How to Get Brazil CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 4 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Naturalisation (residence)Marriage or civil partnershipDescent (citizen parent)Birth in the countryOther family members of citizensFormer citizens (reacquisition)Citizens of specific countriesResidence during childhoodVery long residenceStateless personsSpecial achievementsPublic or military service
- Region
- Americas
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
For foreign nationals living in Brazil, this is the ordinary route based on residence. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
- Residence
- 4 years
Person has been permanently resident in Brazil for at least 4 years immediately prior to the application and continues to do so.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Knowledge of the Portuguese language required (applicant's conditions are taken into account).
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person may not have been convicted in Brazil or abroad unless person has been rehabilitated.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
For spouses of citizens of Brazil, the rules below set out what this route requires. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is the spouse or a partner of a citizen, has been continuously resident in Brazil for at least 1 year. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residence requirement).
Descent (citizen parent)
This route covers children of a citizen of Brazil, subject to the conditions below.
Person is born abroad to a citizen in the service of Brazil.
Person is born abroad to a citizen not in the service of Brazil and is registered with the Brazilian consulate.
Person is born abroad to a citizen not in the service of Brazil and establishes residence in Brazil (by declaration after reaching the age of majority).
Birth in the country
Birth in Brazil is the starting point of this route, together with the conditions below. Citizenship arises directly under the law of Brazil, without any authority making a decision.
Person is born in Brazil. Unless parents are in the service of their country (e.g. diplomats).
Other family members of citizens
A family tie to a citizen, former citizen or new citizen of Brazil is the basis of this route. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person has a Brazilian child, has been continuously resident in Brazil for at least 1 year immediately prior to the application and continues to do so. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
Earlier citizenship of Brazil is the basis of this route. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person lost citizenship by renunciation.
Citizens of specific countries
This route covers citizens of certain other countries, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is a citizen of a Portuguese-speaking country, has been resident in Brazil for a continuous period of at least 1 year immediately prior to the application and continues to do so. Other conditions: good morals.
Residence during childhood
For people who spent part of their childhood in Brazil, the rules below set out what applies. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person took up residence in Brazil before the age of 10 (discretionary grant of 'provisional citizenship'). Application for the (non-discretionary) grant of 'full citizenship' must be made within 2 years after reaching the age of majority.
Very long residence
For people who have lived in Brazil for an extended period, the rules below set out what applies. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person has been resident in Brazil for at least 15 years immediately prior to the application and continues to do so. Other conditions: no criminal record.
Stateless persons
For people without any citizenship, the rules below show what the law of Brazil provides. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Upon being granted stateless status, person is given the opportunity to naturalise immediately.
Special achievements
This route covers people recognised for special achievements or for contributions to Brazil, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person has special professional, scientific or artistic merits or has rendered relevant services to Brazil, has been resident in Brazil for a continuous period of at least 1 year immediately prior to the application and continues to do so. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Public or military service
Public or military service for Brazil is the basis of this route. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person has been the spouse of a citizen in active service of Brazil for at least 5 years, or is a foreigner who has been continuously in the service of Brazil for at least 10 years. Person is exempt from the residence requirement.
Not available in Brazil: Child of a new citizen, Adoption, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Refugees, Investment. Based on the GLOBALCIT coding of the law, updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Brazil accepts dual citizenship in both directions.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Compare Brazil with all countries in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bolivia | 3 years | None | Accepted |
 Chile | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Colombia | 5 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Ecuador | 3 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Paraguay | 3 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Suriname | 5 years | None | New citizens only |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Legal basis: Constitution Art. 12(2)(a), Nationality law Art. 65.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Brazil Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/brazil/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/brazil/">How to Get Brazil Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Brazilian citizen?
4 years of residence, under the ordinary naturalisation route. The conditions that come with it are listed on this page.
Does Brazil allow dual citizenship?
Yes. The law of Brazil accepts dual citizenship for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.
Do I need a language test for Brazilian citizenship?
Brazil requires language skills without naming a particular test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Brazilian citizenship?
Civic knowledge is not assessed as part of the naturalisation process for Brazilian citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Brazilian citizenship?
No, you do not have to give up your current citizenship to get Brazilian citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Brazil citizenship by marriage?
Yes, the law of Brazil has a route for spouses. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Brazil citizenship by descent?
Yes. A child of a citizen can acquire citizenship of Brazil by descent. Procedure: automatic, entitlement.
Can I get Brazil citizenship by investment?
No investment route is coded in the law of Brazil.
Related pages
Also see: Brazil passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.