BrazilNaturalisation

Extraordinary naturalisation in Brazil

A route to Brazilian citizenship for foreign nationals who have lived in the country lawfully for a long time without interruption. The programme is for those who have put down roots but have not applied for citizenship before. The applicant evidences long uninterrupted residence and a clean record before the law; short trips abroad do not break the period. The application is filed online, checked by the Federal Police, and the decision is taken by the Ministry of Justice. No fee is payable.

Source: Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública — Naturalização Extraordinária

A clean record or evidenced rehabilitation

There is a single mandatory condition — a long uninterrupted period of residence in Brazil. The second ground, concerning criminal convictions, may differ from applicant to applicant.

With no convictions

You have lived in Brazil without interruption for the whole required period before filing the application
You have never been convicted in criminal proceedings
Short trips abroad do not break the period of residence

With a conviction, but after rehabilitation

You have lived in Brazil without interruption for the whole required period before filing the application
You had a criminal conviction but have been formally rehabilitated under the Brazilian law in force
You are ready to evidence the rehabilitation with official documents

When this programme is not suitable

You have lived in Brazil without interruption for less than the period this programme requires

Ordinary naturalisation (naturalização ordinária) — the basic period of residence is shorter, and even shorter periods apply to the spouses and the parents of Brazilian children

A child or adolescent of foreign nationals settled in Brazil before the age of 10

Provisional naturalisation — designed precisely for children who settled in the country at an early age, with the status confirmed later

There is a conviction, but formal rehabilitation in respect of the sentence has not yet taken place

There is no separate basis for this case — you must wait for the rehabilitation to be completed under Brazilian law, or take individual legal advice on the situation

Documents to gather

The full set is filed together with the online application in the «Naturalizar-se» system — files are accepted in PDF format.

Proof of the applicant's full civil legal capacity
A valid CRNM card (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório)
Proof of registration in the CPF — the individual tax number issued by the Receita Federal
A criminal record certificate at federal level (Justiça Federal)
A criminal record certificate at state level (Justiça Estadual)
A valid travel document — a passport
A criminal record certificate from the country of origin, legalised and translated into Portuguese — not required of recognised refugees, people with political asylum or stateless people
Proof of uninterrupted residence in Brazil throughout the whole required period
An application to translate or adapt the name into Portuguese — optional

How the process runs

All applications are filed and tracked in the single «Naturalizar-se» digital system through a gov.br account; there is no appointment in person at the head authority — the only visit in person is to the Federal Police.

1
Filing the application online
The applicant completes the form on the «Naturalizar-se» portal, logging in through a gov.br account, and attaches scans of all the documents in PDF format.
2
Booking and attending an appointment at the Federal Police
The appointment date is booked on the Polícia Federal website; at the appointment the applicant produces the original documents and gives biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph.
3
Checks by the police and referral of the case to the Migration Department
the whole process takes up to 180 calendar days
The Federal Police analyse the case papers and refer them to the Migration Department of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, which takes the final decision.
4
Publication of the decision and acquisition of the status
The decision — approval or refusal — is published in the official gazette, the Diário Oficial da União. If it is approved the applicant is regarded as naturalised and must hand in the CRNM card at a Federal Police unit.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Proof of residence in Brazil for 15 years without interruption and the absence of criminal convictions are required.

Frequently asked questions about Extraordinary naturalisation

Is a fee payable for extraordinary naturalisation?

No. Under the law in force, filing naturalisation applications, extraordinary naturalisation included, attracts no fee — the Ministry of Justice and Public Security provides this service free of charge.

Do trips abroad break the period of uninterrupted residence?

No, short, occasional trips outside Brazil do not prevent extraordinary naturalisation from being approved — the period continues to count as uninterrupted.

Is owning property in Brazil enough to evidence residence?

No. Ownership of or title to property in the country is not in itself regarded as sufficient evidence — actual residence has to be evidenced separately.

Is it possible to apply for naturalisation where there was a conviction in the past?

Yes, if the conviction is spent and the applicant has been formally rehabilitated under the Brazilian law in force. Without evidenced rehabilitation the «no criminal record» condition is treated as unmet.

What should I do if naturalisation is refused?

The law gives the right to appeal within 10 days of receiving notice of the refusal, attaching documents that remove the reason for it.

Is it necessary to attend a government office in person, or is everything done online?

The initial filing is entirely online through the «Naturalizar-se» system. After that, however, one visit in person to a Federal Police unit by appointment is needed — to give biometrics and show the original documents.

Other ways to move to Brazil

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Brazil.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.