How to give birth in Brazil to obtain Brazilian citizenship for your family
If you are seeking a top-tier Plan B citizenship and also looking to start a family, you may want to consider giving birth in a country that offers citizenship to your child on the basis of jus soliLatin: right of the soil (birthright citizenship). Here we highlight the advantages of giving birth in Brazil, and provide guidance on how to structure the process so that you enjoy both a healthy maternity experience and put your family on the track to Brazilian citizenship.
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Giving birth in Brazil: a comfortable and safe choice
- Excellent and affordable maternity care with English-speaking medical professionals
- Comfort and customer service superior to that of many “developed” countries
- Affordable supplementary services (midwives, lactation consultants, etc.)
- Home births with midwives and doctors are legal in Brazil
Why give birth in Brazil?
Your child will be a Brazilian citizen from the moment of birth, and your entire family can enjoy benefits by association, such as:
- A Brazilian passport grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 170 countries, constituting expansive travel freedom
- Brazil is a member of MERCOSUR: you can enjoy streamlined temporary residency pathways in the vast majority of South American countries
- Brazil is a founding member of BRICS
- The parents of a child born in Brazil can easily obtain permanent residency in Brazil
- The child’s four grandparents, as well as the child’s siblings, can also obtain permanent residency under family reunification pathways
- Members of your family obtaining permanent residency this way can also take advantage of expedited naturalization
To summarize, by giving birth to your child in Brazil, your child secures a powerful and useful second passport for their future life, and your entire family earns permanent residency in a high-quality Plan B destination, with a call option on citizenship.
How to prepare for your birth and permanent residency experience in Brazil?
Preparation in advance of childbirth
Most nationalities can travel to Brazil on a tourist visa and stay for up to 90 days.
We advise getting in touch with our agent Francisco to plan the initial phase of this journey. He can assist with the rudimentary logistical aspects of the process:
- Choosing a city and accommodation
- Choosing a clinic (among the best clinics in São Paulo and Florianópolis)
- Car rental and other transport services
- Prenatal care
- Shopping for baby supplies
Note that the cost of maternity services is between $3,000 and $5,000.
Additionally, pediatric vaccinations can be administered outside of Brazil and are not mandated at the time of birth.
Obtaining Brazilian citizenship and residency documents after childbirth
Upon receiving the child’s birth certificate, you can immediately begin navigating the bureaucratic process to obtain documents for the child and your family, with the help of Francisco, our Brazilian agent on the ground.
It is important to note that getting a passport issued for a child born in Brazil may take up to three months, so you should plan to remain in country for an extended period.
The parents of a child born in Brazil can immediately apply for permanent residency in Brazil. Obtaining permanent residency and the associated documents for the parents and other family members may take up to 12 months. That said, the parents are considered to be legally residing in Brazil from the time their application is submitted.
To obtain permanent residency, each parent must provide their apostilled birth certificate and a criminal background report.
It is not necessary for both parents to be married for them to be eligible for permanent residency.
Applying for citizenship as a permanent resident in Brazil
After just one year of permanent residency and nine months of physical presence in Brazil, parents may apply for naturalization.
The naturalization process will take 8 to 10 months, and includes a personal interview and ceremony, therefore it is advisable to remain in Brazil during this time, or at least be able to easily return to the country.
Proficiency in Portuguese (level B2) or enrollment in a Portuguese language program is required to naturalize as a Brazilian citizen.
Contact Francisco
Francisco’s experienced team can assist you with all matters related to giving birth in Brazil for you and your family. Use the contact form below to get in touch with him for a consultation.
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