Document guide
How to register for your RNM
Once your visa or residence is granted, you register with the Federal Police. You get an RNM number and the CRNM, the ID card for foreigners living in Brazil.
Choose how you got your residence and add the date to see your deadline.
That date has passed. Registering late can lead to penalties under Decree 9.199/2017, so book your appointment as soon as you can.
Bring these to the appointment
Documents issued abroad must follow the legalization and translation rules, and the Federal Police can ask for more.
Document list, Federal Police ↗ Document list, Federal Police ↗ Registration form, Federal Police ↗ Pay the card fee (GRU), Federal Police ↗
Book an attorney for my RNMThis is general information, not legal advice. What's asked can vary with your case and your Federal Police unit.
Based on the gov.br service Registrar-se como Estrangeiro no Brasil and the Federal Police's document lists. gov.br, updated September 1, 2026 ↗
The steps
- Fill in the Federal Police's online form for your case, and pay the card fee of R$204.77 with a GRU.
- Book an appointment at the Federal Police unit for the area where you live.
- Go to the appointment with your documents. Your details and fingerprints are taken, and you get your RNM number.
- Collect the CRNM card at the same unit once the online status says it's ready. gov.br estimates up to 180 days for the whole service.
Registering as a foreigner, gov.br ↗
Check your card's status, Federal Police ↗
What the RNM and the CRNM are
The RNM (Registro Nacional Migratório) is your registration number as a foreign resident. The CRNM (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório) is the card that carries it: your ID in Brazil, which banks, landlords and employers ask for.
Emigro gives preliminary guidance, not legal advice. Requirements are confirmed against official Brazilian sources and by the licensed attorneys.
Have an attorney handle your registration
An immigration attorney checks your documents and your deadline and prepares your Federal Police registration. You choose them in the Emigro app and see their fee before you commit.
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