Ready To Start Your Journey to Brazil?
Begin your path to Brazilian residency with expert guidance, vetted opportunities, and a transparent step-by-step process.
BRAZIL STARTUP GOLDEN VISA
Permanent Residency Through Brazil’s Startup Golden Visa
Obtain permanent residency in Brazil through a qualifying investment of approximately $30,000 USD. Invest in or open an innovation-driven business and gain long-term access to one of the world’s largest emerging economies. You don’t have to move full-time.
Invest Once.
Stay Connected for Life.
Brazil’s startup investor residency (RN 13/2017 Art 3, under the Migration Law, Lei 13.445/2017) offers a direct pathway to permanent residency through investment in an innovation-driven business.
Designed for founders and investors, the program focuses on economic contribution and long-term engagement with Brazil, without requiring continuous physical presence.
Invest in pre-existing company or open your own
Minimum investment of 150,000 Brazilian reais, generally just under $30,000 USD
Business must demonstrate innovative activity and meet certain criteria
24
startup investor approvals since 2018
Since 2018, only 24 people worldwide have obtained Brazilian permanent residency through the startup pathway, and every one of them is in our dataset.
Explore the startup-route data →The Most Overlooked Residency Program in the World
The number is low because almost nobody knows the program exists.
Who this pathway is designed for:
- Investors seeking low-capital global residency options
- Entrepreneurs expanding into international markets
- Dual citizens building geographic flexibility
- Individuals looking for long-term optionality outside Europe
One of the Lowest Investment Thresholds Globally
Here's the thing most people don't realize: getting residency in another country usually costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and still only gives you a temporary visa.
Brazil is the outlier. It has the lowest cost of entry to permanent status of any major economy.
Country
Min. Investment
Residency Type
Status
🇧🇷 Brazil
$29K
Permanent from Day 1
open
🇨🇴 Colombia
$199K
Temporary (3 yrs)
open
🇲🇽 Mexico
$314K
Temporary, renewable
open
🇵🇦 Panama
$300K
Permanent from Day 1
open, threshold rises 15 Oct 2026
🇵🇹 Portugal
$578K
Temporary, renewable
restricted
Legal minimums as published by each government, in US dollars at 15 September 2026 rates.
Sources and local-currency figures
- Brazil: R$150,000, startup route (RN 13/2017)
- Colombia: 350 minimum wages in real estate (about COP 613 million) (CancillerĂa de Colombia)
- Mexico: 45,850 UMA (about MXN 5.4 million); permanent after four years (SRE, Embajada de MĂ©xico)
- Panama: US$300,000 in real estate; US$500,000 from 15 October 2026 (MICI Panamá)
- Portugal: €500,000 in investment funds; permanent after five years (Lei 56/2023)
Advantages of the
Brazil Startup Investor Pathway
1.
Permanent Residency from Day 1
Once you are registered with the Federal Police in Brazil, obtain the CRNM card for 9 years, but residency is for indefinite  term.
2.
Live There or Don’t
Maintain your residency status with as little as 15 days in Brazil every two years. No need to relocate or track annual stay requirements.
3.
Processing
Times
Times
Once your complete application is filed, approval typically takes two to four months.
4.
The CRNM
Opens Doors
Opens Doors
Enter and exit Brazil in the Brazilians line. Open a bank account from day one, even if you're normally subject to FATCA.
Two Paths to Qualify
You can qualify for Brazil’s Startup Investor Visa through one of two structured pathways:
Investing in a qualified innovative Brazilian startup
Creating your own innovative startup in Brazil
In addition, the startup company will need certain criteria, generally through established startup ecosystems or structured programs like accelerators.
What Counts as “Innovative”
The company must meet one of the following criteria:
Located in a tech park or incubator
Backed by a government innovation agency (e.g. FINEP, CNPq)
Finalist in a government startup program
Association with a university innovation program
Or: demonstrate originality, reach, and value creation (Art. 3 §2).
Full-Time Physical Presence
Is Not Required
Physical presence in Brazil of at least 15 days every 2 years to maintain permanent residency status
After 3 years, a verification of the investment plan occurs to confirm compliance
If you've been living in Brazil, apply for citizenship as soon as 1 year later, so long as you have been living in Brazil full time
Streamlined Process
Based on our own personal experience with Brazil's startup investor residency program, we have developed the following process to best support you. The full sequence, document by document, is in our 2026 guide to the startup visa.
one
Investment Strategy
Identify a qualifying startup or structure a compliant business plan. The company must meet one of the innovation conditions of RN 13/2017, art. 3 (a technology park, a recognised incubator or accelerator, public innovation funding, or demonstrated originality and market reach), and the three-year business plan is written around that condition.
two
Capital Deployment
Execute the investment and complete required registrations. A new company is registered with the state Board of Trade (Junta Comercial) and receives its CNPJ before any capital moves; until residency is granted, a foreign founder acts through a resident legal representative. The R$150,000 is then transferred from your account abroad into the company's Brazilian bank account and registered with the Central Bank as foreign direct investment (SCE-IED). That registration is the proof of investment the application rests on; capital sent through informal channels does not qualify.
three
Application Filing
Submit the residency application through OAB-licensed legal counsel. The file goes to the Ministry of Justice through the MigranteWeb portal: the business plan, the SCE-IED registration, the company documents and your apostilled personal documents.
four
Entry & Registration
Enter Brazil (within 90 days of approval when the application was filed abroad), complete Federal Police registration, and receive your CRNM permanent residency card.
The Process
Step by Step
Built on First-Hand Experience
StartBrazil founder Daniel Atz received his own startup investor permanent residency in February 2026. His approval was published in Brazil's Diário Oficial da União, the federal gazette of the country's government.
StartBrazil's analysis of every startup investor approval published in the DOU from 2018 through June 2026 revealed just 24 successful applications under the Startup Investor pathway, including Daniel's.
StartBrazil is built on first hand experience and knowledge of one of the most underused residency programs on the planet.
Our Services
Startup Sourcing & Diligence
We identify, screen, and assess Brazilian startups, coordinating founders and evaluating fit before investment.
Incorporation & Investment
We help clients opening their own business comply with the  requirements. We support all clients with investment compliance and logistics.
Legal Filing & Compliance
We manage legal processes through qualified local partners, including all KYC, documentation, immigration filings, and compliance.
Concierge Support Across the Process
Built on unique insights through our own application process. We provide practical support across language, translation, logistics, and day-to-day problem solving so clients can move through the process with greater clarity and less friction.
The first step is to
book a consultation
book a consultation
If you move forward, your consultation fee will be fully deducted from the package price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to live in Brazil full-time?
How much investment does the Brazil Startup Investor Golden Visa require?
Does this lead to citizenship?
How long does approval take?
Can I include family?
