The Digital Nomad Visa: A General Overview
Who the remote-work visa (VITEM XIV) is for, the income test, and the usual document set, from the consulates and the resolution that created it.
By Vaughn Bullard · · 4 min read
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If your income comes from a job or clients outside Brasil and you would like to live here for a while, the visa most people mean when they say "digital nomad visa" is the temporary visa known as VITEM XIV. It was created by a normative resolution of the National Immigration Council (CNIG), Resolution 45 of 2021, and it is issued by Brazilian consulates abroad.
This guide is an outline. Each consulate publishes its own checklist and fee, and the details are exactly the kind of thing that changes, so treat the consulate page for your jurisdiction as the final word.
Who it is for
The resolution describes a foreigner who, remotely and with the help of information and communication technology, does work for an employer abroad, or works for clients abroad. Two points follow from that:
- The work is for someone outside Brasil. The visa does not authorize work for a Brazilian employer. If you plan to take a job with a Brazilian company, this is not your visa. Look at the work categories described in Visa types for Americans.
- The work can be done from here. You need to show you can do your job remotely, usually through a contract and a letter.
The New York consulate page adds a limit that matters for some readers: it states that this visa is not available to business owners. If you work for your own company, read your consulate's page carefully, and check the official page before assuming you qualify.
The income test
You show you can support yourself in one of two ways, as set out by the consulates:
- Monthly income of at least US$1,500 from a source outside Brasil, or
- Available funds of at least US$18,000 in a bank account.
Each consulate explains what counts as proof, such as pay statements or bank statements, and for how many months. Check the official page for the exact proof your consulate wants.
The usual document set
The New York consulate lists, in summary:
- A passport valid for the stay, with at least one blank page.
- The online visa application form, completed and printed or submitted as instructed.
- A recent photo in the required format.
- A criminal record certificate from the FBI, issued within the last three months.
- A birth certificate.
- Health insurance valid in Brasil for the period of the stay.
- Your employment contract or service contract, and a letter from the employer or clients confirming the remote arrangement.
- A statement in your own words describing your remote work.
- Proof of income or funds, as above.
Documents issued in the US often need an apostille, and some need a sworn translation once you are in Brasil. See Apostilles and sworn translations for how that works. Check the official page for which of your documents need it.
Fee and length of stay
The New York consulate lists a fee of US$290 for this visa. Fees differ by consulate and can change, so check the official page for yours.
The resolution provides for an initial residence of up to one year. Whether and how it can be renewed is not something to assume; check the official page before you plan around a renewal.
If you only want to work remotely from Brasil for a short trip of under 90 days, the consulates point to the visitor visa instead. That route has its own limits, described in Tourist stay rules.
After you arrive
A temporary visa is not the end of the paperwork. Holders of temporary visas register with the Federal Police after arrival, within a deadline, and receive the national migration registration card. That process is covered in Registering with the Federal Police.
You will also want a CPF, the taxpayer number used for almost everything from phone plans to rentals. See Getting a CPF.
Practical notes
- Start with the consulate for where you live. US residents apply through the consulate whose jurisdiction covers their state. The pages linked below are examples; your consulate may phrase things differently.
- Watch the three-month window. The FBI record has to be recent when you apply. Order it after the other documents are in hand so it does not expire while you wait.
- Health insurance must cover Brasil. A US plan that only covers emergencies abroad may not satisfy the requirement. Read the policy wording, and see Health insurance abroad.
- Taxes are a separate question. Living in Brasil can affect where you owe tax. That is outside the scope of this guide; see US taxes from abroad for the US side, and consider professional advice for the Brazilian side.
Checklist
- Confirm the work is for an employer or clients outside Brasil.
- Confirm you are not excluded, for example as a business owner, on your consulate's page.
- Gather proof of income or funds.
- Order the FBI record and arrange apostilles.
- Buy health insurance valid in Brasil for the period.
- Complete the application and pay the fee.
- After arrival, register with the Federal Police within the deadline.
Common questions
Can my spouse come with me? Family reunion is handled through its own procedures. Check the official page for dependents.
Can I apply from inside Brasil? The pages linked here describe applying through a consulate abroad. A separate residence authorization route exists in some cases; check the official page before relying on it.
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; verify with the official source before acting.
General information only, not financial, legal, tax, insurance, or medical advice. Prices, rules, and terms change; check current details with the provider or an official source.
