Reduced Identity Card Processing Times for Most Permanent Residence Categories

• Applicants with a Brazilian citizen child;
• Applicants who are married to or in an established domestic partnership with a Brazilian citizen;
• Spouses and children of non-Brazilian permanent visa holders; and
• Nationals of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, the member countries of MERCOSUR, who have resided in Brazil for at least two years.

Prior to this change, the RNE card was not issued until permanent residence was approved, which could be up to 18 months. 

Upon applying for permanent residence, foreign nationals in the affected groups will receive a temporary ID (called a “protocol”) with a RNE number. (Those who already have RNE numbers will maintain those numbers and will not be affected by the change.) The protocol will remain valid for 60 days while the applicant’s permanent residence case is pending. If RNE card issuance is delayed beyond 60 days, the foreign national can extend the protocol. Also, RNEs will no longer need to be renewed every six months, as was previously required. 

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

Employers and affected foreign nationals can look forward to improved RNE processing times but should be aware that identity card issuance may take longer than the 60-day target announced by the Brazilian government. 

Quicker card issuance means that permanent residence applicants can be placed on their employer’s local payroll, open bank accounts and obtain driver’s licenses – all of which require an RNE – with less delay. 

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].


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