Ministry of Justice Website Error Causing Work Visa Conversion Status Confusion
July 22, 2015

Foreign nationals converting their Work Contract Visa to a permanent visa may not be able to obtain an accurate status on the Ministry of Justice’s website due a technical error. The website most frequently states that approved cases are awaiting analysis.
Fragomen can request an email confirmation from the Ministry of Justice on a foreign national’s behalf or can check the Official Gazette1 (Diário Oficial), where Ministry of Justice approvals are published every weekday. However, these sources may not produce accurate results either. The only accurate indication of visa approval at this time is a telegram confirming approval from the Ministry of Justice.
Background
The Work Contract Visa is the most common work visa category in Brazil. After the initial two-year period under this visa, the foreign national must apply for a permanent visa. This process usually takes 10-18 months and requires Ministry of Justice approval, which is published in the Official Gazette.
Visa nationals with Work Contract Visa applications that will expire within three months must file a permanent visa application and obtain the appropriate re-entry visa if they travel abroad after their Work Contract Visa expires and while the permanent visa is pending.
What This Means for Foreign Nationals
The technical error on the Ministry of Justice’s website may cause administrative hurdles, as the visa holder is required to register the permanent visa at the Federal Police within 90 days of publication of the approval in the Official Gazette. Fragomen is currently requesting that the approval be published again in the Official Gazette.
Foreign nationals who receive telegrams from the Ministry of Justice indicating that their permanent visa was granted should notify their immigration professional so that cases can be accurately tracked.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
1 This link only works outside of the Citrix environment.
Explore more at Fragomen

Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper explains how proposed H-1B fee and lottery changes impact hiring of skilled international talent across sectors.

Media mentions
Partner Haider Hussain underlines the role of talent mobility in shaping future growth sectors in the Kingdom.

Fragomen news
Fragomen is recognised by the Financial Times for its innovative work in workforce mobility and cross-sector collaboration.

Media mentions
Partner Daniel Brown outlines steps companies can take to support employees and maintain smooth operations during compliance-related situations.

Awards
Fragomen has been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Law Firms™ in Germany, earning a Regional Tier 1 ranking in Hessen for Labor and Employment Law.

Media mentions
Partner Shayan Sultan discusses a rise in inquiries about UAE residency and remote work programmes amid global talent mobility trends.

Media mentions
Partner Rajiv Naik, Senior Manager Thomas Kingsmill and Manager Ko Ito highlight rising UK sponsor licence revocations and how HR and mobility leaders can manage the impact.

Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper discusses the $100,000 H-1B fee and its impact on financial, banking and technology firms relying on international talent.

Media mentions

Media mentions
Partner Audrea Golding explains how the $100,000 H-1B fee could affect hiring across the tech industry.

Blog post
Immigration Supervisor Nathalie Pimenta and Immigration Programme Manager Frida Sakaj discuss the importance of planning visa applications and document services early to avoid delays and ensure compliance with UK regulations.

Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper explains how proposed H-1B fee and lottery changes impact hiring of skilled international talent across sectors.

Media mentions
Partner Haider Hussain underlines the role of talent mobility in shaping future growth sectors in the Kingdom.

Fragomen news
Fragomen is recognised by the Financial Times for its innovative work in workforce mobility and cross-sector collaboration.

Media mentions
Partner Daniel Brown outlines steps companies can take to support employees and maintain smooth operations during compliance-related situations.

Awards
Fragomen has been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Law Firms™ in Germany, earning a Regional Tier 1 ranking in Hessen for Labor and Employment Law.

Media mentions
Partner Shayan Sultan discusses a rise in inquiries about UAE residency and remote work programmes amid global talent mobility trends.

Media mentions
Partner Rajiv Naik, Senior Manager Thomas Kingsmill and Manager Ko Ito highlight rising UK sponsor licence revocations and how HR and mobility leaders can manage the impact.

Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper discusses the $100,000 H-1B fee and its impact on financial, banking and technology firms relying on international talent.

Media mentions

Media mentions
Partner Audrea Golding explains how the $100,000 H-1B fee could affect hiring across the tech industry.

Blog post
Immigration Supervisor Nathalie Pimenta and Immigration Programme Manager Frida Sakaj discuss the importance of planning visa applications and document services early to avoid delays and ensure compliance with UK regulations.