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Technical assistance, technology transfer and megaevent residence for foreign specialists

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

Specialists employed abroad who service equipment or transfer technology to a Brazilian company under a contract can work in Brazil without a Brazilian employment contract. Short jobs within the visit period fit a visit; longer ones need technical assistance or technology transfer residence of up to 1 year, with a fast track of 180 days a year decided in 5 business days (2 in emergencies). A September 2026 ordinance adds work residence for staff of megaevents, decided in 10 business days.

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

Maximum technical assistance residence	1 yearsRN CNIg nº 3/2017 art. 2 § 5, as of 2017-12-01 · in force
Urgent technical assistance residence per migratory year	180 daysRN CNIg nº 3/2017 art. 4 (RN 34/2018), as of 2018-08-14 · in force
Decision deadline for urgent technical assistance residence	5 business daysRN CNIg nº 3/2017 art. 4, as of 2018-08-14 · in force
Decision deadline in emergencies	2 business daysRN CNIg nº 3/2017 art. 4 § 1, as of 2018-08-14 · in force
Maximum technology transfer residence	1 yearsRN CNIg nº 4/2017 art. 2 § 4, as of 2017-12-01 · in force
Maximum megaevent employment contract	24 monthsPortaria Interministerial nº 68/2026 art. 2, V, as of 2026-09-15 · in force
Decision deadline for megaevent employee residence	10 business daysPortaria Interministerial nº 68/2026 art. 4 § 1, as of 2026-09-15 · in force
Minimum participants for a megaevent	50000 peoplePortaria Interministerial nº 68/2026 art. 2, II, as of 2026-09-15 · in force

The rule

1. Contracted technical assistance or technology transfer between a foreign and a Brazilian legal entity can be done on a visit, provided the visitor is not paid in Brazil and the activity does not exceed the visit stay (up to 90 days, extendable for reciprocating nationals up to 180 per migratory year). Beyond that, the temporary work visa covers technical assistance or technology transfer.Decreto nº 9.199 of 20 November 2017, as worded by Decreto nº 12.657 of 7 October 2025, Decreto nº 9.199 arts. 20, 29 § 3 and 38 § 2, III, 2025-10-07 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Decreto nº 12.657 of 7 October 2025 moved short contracted technical assistance into the visit category and carved it out of the work visa (art. 38 § 2, III).

2. Technical assistance residence is for an immigrant without a Brazilian employment relationship who provides technical assistance under a contract, cooperation agreement or covenant between a foreign and a Brazilian legal entity. Purely administrative, financial and managerial functions are excluded. The file includes the Federal Revenue document for an equipment purchase with assistance, or the contract (showing object, value, term and conditions), or, for intra group cooperation, a declaration identifying the parties and their link, plus the work sites. The residence lasts up to 1 year; a new authorization within that cap requires detailed justification, and contracts with warranty clauses are not bound by the time limit while in force. If the company wants to keep the specialist, it must hire under Brazilian labor law.
Cost to do it: Processing fee R$168.13 (about US$31.52) plus R$204.77 migration card (about US$38.39).Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 3 of 1 December 2017, RN nº 3 arts. 1, 2 and 3, 2017-12-01 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. For urgent service, prior residence may be granted for 180 days per migratory year for the same immigrant, decided within 5 business days on an invitation letter from the Brazilian company; in an emergency reported by the receiving company, a simplified procedure decides within 2 business days. Days used under the fast track are deducted from the 1 year limit if a regular application follows in the same migratory year.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 3 of 1 December 2017, art. 4 as worded by Resolução Normativa nº 34 of 14 August 2018 (DOU of 16 October 2018), RN nº 3 art. 4 and §§ 1 and 2, 2018-08-14 official text · verified 2026-10-27

