Can foreigners own property in Brazil?

A. There are no restrictions on foreign citizens owning property or businesses in Brazil. The only requirement to own property in Brazil is that you have a "C.P.F. number", which is the Brazillian equivalent of a Social Security Number. This number is required in order to legally identify you for tax and title purposes. This number is issued by the "Work Ministry" and requires that you be present at the time of application. Normally, a CPF number is issued within 2-3 days, and a permanent identification card will be mailed to you in 2-3 weeks. As the buyer, you will not need to stay in Brazil for the duration of this process, the final paperwork can be FedEx'd directly to you upon it's completion. However, you will have, prior to departure, copies of all necessary documents and the sale contract for the property. The original document must remain in Brazil until it has been recorded (1-2 weeks) and will then be sent to you directly. The basic proceedure for closing in Brazil is as follows: #1 Buyer and Seller agree on purchase price and deposit is sent to Seller. #2 U.S. based sales contract and reciept for deposit is FedEx'd to buyer with terms of purchase. #3 Buyer/s arrive in Brazil to complete paperwork and obtain necessary documentation. #4 Buyer aquires a Brazillian C.P.F. number (2 days) required for process. #5 Buyer and Seller enter "Cartorio" (Brazillian Title Company) to complete Brazil based sales contract. Title paperwork is initiated and a legal "copy" of all documentation is given to each party. (1-2 days) At this point the title is legally transferred and the seller now has no further control over the property. Buyer's can, if they wish, return home now. The original documents and title will be FedEx'd directly to the new owners. #6 If the property is ocean-front, it must now be sent to the appropriate Federal Bureau for recording (1 week) and then returned to "Cartorio" for recording. If the property is NOT ocean-front, the title transfer is immediately submitted for recording (1-2 weeks). #7 Title is recorded and final documentation is FedEx'd to new owners. Q. Do you actually "own" the property, or is it "leased" from the government, like in Mexico. A. In Brazil, you OWN the property and it cannot simply be taken from you, like in Mexico. You will have an actual title of "ownership" authenticated and recorded by the Brazillian Federal Government. Brazil has a constitution based on our own U.S. Constitution as well as laws which guarantee the same property rights as our own government. In addition, Brazil is quickly becoming the world-leader in attracting foreign investment and immigration. Many of the world's largest corporations (U.S. Company's as well) have invested millions of dollars in purchasing property and setting up business in Brazil. There are literally millions of foreign nationals in Brazil who own property and businesses. Q. Is Brazil "American Friendly"? A. Unlike much of the world today, Brazil is very "American friendly". You will see more American influence on Brazillian culture than most any other foreign culture. Everything from Music, Movies, Restaurants, Fashion and Business...America is a large part of today's Brazil. I personally have never felt so welcome, adored and respected as I have in Brazil, even here in my own country. Q. How long is the trip to Brazil? How much is plane fare? A. Well it really depends on where you are flying from and what route you take. Normal flight time from Miami or Houston is around 9-10 hours. Some carriers offer special "discounted" fares, but include lay-overs in Sao Paulo, etc and that can add 2-4 hours onto your flight time. Your plane fare will vary greatly, depending on the airline, class of service, city of origin and time of year. Generally, you should expect to pay between $600-$800 for a coach most major Airlines. Q. What is the climate like in Guaratuba? Do they suffer from severe weather (ie. hurricanes, flooding, etc) A. Guaratuba benefits from a sub-tropical climate, year round. During the summer months the temperature will reach the high 90's and in the middle of winter you will see daytime lows in the mid to high 70's. The temperature and weather is excellent, year-round, for outdoor activities and water sports. In addition, Brazil's summer months are Dec.-Feb., which makes it the perfect winter vacation spot when there's snow on the ground here! Of course, Brazil is an extremely large country and experiences the full range of climates. The northern part of Brazil is hot-year round and has a Carribean feel to it, while the southern most tip see's snowfall in the winter and has a distinctly European feel to it. However, Brazil is a total stranger to severe weather and hurricanes, flooding and tornados are just not a part of life in Brazil. The only areas that receive severe weather of any sort are the jungle regions of the Amazon, where rainfall is extremely heavy. Q. What is required for me, as an American, to visit Brazil? A. Brazil requires Americans to have at minimum a "Tourist Visa" prior to entering the country. This requirement is in reciprocation for the requirement of Brazillian citizens to have a Visa to enter the U.S. The cost of the visa is approx $110.00 per person (identical to the U.S. fee charged to Brazillian citizens). Your visa is valid for 5 years from date of issue and will allow you to remain up to 180 days continuous in Brazil. Additionally, resident visas are available for those who meet the requirements, allowing unlimited stays in the country. Normally these visas are aquired by persons working in Brazil, retired foreigners who wish to live in Brazil, students who are studying in Brazil, etc.

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