Brazilian costs split in two: what the consulate charges for the visa — set per mission, by reciprocity — and the fixed Polícia Federal fees everyone pays once inside Brazil.
Overview
Brazil charges immigration fees at two points. Abroad, visas — including the VITEM temporary visas applied for through the e-Consular portal — carry consular fees (emolumentos consulares) fixed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' fee table (Tabela de Emolumentos Consulares) and collected in local currency by each embassy or consulate, with amounts varying by mission and by nationality under reciprocity rules; visitor e-Visas for US, Canadian and Australian nationals cost US$80.90 since the visa requirement returned on 10 April 2025. Inside Brazil, the Polícia Federal charges fixed GRU fees: R$168.13 to process a residence authorisation request (revenue code 140066) and R$204.77 to issue the CRNM migrant card (code 140120). The big numbers sit in the route requirements rather than the fees: R$500,000 for the RN 13/2017 business investor (R$150,000 for innovation ventures since RN 49/2024), R$1,000,000 for RN 36/2018 real estate (around R$700,000 only in the North and Northeast), and US$1,500 a month for the RN 45/2021 digital nomad. Verified against gov.br/mre, gov.br/pf and portaldeimigracao.mj.gov.br as of June 2026.
What Each Route Costs (June 2026)
Visa classes follow Decreto 9.199/2017. Consular fee amounts are set per mission in the MRE fee table — always check the published table of the post where you will apply.
| Route | Visa class | Threshold / requirement | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor — US, Canadian, Australian nationals | e-Visa (visit) | Stays up to 90 days; 180 days per 12 months | US$80.90 on the official e-Visa portal, since 10 April 2025 |
| Work (employer-sponsored) | VITEM V | Employer obtains the residence authorisation in MigranteWeb before the consulate can issue the visa | Consular fee per the mission's MRE table + PF fees on registration in Brazil |
| Investor — business | VITEM IX | R$500,000 under RN 13/2017; R$150,000 possible for innovation, science or technology ventures (RN 49/2024) | Consular fee per mission + PF fees |
| Investor — real estate | Residence under RN 36/2018 | Urban property of R$1,000,000+ with external funds; threshold roughly 30% lower (≈R$700,000) only in the North and Northeast regions | PF fees R$168.13 + R$204.77 if applied for in Brazil |
| Digital nomad | VITEM XIV | US$1,500/month foreign income or US$18,000 in funds, plus health insurance (RN 45/2021) | Consular fee per mission, or the in-country PF route |
| Family reunion | VITEM XI | Sponsor is a Brazilian national or a migrant with residence authorisation | Consular fee per mission + PF fees |
| Study | VITEM IV | Enrolment at a Brazilian institution | Consular fee per mission |
| Mercosur Residence Agreement | VITEM XIII (or directly at the PF) | Nationality of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru or Uruguay + clean criminal record | Only the PF fees (R$168.13 + R$204.77) if requested in-country |
The Two Fee Streams — Consulate vs Polícia Federal
- Consular emolumentos are mission-set: The MRE's Tabela de Emolumentos Consulares fixes the fee for each consular act, but each embassy or consulate publishes its own values in local currency, and reciprocity rules mean nationals of different countries can pay different amounts for the same VITEM. There is no single worldwide VITEM price — check the fee page of the post handling your application via the e-Consular portal (econsular.itamaraty.gov.br).
- Consular fees are never refunded: Visa issuance is a discretionary consular act; a refusal does not return the emolumento, and reapplying means paying again. There is no ban or waiting period after a refusal.
- The e-Visa exception: For US, Canadian and Australian visitors the price is uniform — US$80.90 paid by card on the official portal (brazil.vfsevisa.com), the only authorised channel. Validity is 10 years for US citizens and 5 years for Canadians and Australians; beware third-party sites charging mark-ups.
- Polícia Federal GRU fees are fixed nationwide: R$168.13 to process a residence authorisation request (code 140066) and R$204.77 to issue the CRNM — Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório (code 140120). Both are paid by GRU (federal payment slip) before your PF appointment.
- Almost everyone pays the PF twice: Even visa holders who paid a consulate abroad still register with the Polícia Federal after arrival and pay the CRNM issuance fee; in-country applicants (Mercosur, family, digital nomads switching status) pay both PF fees but skip the consulate entirely.
Getting the VITEM Number Right
- The correct mapping: VITEM IV — study; VITEM V — work (employer-sponsored); VITEM IX — investment; VITEM XI — family reunion; VITEM XIII — the Mercosur Residence Agreement visa; VITEM XIV — digital nomad. Older guides circulate scrambled numbers (work as IX, investor as XIII, family as I) that predate or misread the Decreto 9.199/2017 framework — filing under the wrong class wastes the consular fee.
- Work and investor visas need prior authorisation: For VITEM V and VITEM IX the residence authorisation must first be granted through the MigranteWeb system (decided under CNIg Normative Resolutions by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security) before the consulate can issue the visa — applying at the consulate without it is a common, fee-burning mistake.
- Many routes skip the consulate: Mercosur nationals, family members, students and digital nomads who entered Brazil lawfully can apply in-country as a residence authorisation at the Polícia Federal, paying only the GRU fees — and gaining the PF route's 10-day recurso protections if refused.
