Permanent Residency by Investing in a Brazilian Company

The Company Route in Numbers

Every figure on this page comes from StartBrazil’s structured review of investor-residency approvals published in the Diário Oficial da União, Brazil’s federal gazette. Explore the full dataset on our research dashboard.

How the Pathway Works (RN 13/2017)

• Minimum investment of R$500,000 in a single Brazilian company — invest in an existing business or open your own.
• A business plan demonstrating economic activity or job creation over three years.
• Approval leads directly to permanent residency — register with the Federal Police in Brazil and receive your CRNM card.
• No full-time relocation required — maintain your status by returning to Brazil within every two-year period.

Nearly half of 2025’s approved investors capitalized their companies between R$500,000 and R$1 million — closely tracking the legal minimum — and 67% founded their company within 18 months of the immigration filing.

Who Invests Through the Company Route

Europe is the largest regional group of applicants (41%), with China a near-second (39%) and by far the single largest country of origin. France (17%), the United States (9%), Italy (6%), and Germany (4%) follow. The route attracts two very different investors at once: capital-driven trade investors building businesses in Brazil, and mobility-focused investors from Europe and North America.

Grouped by principal activity, company investments concentrate in real-estate activities (30%), wholesale trade (24%), and retail trade (11%) — many investors structure simple entities around asset ownership or trade rather than industrial production.

Is R$500,000 More Than You Planned?

The startup-investor route (RN 13/2017 Art. 3) grants the same direct permanent residency from roughly R$150,000 (about $30,000 USD) when the company qualifies as innovation-driven. Compare the Startup Investor Visa, or explore residency by real-estate investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need to invest?

The legal minimum is R$500,000 (about $95,000 USD) invested in a single Brazilian company. In 2025, 48% of approved investors capitalized between R$500,000 and R$1 million.

Can I invest in an existing company or must I open my own?

Both work. In practice most investors open a company for the move: 67% of investor companies in 2025 were founded within 18 months of the immigration filing.

How long does approval take?

The average processing time across 2025 approvals was 51 days once a complete application was filed.

Do I have to live in Brazil full-time?

No. Permanent residency is maintained by returning to Brazil within every two-year period — there is no annual stay requirement.

Can I include family?

Yes — spouses and dependent children are eligible as dependents.