A foreign national who intends to come into the country for tourism or business purposes is entitled to a visitor visa. With this type of visa, the foreign national cannot receive any payment from a Brazilian legal entity. Therefore, foreign nationals should remain exclusively on the payroll of the company abroad.

A visitor visa's term depends on the foreign national's nationality. Generally, it is valid for one year with a maximum length of stay of 90 days. Visitor visas can be renewed through the Federal Police Department, subject to the nationality check and reciprocity rules.

Aside from tourism, a visitor visa allows the holder to engage in the following business activities: attendance at business meetings and corporate events, press coverage, market prospect, signing contracts, performing audits or consultancy work and, more recently, to provide technical assistance or technology transfer services to local companies under a contract, cooperation agreement, or similar instrument executed between a foreign legal entity and a Brazilian entity, provided that the 90‑day limit is respected, no remunerated activity is performed in Brazil, and the activities do not give rise to an employment relationship.

For foreign nationals from countries that have a reciprocity policy with Brazil, the appropriate visa will be granted upon arrival in Brazil. Travelers on business trips may be asked to show a return or onward ticket as well as proof of funds to support their stay in Brazil.

An updated list of countries that have reciprocity agreements with Brazil and a list of countries whose nationals need a visitor visa to enter Brazil can be found here.

Law No. 13,445/2017 authorizes, in some cases, the foreign national to choose between prior residence or authorization for residence when applying for a work permit. Both alternatives relate only to the method of application, which is basically determined by the foreign national’s location when filling out the work permit.

Although the foreign national must still specify what activities they will engage in while in Brazil, the foreign national can apply for the work permit through the authorization for residence method with the Ministry of Justice if they are already in Brazil. If the foreign national is outside Brazil, they may still follow the previous procedure by applying for a work permit through the prior residence route and, once approved, obtaining the visa stamp at the appropriate Brazilian consulate abroad.

The foreign national will have the same type of work permit regardless of whether they use their prior residence or authorization for residence methods. Authorization for residence allows a foreign national in Brazil to complete the process without leaving the country to collect the visa stamp. This makes it possible to convert one visa into another if the foreign national is already living in Brazil, except when applying for technical visas, whose work permit can only be obtained by the prior residence method.

Prior residence and authorization for residence are both governed by specific rules. It is necessary to specify the activities the foreign national will be performing while in Brazil.