- Retirees and other niche routes: Brazil maintains additional residence hypotheses under Decreto 9.199/2017 and CNIg resolutions (including for retirees with foreign pension income); criteria and proof requirements are published on portaldeimigracao.mj.gov.br — verify the current resolution rather than relying on circulating income figures.
Cost-Driving Requirements Beyond the Fees
- Investment floors: RN 13/2017 requires at least R$500,000 invested in foreign currency in a Brazilian company and registered with the Central Bank, plus an investment plan; RN 49/2024 (25 June 2024) lowered this to R$150,000 for innovation, science and technology ventures. RN 36/2018 real estate requires urban property of R$1,000,000 or more — the roughly 30% reduced threshold (≈R$700,000) applies only to property in the North and Northeast regions.
- Digital nomad proof: RN 45/2021 demands evidence of US$1,500/month in foreign-source income or US$18,000 in available funds, plus health insurance valid in Brazil — bank and employment evidence often needs sworn translation.
- Translation and apostille costs: Foreign documents generally need an apostille plus translation by a tradutor público (sworn translator) in Brazil. Documents from Mercosur Agreement states are exempt from sworn translation under Decreto 6.975/2009 — a real saving on the file.
- Appeals are free: A refused residence authorisation carries a no-fee recurso filed within 10 days of notification, which the deciding authority must analyse within 30 days, with automatic escalation if maintained — so a refusal costs time, not new government fees.
- Irregular stay is the expensive mistake: Overstaying attracts the Migration Law's daily fines and complicates every later application; deportation proceedings, by contrast, must allow at least 60 days to regularise status, with free Defensoria Pública da União assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Brazilian visa cost at the consulate?
It depends on the mission and your nationality. Consular fees (emolumentos consulares) are fixed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' fee table, but each embassy or consulate publishes its own values in local currency, and reciprocity rules mean, for example, that nationals of countries charging Brazilians more pay more in return. So the same VITEM V work visa can cost different amounts in Lisbon, London and Tokyo. Check the published fee table of the specific post where you will lodge the e-Consular application, and budget for payment in that country's currency. Whatever you pay, it is not refunded if the visa is refused.
I am a US, Canadian or Australian citizen — do I really need to pay for a visa just to visit Brazil?
Yes, since 10 April 2025, when Brazil ended the unilateral visa waiver it had offered those three nationalities since 2019. The visitor e-Visa costs US$80.90, paid by card on the official portal (brazil.vfsevisa.com) — the only authorised channel, so avoid lookalike sites charging more. It is issued electronically, typically within days, and is valid 10 years (multiple entries) for US citizens and 5 years for Canadians and Australians. Each stay is capped at 90 days, with 180 days maximum in any 12-month period. Other visa-exempt nationalities (most of Europe, the UK, Mercosur neighbours) still enter without a visa.
What do I pay once I am inside Brazil?
Two fixed Polícia Federal fees, paid by GRU slip before your appointment: R$168.13 to process a residence authorisation request (revenue code 140066) and R$204.77 to issue your CRNM, the Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório (code 140120). Visa holders who already paid a consulate abroad still pay the CRNM fee when they register after arrival. In-country applicants — Mercosur nationals, family members, digital nomads adjusting status — pay both fees but no consular fee at all, which makes the in-country route the cheapest path where it is available. Keep every GRU receipt and protocolo: Brazilian case files turn on documented payment and notification dates.
How much do I need to invest for investor residence — and is the R$700,000 property figure right?
For the business route, RN 13/2017 requires at least R$500,000 invested in foreign currency in a Brazilian company, registered with the Central Bank, with an investment or business plan; since RN 49/2024 (25 June 2024) innovation, science and technology ventures can qualify from R$150,000. For real estate, RN 36/2018 sets the general floor at R$1,000,000 in urban property bought with external funds — the lower figure of roughly R$700,000 (a 30% reduction) applies only to property in the North and Northeast regions. Guides quoting a blanket BRL 700,000 national threshold are wrong, and an under-priced purchase in São Paulo or Rio will not qualify.
Which VITEM number do I actually need? Different websites give me different answers.
Use the current Decreto 9.199/2017 classification: VITEM IV for study, VITEM V for employer-sponsored work, VITEM IX for investment, VITEM XI for family reunion, VITEM XIII for the Mercosur Residence Agreement, and VITEM XIV for digital nomads. A lot of circulating material mislabels these — listing work as IX, the investor as XIII, or family as I — which can lead you to lodge the wrong application and forfeit the consular fee. Remember too that VITEM V and IX require a residence authorisation approved in MigranteWeb before the consulate can act, and that several routes can instead be requested in-country at the Polícia Federal.
What happens to my money if Brazil refuses my application?
Consular fees are not refunded — the practical remedy for a visa refusal is to cure the stated ground (complete the apostille and sworn-translation chain, strengthen income evidence, obtain the MigranteWeb authorisation) and reapply, paying again; Brazil imposes no ban or cooling-off period. Residence authorisation refusals inside Brazil are different: you get a free recurso, filed within 10 days of notification to the authority that decided, which must analyse it within 30 days and forward it ex officio to the superior authority if it stands firm. The PF fees you paid are not returned either way, but the appeal itself adds no government cost.