Brazil Golden Visa 2026: Residence by Real-Estate Investment (VITEM IX)

Brazil has no programme officially called a "golden visa". What foreign buyers mean by the Brazil Golden Visa is the residence authorization for real-estate investors – a temporary residence granted to a foreigner who buys urban property worth at least R$ 1 million, issued abroad as the VITEM IX visa. This guide covers the minimum investment, which properties qualify, the documents, the step-by-step process, what it means for your family, and how it works when the property is in Rio de Janeiro. Updated October 2026.

Brazil Golden Visa at a glance

Golden visa or tourist visa? Two different things

Many visitors searching for "Brazil visa" simply want to know whether they need one for a holiday or a viewing trip. Citizens of the European Union, the United Kingdom and Switzerland can enter Brazil as tourists without a visa for up to 90 days. Citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia have needed an electronic visitor visa (e-Visa) since April 2025. A tourist entry lets you view properties, open a CPF tax number and sign a purchase – it does not give you the right to live in Brazil. Always check the current rules with the Brazilian consulate for your nationality before travelling.

The investor residence described on this page is the route for people who want to stay: it gives you a Brazilian residence card (CRNM), the right to live, work and study in Brazil, and a path to permanent residence and, later, citizenship.

What the Brazil Golden Visa actually is

Under Brazil's immigration framework, a foreigner who acquires urban property with a total investment of at least R$ 1 million may apply for a residence authorization based on real-estate investment. The rule was created by CNIg Normative Resolution 36 of 2018 and is what agencies and lawyers informally call the Brazil Golden Visa or Brazilian Investor Visa.

It helps to separate the two documents involved. The residence authorization is the decision of the Ministry of Justice that you may reside in Brazil as an investor. The VITEM IX visa is the stamp a consulate puts in your passport so you can travel to Brazil and take up that residence. The authorization comes first; the visa follows. If you are already in Brazil legally, you can apply for the residence authorization directly with the Federal Police and skip the consular visa altogether.

The investor residence is a real-estate route only. Brazil also grants investor residence for capital invested in a Brazilian company (CNIg Resolution 13/2017), with a lower threshold for innovation and technology start-ups, but those routes have their own rules and are not covered here.

Requirements in detail

Minimum investment: R$ 1 million (R$ 700,000 in the North and Northeast)

The threshold refers to the total invested in one or more properties, so two apartments of R$ 500,000 each qualify just as one of R$ 1 million does. The amount must be fully paid; a property bought with a Brazilian mortgage does not count towards the minimum. For the Rio de Janeiro market this is roughly the price of a two-bedroom apartment in Copacabana or a one-bedroom in Ipanema – see our Zona Sul price index for current prices per square metre.

Which properties qualify

Urban residential or commercial property, finished or under construction, located anywhere in Brazil. The deed (escritura) and the registration at the property registry (matrícula) must be in the applicant's name. Rural land is excluded. Properties held through a company are a separate case that needs legal advice.

Where the money comes from

The funds must originate outside Brazil and be transferred through the Brazilian banking system as foreign direct investment, registered with the Central Bank (the RDE-IED registration). This registration is the core proof in your application, so plan the transfer with your bank and lawyer before you sign. Our guide on transferring money to Brazil explains the practical side.

Personal requirements

• Valid passport and a clean criminal record from your country of residence (apostilled and translated into Portuguese by a sworn translator).
• A Brazilian CPF tax number – needed to buy property in the first place. See the CPF guide for foreign buyers.
• Proof of the purchase: deed, registry extract and the Central Bank registration of the investment.
• Birth and marriage certificates for family members who will apply with you, apostilled and translated.

