Work Visa

HOW TO APPLY FOR A WORK VISA TO BRAZIL

VITEM V (Temporary Visa V) - Work Visa

1. WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A WORK VISA?

 Applicants with work permits previously approved by the Ministry of Justice in Brazil.

2. HOW TO OBTAIN A WORK PERMIT

Applicants seeking work in Brazil must be sponsored by a Brazilian employer. Requirements must be met by both the employer and the applicant. A work permit process is to be submitted by the Brazilian sponsoring company to the Brazilian Ministry of Justice for analysis. Further information on how to apply for a work permit is to be obtained with the Ministry of Justice.

The work permit is also necessary for applicants employed by foreign companies who will have to travel to Brazil to provide technical assistance to Brazilian companies.

3. HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR WORK PERMIT HAS ALREADY BEEN GRANTED

You may verify the status of a work permit process by following these steps:

A) Go to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security website.

B) Select either: "Nº Processo" and input the work permit process number; or "Nome do Estrangeiro" and input the name of the applicant. Insert the verification code presented. Click on "Pesquisar" to search the database. If the work permit already submitted at the Ministry of Justice, it will show the information concerning its process. It will show its current status which can be:

- “ENCAMINHADO PARA ANÁLISE”, or “EXIGÊNCIA”, or “JUNTADA DE DOCUMENTO”, or “PROPOSTA DE DEFERIMENTO”: which mean it is being analysed. 

- “DEFERIDO” or “AGUARDANDO PUBLICAÇÃO”: which means it was approved.

- “PUBLICADO”: which means it was published in the official gazette and sent to the Ministry of External Relations to be sent out to the consular office assigned to issue the “work visa” for that specific “work permit” process.

The work permit authorization is usually available to the consular office assigned to it about a week after it was published in Brazil. Only then you may contact the Consular Section to confirm if the work permit is available.

Submitting an application does NOT guarantee the issuance of the visa. We strongly recommend that you do not purchase your travel tickets or pay for reservations before having your application approved and a visa issued. The visa fee is not reimbursed if the visa application is refused.

In order to edit any information printed on a visa already stamped onto the passport after the visa is accepted by the applicant or their agent, the applicant will have to pay the applicable fee again, the incorrect visa will have to be cancelled, and a new one will have to be issued.

4. HOW TO APPLY FOR A BRAZILIAN VISA

 A) Fill the online visa form available at https://formulario-mre.serpro.gov.br/ (click on the flags for other languages). When you access the website, you may get the message "untrusted connection". This is because the security certificate issued may not have been yet recognized by your browser. Choose the option to continue with the untrusted certificate. It is safe.

 B) After filling in the form, upload all necessary documents (see below) through the system, including photo, passport and signature. All visa requests must have the necessary documents uploaded through the system. In case your files exceed the system's capacity, please do try to produce smaller files. Visa requests without uploaded documents will not be accepted.

 C) Once the receipt is generated, print, sign and attach a photo to it.

 D) The printed receipt plus all requested original documents must then be presented at the Embassy, either in person or by mail. Anyone can present the documents at the Embassy on the applicant's behalf. The applicant will then be informed of the corresponding fee and how to make its payment to the Embassy.

5. WORK VISA REQUIREMENTS

A) Applicant's Passport: original, valid, with at least two blank visa pages.

B) Visa Application Form: as instructed above, signed and with the photo attached on the appropriate box.

C) Photograph: one recent (taken less than six months ago) studio passport photo of the applicant in color with a white background. The photo cannot be the same of the applicant's passport or other visas. Snapshots, photocopies, and computer pictures are not accepted. The photo should also follow ICAO photo standards (https://www.icao.int/Security/mrtd/Downloads/technical%20reports/annex_A-photograph_guidelines.pdf). Please glue the photo onto the visa application receipt page.

D) Good Conduct Letter: original, issued by the Wisma Putra or the equivalent document of all countries the applicant has lived in the last 12 months. The document must have been issued in the last six months. Documents issued by countries other than Brazil, Malaysia, or Brunei must bear the apostille of said country (in case they are part of the Apostille Convention) or be legalized by the Brazilian foreign mission in that country.

E) Birth certificate of applicant: original; for Malaysians, the bi-lingual version issued by JPN.

Additional documents to facilitate the application process:

F) Letter from the sponsoring company in Brazil, on their letterhead stationery, and signed by a senior manager, containing the following information:

- name, CNPJ, address and nature of business of the Brazilian company;

- senior manager of Brazilian company’s name, title and capacity to act on behalf of the Brazilian sponsoring company;

- name(s) of person(s) to be contacted in Brazil in case the Consular Office needs additional information, their phone number(s) and function at the Brazilian company;

- detailed information concerning services to be rendered to the Brazilian company;

- name and address of the company contracted by the Brazilian company to provide technical services;

- name, phone number and email of manager of the company in Malaysia in case additional information is deemed necessary; and

- full name, passport number and profession of the applicant.

Regardless of whether the visa is issued or not, only the passport and original birth certificate and certificate of good conduct will be returned to the applicant. All other documentation must remain filed with the application at the Embassy.

After a Work visa is issued, its holder must register with the Federal Police of Brazil within 90 days of their arrival in the country. At that time, they may be required to submit a birth certificate and a certificate of good conduct legalized by a Brazilian foreign mission or bearing an apostille.