Settling-in guide
Your CPF and a Brazilian bank account
A Brazilian bank account is how you pay rent, receive a salary and use Pix. Every bank asks for your CPF first, so the two usually happen in that order.
In short
To open a Brazilian bank account you first need a CPF, which you request from the Receita Federal for free. Under Resolução CMN 4.753/2019, each bank must verify who you are and sets its own document list: with a CRNM, many banks open an ordinary account for you, while with only a passport and a CPF fewer will.
Why you need both
- The CPF is Brazil's taxpayer number, and banks register every account to one.
- With an account you can use Pix, Brazil's instant payments, with your CPF, phone number or e-mail as the key.
- Landlords, employers and utility companies usually pay or charge through a Brazilian account.
Which account you can open
The Central Bank requires banks to verify who you are, and each bank decides which documents it accepts. In practice it depends on your status:
- With a CRNM, or the Federal Police's protocol while the card is pending, many banks and digital banks open an ordinary account for you.
- On a visitor's stay, with a passport and a CPF only, fewer banks will open an account, and those that do may ask for proof of address or income in Brazil.
- If you live abroad, accounts for non-residents exist, but few banks offer them to individuals, and they ask for more paperwork.
The steps
- Get your CPF from the Receita Federal, in Brazil or at a Brazilian consulate abroad.
- Pick a bank that accepts your documents. Ask before you go: branches of the same bank can answer differently.
- Bring your passport, your CPF, your CRNM or registration protocol if you have one, and proof of address in Brazil, such as a rental contract or a utility bill.
- Open the account at a branch or in the bank's app, then register a Pix key.
Have it done for you
A despachante gets your CPF from the Receita Federal, then helps you open an account at a bank that accepts your documents. You follow each step in the Emigro app.
The bank makes the final decision on your account, and you sign for it yourself.
Book my CPF and bank accountYou pay the provider directly. Emigro never holds your payment.
General information from the Receita Federal's and the Central Bank's published rules. Each bank sets its own document list. It is not legal or financial advice.
Official sources
Receita Federal, Inscrever no CPF (gov.br) ↗
Receita Federal, CPF from abroad (gov.br) ↗
Central Bank, Resolução CMN 4.753/2019 (opening accounts) ↗
Checked against official sources on October 25, 2026. Emigro gives preliminary guidance, not legal advice. Emigro is a private company, not affiliated with the Brazilian government, the Federal Police, Itamaraty, the Ministry of Justice or the Receita Federal. Emigro is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. Lawyers listed are independent, registered with the OAB, and solely responsible for their advice.
Common questions
Can I open a Brazilian bank account with just my passport?
Not without a CPF: banks register every account to one. With a CPF and a passport, some banks will open an account; with a CRNM, many more will. Each bank sets its own list, so ask before you go.
Can foreigners use Pix?
Yes, once you have a Brazilian account. You register a Pix key to it, such as your CPF, your phone number or your e-mail, and can then send and receive instant payments.
Which comes first, the CPF or the bank account?
The CPF. Banks ask for it to open the account, so request it from the Receita Federal first, in Brazil or at a Brazilian consulate abroad.
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