Family Reunion Visa in Brazil: Spouse, Children & Dependents
Quick Answer
Brazil’s family reunion visa lets spouses, children, and dependents of Brazilian citizens or legal residents obtain a two-year temporary residence permit. Total government fees are R$372.90. Processing takes 30-45 days via consulate or 60-90 days in-country. Same-sex couples have full legal equality under CNJ Resolution 175.
Your spouse is in Brazil. Your kids are there too. You want to be with them legally — not on a tourist visa, not on borrowed time. Family reunion is the most straightforward way to make that happen. Governed by Law 13,445/2017 and updated in February 2026 by Normative Resolution 34, the process is transparent: prove your family ties, show financial capacity, register with Federal Police. Most families complete it in 60 to 90 days.
So what exactly is family reunion?
Family reunion (reuniao familiar) is Brazil’s legal pathway for relatives of Brazilian citizens or legal residents to obtain a temporary residence permit. It’s not citizenship — it’s a two-year permit that’s renewable. We help families navigate this distinction from day one because confusion here costs time and money.
You qualify if you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a Brazilian citizen or legal resident. Parents over 60 qualify if they have a Brazilian citizen child. Biological children, adopted children, even dependent siblings under 18 can apply. The list isn’t infinite, but it covers the relationships that matter.
Proof is straightforward. Marriage license, birth certificate, adoption decree — these documents establish your claim. The Immigration Portal spells out exactly what documentation each relationship type needs. Brazil doesn’t make this mysterious. If you need documents apostilled or notarized, our guide to notary services in Brazil explains the process.
Same-sex spouses and civil partners have complete legal equality. CNJ Resolution 175 (2013) established marriage equality across all states. You and your same-sex partner file identical applications, pay identical fees, follow identical timelines. There’s no separate category, no additional scrutiny.
What documents go in your application?
Gather these before approaching a consulate. A missing document? That’s weeks of delay.
The core docs: Valid passport (original plus copy). Your family relationship proof — marriage license, birth certificate, or adoption decree. Financial proof. Clean police record from home. Proof of your Brazilian address. Non-Portuguese documents need certified translation (tradutor publico juramentado).
On financial proof: You need to show you won’t become a burden on Brazil’s public services. The informal benchmark is R$2,000 per person monthly, though this varies by state and consulate. Bank statements (last three months), employment contracts, pension documentation — all work. Over-document rather than under-document at this stage.
Your Brazilian sponsor needs to prove legal status or citizenship. Birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or CRNM (the national migrant residence card). If they’re employed, a recent payslip strengthens everything. At ZS Associados, our legal team has learned the hard way: more documentation is always safer.
Medical certificates? Not anymore. As of February 2026, Normative Resolution 34 removed that requirement. One less bureaucratic hurdle. Police clearance from your home country remains mandatory.
Consulate or in-country? What’s the difference?
Two legal paths. Apply abroad at a Brazilian consulate. Or enter Brazil on a tourist visa and convert once you’re already here. Both work. Timelines and costs differ slightly.
The consular route: You schedule at your nearest Brazilian consulate. 30 to 45 days is typical. You submit in person, they forward to Federal Police, you get a residence visa in your passport. You travel to Brazil with that visa, then register it at a Federal Police office. This route works if you want certainty before you move.
Converting in-country: You arrive on a tourist visa (valid 90 days). You submit family reunion paperwork directly to Federal Police through an authorized center. This takes 60 to 90 days. Many families prefer it — you see the city, arrange housing, test the waters before committing. You can request a tourist extension while your application processes. For a broader overview of converting visas, see our guide on converting temporary to permanent residence.
Cost is the same either way. Two years of temporary residence is the result either way. We tell clients: choose the consular route if certainty before moving matters. Choose in-country if flexibility matters more.
One practical reality: the in-country conversion is simpler if your sponsor is already registered as a legal resident with Federal Police. Brazilian citizens? Both routes are equally straightforward.
What does this actually cost?
Brazil doesn’t charge visa fees for family reunion. What you pay is the GRU (Guia de Recolhimento da Uniao, a federal collection fee) and CRNM registration. That’s R$168.13 plus R$204.77. Total: R$372.90 (roughly USD 75).
You pay once. That’s it. No hidden costs.
Some families hire immigration attorneys — optional. Budget R$2,000 to R$5,000 depending on complexity. At ZS Associados, our immigration law team provides document guidance and timeline management so delays don’t blindside you.
Timeline specifics: Consular processing, 30 to 45 days. In-country, 60 to 90 days. The February 2026 update eliminated prior Conare review, cutting 20 to 30 days from old timelines. These figures assume complete, correct documents on submission.
Delays happen when documents are missing, mistranslated, or when Federal Police request additional financial proof. Consulates operate independently — Sao Paulo moves faster than smaller regional offices due to volume and staffing.
Once approved, you get exactly two years. Renewal is possible if you show continued financial capacity and family ties. After five continuous years of legal residence (permits stack), you qualify for permanent residency. If you’re also considering dual citizenship, that’s a separate process but related long-term goal.
What about same-sex couples? Are they actually treated equally?
Yes. Full legal equality. Brazil recognized civil unions in 2011, extended full marriage rights to same-sex couples in 2013 via CNJ Resolution 175. Immigration law treats you identically to heterosexual couples.
What that means: Same documents. Same fees. Same timeline. No separate category. No extra scrutiny. Older consulates occasionally still require civil union certification by a cartorio, but it’s a formality, not a barrier.
Married abroad in a same-sex-friendly country? Your foreign marriage license is valid. Home country doesn’t recognize it? Your civil union certificate is equally valid. What matters is documentation and authenticity.
Our attorneys at ZS Associados have processed hundreds of same-sex family reunion cases. The path is clear. The only friction we see is outdated requirements from consulates that haven’t absorbed the 2013 and 2026 updates. When that happens, we escalate to the consulate’s legal team with citations to the resolutions. Problem solved.
Consular vs. in-country: which route?
| Factor | Consular Application | In-Country Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Where you start | Outside Brazil | In Brazil on a tourist visa |
| Processing time | 30-45 days average | 60-90 days average |
| What you pay | R$372.90 (GRU + CRNM) | R$372.90 (GRU + CRNM) |
| Visa before travel? | Yes | No (tourist visa enough) |
| Risk of rejection? | Low (visa secured first) | Moderate (approval contingent) |
| Best if you want… | Certainty before moving; stable job/housing abroad | To explore first; flexible timeline |
How ZS Associados brings your family together
Our legal team has guided over 400 families through this process since 2018. We work directly with consulates, Federal Police, and certified translators. We get applications approved right the first time. We cut the average timeline from 90 days to 65 days through organized document management and daily communication with authorities.
What we do: review your family relationship and eligibility in 24 hours. Compile a tailored checklist based on your relationship and home country. Connect you with certified translators. Submit through the fastest channel. Track daily. Notify immediately if additional docs are requested.
Costs? Transparent. Our family reunion legal guidance package starts at R$2,500 — includes document review, translator coordination, submission support. Government fees (R$372.90) and translator costs you pay directly. Most families save money with us because we prevent delays and rejections that would require resubmission.
Ready? Schedule a legal consultation with our immigration law team. We’ll assess your case, answer your questions, outline your timeline within one business day. Contact ZS Associados here.
