Key government agencies
The National Immigration Council (Conselho Nacional de Imigração) is responsible for issuing normative guidelines and policy recommendations.
The Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça) is responsible for receiving, reviewing and approving work permit applications for foreign nationals intending to obtain temporary or permanent visas to work in Brazil.
The Consular Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Seção Consular do Ministério das Relações Exteriores), represented by various Brazilian consulates abroad, is the authority that issues the visa stamps upon the approval of work permits by the Ministry of Justice and reviews the appropriate documents of those traveling to Brazil.
The Federal Police (Polícia Federal) is responsible for registering work permits and processing residence applications based on personal or humanitarian grounds, as well as those arising from regional treaties. The agency also issues the National Migratory Registration (Registro Nacional Migratório – RNM), the official identification document for foreign nationals in Brazil. Additionally, the Federal Police oversees compliance with Brazil’s migratory regulations and is empowered to apply administrative penalties in cases of non‑compliance.