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Investor residence: putting R$500,000 (or R$150,000 for innovation) into a Brazilian company

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Stable

A foreign individual who brings own funds from abroad into a new or existing Brazilian company can get residence of indefinite term. The floor is R$500,000, or R$150,000 for innovation, research or technology ventures backed by an incubator, accelerator, technology park or public innovation funding. The money must arrive through a bank exchange contract classified as foreign direct investment and the 3 year business plan must then be executed, because continued residence depends on proving it.

USD figures use the Banco Central do Brasil PTAX selling rate of R$5.3346 per US dollar for 27 October 2026. The rate moved sharply in late October 2026 (R$5.0377 on 23 October, R$5.5007 on 26 October), so treat conversions as orientation only.

Key facts

Minimum foreign investment in a company for investor residence	500000 BRLRN CNIg nº 13/2017 art. 2, as of 2024-06-25 · in force
Minimum investment for innovation or research ventures	150000 BRLRN CNIg nº 13/2017 art. 3, as of 2024-06-25 · in force
Execution period of the investment or business plan	3 yearsRN CNIg nº 13/2017 art. 4 § 1, as of 2017-12-12 · in force
Term of investor residence	indefinite RN CNIg nº 13/2017 art. 6 § 4, as of 2024-06-25 · in force
Proof of plan execution filed up to this many days before the period ends	90 daysRN CNIg nº 13/2017 art. 6 § 2, as of 2024-06-25 · in force

The rule

1. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security may grant residence to a foreign individual who, with own funds of foreign origin, invests in a Brazilian legal entity in a project with potential to create jobs or income. The investment must be in foreign currency, at least R$500,000, with an investment or business plan, and may go into a newly formed or existing company; the potential to create jobs or income is examined first.
Cost to do it: Minimum investment R$500,000 (about US$93,727.74) plus R$168.13 processing and R$204.77 card fees.
Example: Minimum R$500,000. / About US$93,727.74.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 13 of 12 December 2017 (DOU of 22 December 2017), as amended by Resolução CNIG/MJSP nº 49 of 25 June 2024, RN nº 13 arts. 1 and 2, 2024-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. Below R$500,000 but not below R$150,000, residence may be granted to an entrepreneur investing in innovation or basic or applied scientific or technological research, if the company meets at least one condition: public funding or investment for innovation, location in a technology park, incubated or graduated, finalist in a government startup program, or supported by a Brazilian accelerator. Alternatively the company may show originality, reach and relevance of the product, process or service that is its main activity.
Cost to do it: Minimum R$150,000 (about US$28,118.32).
Example: Minimum R$150,000. / About US$28,118.32.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 13 of 12 December 2017, as amended by Resolução CNIG/MJSP nº 49 of 25 June 2024, RN nº 13 art. 3 §§ 1 and 2, 2024-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. The investment or business plan is mandatory and runs for 3 years. It must cover the business (sector, location, service, timing of the investment), its objective (local importance, technology, government support, partnerships, target market, strategy), job and income creation (hiring plan for the first 3 years with headcount, roles and salaries, and training spend) and a financial plan for the money invested.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 13 of 12 December 2017, RN nº 13 art. 4 § 1, 2017-12-12 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. Prior residence for the visa requires the company's registered articles showing the foreign capital paid in, the exchange contract issued by a Banco Central authorized institution classifying the transaction as foreign direct investment, the plan and the general documents. The Ministry may inspect on site.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 13, art. 5 as worded by Resolução CNIG/MJSP nº 49 of 25 June 2024, RN nº 13 art. 5, 2024-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Resolução CNIG/MJSP nº 49 of 25 June 2024 aligned the proof of investment with the new FX framework (Lei nº 14.286/2021), requiring an exchange contract classified as foreign direct investment.

5. An investor already in Brazil may apply in country with the same documents plus, where applicable, the company's last income tax return, 3 years of RAIS showing the jobs created and the last FGTS slip with the employee list. Residence is of indefinite term, but its continuation depends on proving execution of the plan, filed up to 90 days before the end of the period granted; the Ministry may weigh the economic context exceptionally.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 13, art. 6 as worded by Resolução CNIG/MJSP nº 49 of 25 June 2024, RN nº 13 art. 6 and §§ 1 to 4, 2024-06-25 official text · verified 2026-10-27

6. Investment residence is one of the purposes for which residence may be authorized, and its requirements are now set by joint act of the Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs; until a new act is issued, RN nº 13 continues to be applied by the Ministry.Decreto nº 9.199 of 20 November 2017, as worded by Decreto nº 12.657 of 7 October 2025, Decreto nº 9.199 arts. 142, I, i and 151 § 4, 2025-10-07 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Worked example

A Chilean founder wires US$110,000 to subscribe capital in a new São Paulo Ltda. At PTAX R$5.3346 that is about R$586,806, above the R$500,000 floor (about US$93,727.74), so the general route applies. If the exchange rate fell so that the reais amount dropped below R$500,000, the founder would need to send more or qualify for the R$150,000 innovation route (about US$28,118.32). Government fees: R$168.13 plus R$204.77, R$372.90 in total (about US$69.90).

Step by step

1. Incorporate or pick the Brazilian company and register the foreign shareholder (CNPJ or CPF) as the entity setup pages describe.
2. Send own funds from abroad through an authorized bank, with the exchange contract classified as foreign direct investment, and pay in the capital in the articles.
3. Report the investment to the Banco Central under the FX rules (see the FX pages).
4. Write the 3 year plan with hiring, salaries and training.
5. Pay the processing fee and file on MigranteWeb, abroad as prior residence or in Brazil.
6. After the visa, register with the Federal Police within 90 days; keep RAIS, FGTS and tax filings that prove the plan; file proof of execution up to 90 days before the period ends.

Common traps

Counting reais at the wrong date. The floor is in reais and the investment arrives in foreign currency, so FX swings can push a fixed dollar amount below R$500,000.
Money already in Brazil. Funds must be own funds of foreign origin brought in by an exchange contract classified as foreign direct investment (RN 13 arts. 1 and 5, II).
A plan with no jobs. Job and income potential is examined first and RAIS data may be checked (RN 13 arts. 2 § 2 and 6, IV).
Indefinite but conditional. Failing to prove execution of the plan can end residence (RN 13 art. 6 § 2).

Sources

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