IMPACT – LOW

What is the change? The National Immigration Council published two normative resolutions today establishing procedures for academic researchers, teachers, students enrolled in extended graduate courses, and youth athletes joining training activities in Brazil.

What does the change mean? Effective immediately, these regulations list the documents required to apply for temporary visas and residence authorizations for the categories listed above.

  • Implementation time frame: Immediate.
  • Visas/permits affected: Temporary visas and residence authorization.
  • Who is affected: Foreign nationals planning to come to Brazil as researchers, teachers or graduate students linked to a university graduate course or official educational institution; young athletes (14 to 18 years old) interested in joining training activities in Brazil, even for a short period, during their school break.
  • Business impact: The regulations have minimal direct impact on businesses, as primarily relate to academic researchers, educational and sports activities.

Background: The normative resolutions (Resoluções Normativas No. 24 e 25) establish specific immigration statuses that were revoked by the New Brazilian Immigration Law that passed in 2017. Authorities are in the process of replacing old guidances with new normative resolutions that establish new procedures for the various categories.

BAL Analysis: The new resolutions confirm important scenarios not explicitly defined in the New Immigration Law. They also reaffirm a significant and positive change in the law—that immigrants who enter Brazil under a visitor visa or other temporary visitor category are now able to apply for and obtain a temporary residence authorization in-country without having to leave Brazil and re-enter.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in Brazil. For additional information, please contact brazil@bal.com.

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