Brazil expedites temporary visas, residence permits for Mercosur, Portuguese-speaking country migrants

Between January 2023 and August 2024, Brazil granted 64,814 temporary visas and residence permits for Global South country nationals. The regularization of these migrants' stay in the country was achieved through the Residence Agreement for Mercosur Citizens and Associated States (Decree No. 6,975/2009) and Joint Decree (Portaria) No. 40/2023 issued by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE).

“These measures represent an effort by the Brazilian State to welcome and promote the integration of these migrants in the domestic territory,” explained the Ministry of Justice’s Migrations Director, Luana Medeiros.

Both the Mercosur agreement and the interministerial decree were built based on Brazil’s Migration Law (Lei de Migrações - No. 13.445/2017), created to control de entry of native individuals from other countries in Brazil. This previous law was precarious and focused only on national security, and not the promotion of rights.

The creation of regulatory instruments is key to ensuring the access of migrants to basic public services, such as health and education; offering conditions for them to obtain jobs and income; and contributing to national development.

Mercosur Agreement

From the total 64,815 concessions, 63,071 are temporary visas for migrants from the Mercosur agreement (Decree No. 6,975/2009). Among the beneficiaries are nationals from member countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Bolivia is the country with the largest number of people registered through this process (25,411).

To obtain a two-year temporary residence permit in Brazil, individuals must present basic documentation, such as a valid passport, a criminal record, and proof of nationality. After this period, as long as the legal requisites are followed, it is possible to request permanent residence.

Interministerial Decree

In 2023, current legislation allowed the ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs to sign Interministerial Decree No. 40. The instrument regulated the issuance of temporary visas and residence permits for 1,743 nationals from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa) by August this year. The countries contemplated included Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé and Príncipe. These concessions are included in the total 64,814 regularizations promoted by the Federal Government since January 2023.

Angolans were among the largest number of migration regularizations between January 2023 and August 2024. In second place are the Portuguese, with 571. Third are nationals from Guinea-Bissau, with 208 individuals. The regularization allows these people to stay in Brazil with safety and dignity, contributing to an inclusive and solidary migration policy.