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Last updated October 24, 2026.

How to Get a Brazilian CPF as a Non-Resident (2026)

The Alt Desk · Checked against official sources, October 2026 · Educational only, not legal or tax advice

If you want to buy property in Brazil, open a bank account, hold shares, or invest in a Brazilian CDB, you need a CPF first. Receita Federal's rules require one for exactly these things, whether you live in Brazil or abroad.[2] And most English-language explanations are either out of date or written for Brazilians living abroad, not foreigners.

A few things have changed recently that most guides haven't caught up with. This one is current as of October 2026, and every rule below links to an official source so you can verify it yourself. Brazilian administrative rules move, and a guide that pretends they don't will eventually cost you a wasted consulate appointment.

What a CPF actually is

The CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) is the national individual taxpayer registry run by Receita Federal, Brazil's federal tax authority. It covers Brazilians and foreigners, residents and non-residents.[1] Your CPF number is the ID most Brazilian institutions will ask for, starting with banks, brokers and property transactions.

Start with the most common misconception. Holding a CPF does not make you a Brazilian tax resident. It's a registration number, not an immigration or residency status. Receita Federal sets tax residency with separate tests, for example entering Brazil on a permanent visa, entering on a temporary visa to work under an employment contract, or entering on a temporary visa and staying more than 183 days, consecutive or not, within a twelve-month period.[3] Having a CPF isn't one of those tests.

That matters more than it sounds. Residents and non-residents have different filing obligations, and people create real problems by assuming the CPF changed their status when it didn't.

Who needs one

Receita Federal requires a CPF from people, resident in Brazil or abroad, who in Brazil:[2]

If you're planning any of these, the CPF is step one and everything else waits on it.

You don't need to be a resident or hold a visa. The registry covers non-residents, and anyone who isn't required to have a CPF can still ask for one.[1]

The two routes

Which route applies depends on where you physically are.

Route A: from abroad (the consular route)

This is the path for most people reading this. Under Joint Ordinance COCAD/COGEA No. 53/2023, foreigners who are abroad apply in person at a Brazilian consulate or embassy.[5] (Brazilian citizens abroad use a different process, by email with Receita Federal.[4]) The steps, in this order:[5][7]

  1. Fill in the CPF form (FCPF) on the Receita Federal website. Print it and sign it. It carries a service code (código de atendimento).
  2. Create an account in the e-consular system, choose the "CPF para estrangeiros" service at your consulate, and upload the signed FCPF, your ID and your birth certificate.
  3. Attend an in-person appointment. Once the consulate validates your request, you book a visit and bring the originals. The CPF is issued at the appointment.

The third step is the one people don't expect. The process starts online but doesn't finish online. You'll need to show up at a consulate in person, and appointment availability varies by post. If you're on a deadline, book early and plan backwards from it.

Can someone go for you? At the consulate, no. The Brazilian Embassy in Berlin, for example, states that the foreigner must apply personally and that no one can represent the applicant.[5] Receita Federal's general rules do allow requests through a representative (procurador) with a power of attorney, which must be apostilled or recognized by a Brazilian consulate if it was signed abroad.[1] Whether that works for a first CPF in your situation is a question for a professional in Brazil.

Route B: inside Brazil

Simpler. Receita Federal lists partner locations where you can apply: Banco do Brasil, Caixa Econômica Federal, Correios (the post office) and partner civil registry offices. Non-residents can also be served directly by Receita Federal.[1] The CPF number is generated when the service is completed.[1]

Documents and cost

Plan around your passport. Receita Federal's general list of IDs for foreigners resident abroad still includes a few other documents, such as Mercosur ID cards,[1] but consulates ask for a passport or national ID,[5][7] and for the annual update described below a passport has been mandatory since June 30, 2025 under art. 32-A of IN RFB No. 2.236/2024.[6] If an older guide says another ID will do, check with your consulate first.

At the consulate, expect to need the signed FCPF, a valid ID and your birth certificate, plus proof of any name change. For applicants under 18, the parent or legal guardian who comes along also provides their own ID.[5][7] Rules on accepted documents are set by IN RFB No. 2.172/2024 and later amendments.[2][6]

On cost: a CPF is free through official channels, meaning Receita Federal itself, its email service, and Brazilian consulates and embassies abroad. Partner locations inside Brazil (Banco do Brasil, Caixa, Correios and partner registry offices) charge R$ 7.00.[1][4] Anyone quoting you a large fee for a CPF is selling a service, not passing on a government charge. That service may be worth paying for if it saves you time. Just know what you're buying.

The maintenance step almost nobody mentions

Since January 13, 2025, foreigners who hold a CPF and live abroad must update their registration every year through the Receita Federal app.[6] You enter your CPF and date of birth, take a photo of your face and your passport, and fill in your details. If the app finds a mismatch in your data, you have to sort it out in person at a consulate.[6][7]

This is the detail that catches people. You get the CPF, use it to open an account or buy property, and assume it's permanent and inert. It isn't. If you hold a CPF and live outside Brazil, there's a yearly step attached to it. Put it on your calendar the day the number is issued.

What comes next

The CPF is a gateway, not a destination. Once you have one, the sequence usually runs:

CPF → bank account → Pix → investment access.

A few practical notes for that sequence (these come from experience, not from any rule):

Verify before you act

Brazilian administrative rules change. The CPF rules were rewritten in January 2024 and amended in November 2024, and the annual update started in January 2025.[2][6] Before you rely on anything above:

If there's a meaningful transaction behind this, like a property purchase, a company interest or a significant investment, talk to a Brazilian attorney or accountant. Not because the CPF is hard, but because the things you're getting a CPF for usually have tax and structuring consequences worth an hour of professional time.

Sources

  1. Receita Federal, CPF questions and answers (where to apply, costs, documents, representatives): gov.br/receitafederal
  2. Instrução Normativa RFB No. 2.172/2024, art. 4 (who must register), Diário Oficial da União: in.gov.br
  3. Receita Federal, Resident and non-resident for tax purposes: gov.br/receitafederal
  4. gov.br, Register for a CPF from abroad: gov.br/servicos
  5. Embassy of Brazil in Berlin, CPF for foreigners (Joint Ordinance COCAD/COGEA No. 53/2023, in-person rule): gov.br/mre
  6. Consulate General of Brazil in Lisbon, Annual CPF update for foreigners living abroad (IN RFB No. 2.236/2024, art. 32-A): gov.br/mre
  7. Consulate General of Brazil in Porto, CPF for foreign citizens: gov.br/mre

This article is educational and informational only. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not tailored to your situation. Rules, fees, and procedures described are current as of October 2026 and can change. Verify with Receita Federal, your consulate, and a qualified Brazilian professional before acting.

Rules in Brazil and the US change. Check current rules with a qualified professional in Brazil and a US tax pro before acting.

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