Expert: Sandra - 5/23/2011

Question
Hi, My name is David. My question is about getting married at the Brasilian Consulate. I am already married to a Brasilian, but we want to move to Rio. I assure you that this is no scam. What do we have to do to gain Permanent Visa status or Citizenship. I have other questions, but prefer not to disclose them in public. Please respond by e-mail so that I may ask those questions. Thank you for any help you can provide. I'm hearing conflicting stories and would really like to know what my ACTUAL options are.

Answer
If you are already married (in the U.S. I am assuming), you would need to register your marriage at the Brazilian Consulate which has jurisdiction over your residence (outside of Brazil) in conjunction with applying for permanencia at that same consulate. You can also move to Brazil on a tourist visa and apply from Brazil, which is cheaper, but takes much longer and entails a surprise home visit by the Policia Federal. Be aware that you must remain in the country for a set period per year during the process. There are also regulations to do with permanencia that allow you to bring personal possessions into the country for a limited time associated with your permanecia application. A few years after you receive your permanent resident status, you can apply for citizenship if you wish, which releases you from any time limitations for remaining in Brazil.
I would suggest you take a look at the forum on the expat site www.gringoes.com which has many previous threads dealing with all the details and permutations of this issue.