Brazilian family reunion visa: everything you need to know!

In this text, I explain what is a Brazilian Family Reunion visa, the rules, deadlines, how to obtain it, and other common doubts. After all, when coming to Brazil, many foreigners end up separating from their families, generating a painful crisis.

However, it’s possible to find a solution so that parents, children, and spouses can meet again and no longer suffer from distance.

In this text, we will explain how this visa works and the benefits for foreigners who dream of reuniting their families in Brazil!

If you want to get in touch with our specialized team to obtain your family visa or another type of visa, click here to send us your information and request assistance!

What is a Family Reunion visa?

The Brazilian family reunion visa is a document that allows the entry of family members who are in Brazil. These family members can be:

• Brazilian; or
• a foreigner who has a Brazilian residence permit and lives in the country.

Thus, the purpose of this type of visa is to reunite the separated family. It brings many advantages, including the possibility of engaging in paid work.

Understand below who is entitled to it!

Who is entitled to Family Reunion?

Those who have the right to get a Family Reunion are foreigners in some relationship with a Brazilian or with a foreigner who has a residence permit in Brazil. This relationship may be:

• Spouse or partner;
• Son;
• Brazilian father or mother;
• Mother or father of an immigrant with a residence permit;
• Ascending to the second degree;
• Descending to the second degree;
• Brother; or
• Who has a Brazilian under his/her guardianship, curatorship, or custody.

In addition, the person who is in Brazil and gives the right to the visa, whether Brazilian or foreigner with a residence permit, is described by the law as the “caller”. The foreigner who is abroad, that is, who is going to apply for the family reunion visa, is described as the “called”.

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Can I live in Brazil with a Family Reunion visa?

The family reunion visa is a document that will authorize your entry into Brazil. After that, once you are in the country, you can apply for your residence permit. It must be done with the Federal Police based on the justification of stay due to Family Reunion.

However, bear in mind that this authorization is linked to your relationship with the caller. So if the relationship ends or the caller’s residence permit period in Brazil expires, your authorization will also be terminated.

Where to apply for a Family Reunion visa?

The family reunion visa to come to Brazil must be requested at the Brazilian consulate in the country where you are living now.

What are the steps to obtain a Family Reunion visa?

The steps to obtain the Family Reunion visa are:

• Gather evidence of the relationship between the caller and called;
• Apply for a visa at the relevant consulate;
• Pay consular fees;
• Hand over additional documents and/or conduct interviews, if requested by the consulate.
• Remembering that when you are looking for a residence permit by Family Reunion, the request must be made at the Federal Police.

How to get a Family Visa?

To obtain the “Family visa” to come to Brazil, it’s necessary:

• Have a family relationship with a Brazilian or foreigner who has a residence permit in Brazil;
• Gather documents that prove this relationship;
• Apply at the Brazilian consulate in your country of origin;
• Complete forms required and provided by the consulate;
• Pay fees;
• And submit the requested documents.
• Among the documents, evidence of a link with the person in Brazil must already be included, which justifies the request for a family reunion visa.

What documents are required for Family Reunion?

The documents required for the Family Reunion visa, in general, are:

• Valid travel document;
• Passport-style photo;
• Birth certificate;
• Background check;
• Caller documents;
• And others that may vary according to the case, relationship with the caller, and specific criteria of the consulate or Federal Police.

When is the visa denied and why?

The hypotheses of having your visa denied are linked to the lack of proof of the relationship with a caller who is regular in Brazil. In addition, the visa or residence permit based on family reunion may be suspended because of:

• breach of the relationship between the caller and called;
• marriage performed by proxy, in the case of spouses and partners.

The caller’s situation interferes with the granting of the visa

It’s also important to bear in mind that the applicant’s situation interferes with the granting of the visa. The most explicit example is when the caller is already a beneficiary of a visa or residence permit by Family Reunion. They also affect cases where the caller has a provisional residence permit or when he is illegal/irregular in Brazil.

For this reason, it’s also important that the caller completes his foreigner regularization in Brazil, in order to be able to bring his family.

Other cases and situations may affect the granting of the visa.

Is it possible to have a residence permit based on a Family Reunion?

Yes, it’s possible. However, it is good to keep in mind that you must comply with the rules established by the Brazilian Government. In summary, you must prove the relationship with the caller, in addition to presenting the necessary documents for the residence permit. This request must be made in Brazil at the Federal Police.

Can refugees be callers on a Family Reunion visa?

Yes, refugees can be callers on a Family Reunion visa.

Is the Family Reunion visa temporary?

Yes, the Family Reunion visa is temporary and is valid for 1 year. However, upon arriving in Brazil, you can apply for a residence permit.

The validity of the temporary family reunion visa will be 1 year. As for the length of stay, it will depend on the link with the caller, which may be for an indefinite or determined period, that is, there will be a specific period to end the caller’s time in Brazil or he will have a more permanent authorization from the Brazilian Government.

What is the deadline for the Family Reunion visa?

The term of this visa is up to 1 year, and the stay begins to be counted from the moment of issuance. That is, if it takes time to come to Brazil, even so, the visa will already be counted.

How much does the Family Reunion visa cost?

The cost of a family reunion visa depends on the country where it is requested and can be. In 2023, the cost is around:

• United States: BRL 362.50
• United Kingdom (staying more than 180 days): BRL 268.75
• Other countries: BRL 125.00

However, since the visa is priced under the value of gold and other references, the cost might be different at the time you read this article.

Does the “called” need proof of income to get the visa?

The called does not need to prove income to have the Brazilian Family Reunion visa in most cases. However, foreigners who apply for a family reunion visa justifying economic dependence on the applicant must prove income in order to obtain the visa.

How can an immigration lawyer help me with my visa?

In short, an immigration lawyer can help organize documentation, in addition to facilitating communication with Brazilian official bodies, which are fundamental in this type of process.

Furthermore, the chance of having the documents up to date and getting in contact with the correct bodies is greater with a specialist lawyer nearby, as the professional will be qualified to answer questions, guide the foreigner and carry out all the appropriate legal procedures.

What are the risks of not having a lawyer in the visa process?

The risk of not having a lawyer in the visa process is precisely that: not granting it. After all, without the necessary guidance, the interested party may forget documents, contact the wrong bodies, not pay fees and not fill out forms properly.

Not to mention that assistance in the process of granting the visa can lead to a gain in time and more efficiency, as the professional will know which paths to take.

What are the advantages of having a lawyer in the visa process?

From the same point of view, the advantage of having a lawyer in the visa process is having professional assistance when going through all the necessary stages for the granting. An experienced professional can effectively guide the interested party, reducing errors and increasing the chances of the visa being granted. A lawyer can make a difference in organizing steps and documentation, as there are some requirements to be met.