Step by step: from purchase to residence card

1. Choose and buy the property. Obtain your CPF, open the transfer channel with a Brazilian bank, sign the deed before a notary and register it at the property registry. Closing costs in Rio de Janeiro are around 5 % of the price (ITBI transfer tax, notary and registry fees). Our guide to buying property in Brazil as a foreigner walks through the purchase itself.
2. Register the investment with the Central Bank. The inbound transfer is declared as foreign direct investment in real estate; the bank issues the registration you will attach to the application.
3. Apply for the residence authorization. From abroad, the application goes to the Ministry of Justice (through the MigranteWeb system) and, once approved, the consulate issues the VITEM IX visa. From inside Brazil, you apply directly to the Federal Police.
4. Enter Brazil and register. Within 90 days of arrival you register with the Federal Police and receive the CRNM, the national migration registry card that serves as your Brazilian ID.
5. Keep the investment and renew. The residence is valid for 4 years. Keep the property and spend at least 14 days in Brazil in every 2-year period. Before the 4 years end, apply to convert the residence to an indefinite term.

Processing times vary with the ministry's workload and the completeness of your file; an immigration lawyer will give you a realistic estimate for your case. Legal fees, sworn translations and apostilles are additional costs on top of the purchase.

Bringing your family

The investor is the principal applicant. The spouse or registered partner, children and other financially dependent relatives can apply for residence by family reunion on the basis of the investor's residence – there is no second investment and no separate threshold. Each family member needs their own documents (passport, criminal record where applicable, and the civil certificates proving the family link, apostilled and translated). Dependants receive the same length of residence as the principal applicant.

Permanent residence and citizenship

After the initial 4 years the residence can be converted to an indefinite term, provided the investment has been maintained. Brazilian citizenship by naturalization generally requires four years of residence in Brazil, with shorter periods in specific cases, such as a Brazilian spouse or child. Unlike the investor residence, naturalization requires actual residence in the country and Portuguese language ability. These are separate procedures with their own conditions – treat the investor residence as the first step, not as a citizenship programme.

Buying in Rio de Janeiro for the Golden Visa

Rio de Janeiro is the most common choice among Oabitat's investor clients because the R$ 1 million threshold buys a property that also works as a home or a rental. In Zona Sul – Ipanema, Leblon, Copacabana, Botafogo – demand from both Brazilian and foreign buyers is steady, and apartments can be let long-term or, where the building allows it, as short-term rentals. Our Rio de Janeiro real estate listings and the apartments for sale in Rio de Janeiro page show what is currently available at and above the threshold.

Two practical points for investor buyers. First, the deed must be registered in your own name, so decide early whether you will buy personally or through a company. Second, keep every transfer document – the Central Bank registration is what proves the investment came from abroad. The legal and tax guide and the Brazilian income-tax guide cover ownership costs and rental income tax once you own the property.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need to invest for the Brazil Golden Visa?

At least R$ 1 million in one or more urban properties. The minimum is R$ 700,000 for property in Brazil's North and Northeast regions. Rio de Janeiro is in the Southeast, so the R$ 1 million threshold applies there.

Is the Brazil Golden Visa the same as the VITEM IX visa?

VITEM IX is the temporary visa a Brazilian consulate issues after the residence authorization for real-estate investment has been approved. "Golden visa" is the informal name for the whole route. If you apply from inside Brazil, you receive the residence authorization without needing the consular visa.

How long is the investor residence valid?

The initial residence authorization is granted for four years. After that it can be converted to residence for an indefinite term, as long as the investment has been maintained and the other requirements are still met.

Do I have to live in Brazil to keep it?

No. You must be physically present in Brazil for at least 14 days, consecutive or not, in every two-year period after registering with the Federal Police. There is no requirement to live in Brazil full-time.

Can my family get residence with me?

Yes. Your spouse or partner, children and other financially dependent relatives can obtain residence by family reunion based on your investor residence. No additional investment is required; each person submits their own documents.

Can I use a mortgage or money already in Brazil?

No. The funds must originate abroad and be registered with the Central Bank as foreign direct investment, and the property must be fully paid. A property financed with a Brazilian mortgage does not count towards the minimum.

Does buying property in Rio de Janeiro qualify?

Yes. Any urban residential or commercial property in Brazil qualifies, including apartments and houses in Rio de Janeiro, provided the total investment reaches R$ 1 million and the deed is registered in your name.

This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules, thresholds and procedures change; verify them with an immigration lawyer and the Brazilian consulate before acting. Last reviewed October 2026.