4. The application may be filed by the Brazilian company receiving the service, by a Brazilian company of the same group as the foreign employer that serves several receiving companies at once, or by an exclusive Brazilian intermediary of the foreign employer. The immigrant stays under the responsibility of the company receiving the service. If a labor inspector finds the elements of an employment relationship with the Brazilian company, the residence can be denied, lost or cancelled.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 3 of 1 December 2017, RN nº 3 arts. 2 § 4, 5 and 6, 2017-12-01 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Technology transfer residence covers an immigrant without a Brazilian employment relationship who transfers technology under a contract, cooperation agreement or covenant between a foreign and a Brazilian legal entity. Besides the contract, the file needs a simplified training plan stating the specialist's qualifications, scope, method, number of Brazilians to be trained, place, receiving companies, duration and expected results. The residence lasts up to 1 year.Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 4 of 1 December 2017, RN nº 4 arts. 1, 2 and 4, 2017-12-01 official text · verified 2026-10-27

6. For megaevents (international events with at least 50,000 direct or indirect participants or a flow above 500,000 people, such as those backed by FIFA, the IOC or the UN), the organizer or its designee may request work residence for employees on a fixed term contract of up to 24 months, ending no later than 6 months after the event, decided by the Ministry of Justice within 10 business days of a complete file on MigranteWeb. Technical assistance staff for the event get up to 1 year, extendable once for the same period within the same 6 month post event limit. Requesting companies must report any change in the underlying information within 15 days.
Cost to do it: Processing fee R$168.13 (about US$31.52) unless an exemption applies.Portaria Interministerial MJSP/MRE/MTE nº 68 of 15 September 2026 (DOU of 17 September 2026, extra edition D), Arts. 2, 4 §§ 1, 2 and 4, 5 §§ 1 and 4, 6 and 9, 2026-09-15 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: New ordinance of 15 September 2026 created a dedicated work residence route for megaevents, issued jointly by the Ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs and Labor under Decreto nº 12.657.

Situation	Route	Maximum time	Decision time
Short contracted job, no Brazilian pay	Visit	90 days, extension to 180 per year only for reciprocating nationals	Visa per nationality
Urgent repair	RN 3 fast track	180 days per migratory year	5 business days; 2 in emergencies
Longer service contract	RN 3 technical assistance residence	1 year	Per general rules
Training Brazilians in new technology	RN 4 technology transfer residence	1 year	Per general rules
Megaevent technical assistance	Portaria 68/2026	1 year plus 1, within 6 months after the event	Per the ordinance

Choosing the route for a foreign specialist servicing or setting up equipment. Sources: Decreto nº 9.199 arts. 20 and 29 § 3; RN CNIg nº 3/2017; RN CNIg nº 4/2017; Portaria Interministerial nº 68/2026.

Worked example

A turbine maker in Denmark sends two field engineers to commission equipment sold to a Brazilian wind farm, with a 6 week schedule and a 2 year warranty. The Brazilian buyer files under RN 3 with the Federal Revenue document for the purchase. Government fees for both engineers: 2 x (R$168.13 + R$204.77) = R$745.80 (about US$139.80). Warranty visits can continue while the warranty runs, without the 1 year cap (RN 3 art. 3 § 1).

Step by step

1. Check if the job fits within a visit (contract between companies, no Brazilian pay, within the visit stay).
2. If not, choose RN 3 (assistance), RN 4 (technology transfer with training plan) or the megaevent ordinance.
3. Gather the contract or Federal Revenue document, group declaration and work sites; pay the processing fee; file on MigranteWeb.
4. For urgent cases, attach an invitation letter for the 180 day fast track (5 business days) or report the emergency (2 business days).
5. After entry, register with the Federal Police within 90 days and keep the receiving company informed of sites and changes.

Common traps

Managers on a technical assistance permit. Administrative, financial and managerial functions are excluded (RN 3 art. 1 sole paragraph); use the executive route instead.
Disguised employment. Day to day subordination to the Brazilian company can lead a labor inspector to find an employment relationship and the Ministry to cancel the residence (RN 3 art. 2 § 4).
Fast track days count. 180 fast track days are deducted from the 1 year limit in the same migratory year (RN 3 art. 4 § 2).
Megaevent end date. Contracts and residence cannot run past 6 months after the event (Portaria nº 68/2026 arts. 2, V and 5 § 4).

Sources

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