registration in Brazil, you have to go to any Federal Revenue Office (Receita federal – RF) in the main brazilian cities with your passport and the entry visa for Brazil . The registration can be also done through a power of attorney by public instrument with specific powers that can even be drawn up at the Brazilian consulate. In this case, in addition to completing the Individual Taxpayer Registration Form, a certified copy of the identity used in the foreigner’s country of residence is required, in addition to the proxy’s identity and the power of attorney.
For all steps we recommend to get somebody who speaks portugues and know kind of brazilian bureaucracy – or get in contact with us

Which documents are required to purchase properties for foreigners residing abroad:
• Passport – or if you are already registered in Brazil your RNE (Registro Nacional de Estrangeiro) or your permanent Visa (Permanência)
• CPF (Cadastro de Pessoa Física). The CPF can also be requested at the Brazilian consulates in the foreigner’s country of origin or in Brazil by proxy, and if the buyer is married, the CPF of the other spouse will also be required for purchase;
• Public power of attorney legalized in the Brazilian consular office of the country of origin of the foreigner, in Brazil registered in the Titles and Documents Offices and translated, with full powers, to buy, sign deed, private contracts and resolve any matter before the Notaries, Registry of Real Estate (Registro de Imóveis – CRI) and Federal Revenue Office (Receita federal – RF) for regularization in Brazil of the property acquired on behalf of the foreigner.

Procedures in the Purchase of the Property:
It is up to a professional of the branch, Technician in real estate transactions and Realtor registered at CRECI to see the documentation and obtain the certificates to verify that the property has no legal impediment for sale – our partners of CumbucoProperty.com are excellent realtors and can check it for you, or double check if you are in doubt and want a second opinion. Just contact us.

The Public Deed (Escritura Pública) and the Real Estate Registry (Registro Imobiliário) :
The purchase of a property can only be made by public deed (Escritura Pública), a document that the Law considers able to be registered at the Real Estate Registry Office (Cartório de Registro Imobiliário). The deed (Escritura Pública) of the property can be made in any notary’s office (notary).

*Ass.: The only restrictions existing by foreigners are related to the purchase of rural properties, marine land and along the borders, the restrictions do not apply in the case of an autonomous unit of condominiums, such as the purchase of apartments in a building located on land of marine or land lots. The Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil states that the law will regulate and limit the acquisition of rural property by foreigners, leaving the acquisition of urban properties free. It should be noted that the purchase of real estate in Brazil does not give foreigners the right to obtain a visa of any kind.
As a foreigner you cannot acquire journalistic, radio broadcasting and image companies – only Brazilians born or naturalized for more than 10 (ten) years – or legal entity constituted under the Brazilian laws that have their headquarters in the country. These companies must have at least 70% (seventy percent) of the capital in the hands of native or naturalized Brazilians, who will necessarily exercise the direction of the company and the responsibility for the selection of the program transmitted and regulated by the Public Power.