Registration Delays Ahead Due to Federal Police Strike, Staff Shortages in São Paulo
October 22, 2014
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A nationwide Federal Police strike expected to begin this week and with indefinite duration will cause delays with immigration services over the next few days. The lack of mandatory registration appointments until November 20, 2014 will result in penalties for foreign nationals who cannot register their work visa within 30 days of arrival.
Delays Due to Federal Police Strike
A strike by the Federal Police expected to begin this week may cause a personnel shortage within Federal Police branches throughout Brazil. Although processing should not be suspended at most branches, reduced staff may result in longer wait times for new work visa holders registering within 30 days of entry and for business visitors and tourists seeking to extend their stays.
Brazil’s Federal Police Department consists of more than 140 branch offices. Branches in the cities of Macaé and Recife are already on strike, with no agents available to handle work visa registrations and tourist and business visa extensions.
Additionally, Federal Police staffing has been reduced at Brazil’s ports and airports, causing delays to entry and exit processes. Services for Brazilian nationals, such as the issuance of Brazilian passports, have ceased throughout the country.
Mandatory Registration-related Penalties
A backlog due to staff shortages and the recent influx of refugees into Brazil has pushed back the first available Federal Police registration appointment for work visa holders in São Paolo to November 20, 2014. Foreign nationals who are not able to register within 30 days of arrival under their work visa may be subject to daily fines of R$ 8.28 (approximately USD 3.37) per unregistered day, even though it is through no fault of their own.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals in need of immigration services in Brazil should account for delays as a result of the strike. After the strike ends, processing delays are expected to remain for foreign nationals in Brazil due to the registration and extension backlogs that will develop during the strike.
Foreign nationals arriving within 30 days of November 20, 2014 should be prepared to pay penalties associated with the backlog. Such foreign nationals are advised to appear at their local Federal Police branch (if the strike is over by that time) on their 29th day in Brazil to request a walk-in registration appointment. This may prevent the foreign national from incurring penalties as a result of the backlog.
Fragomen will monitor the strike and disseminate further alerts as the situation develops.
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].
© 2009 - 2015 © Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, Fragomen Global LLP and affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
Delays Due to Federal Police Strike
A strike by the Federal Police expected to begin this week may cause a personnel shortage within Federal Police branches throughout Brazil. Although processing should not be suspended at most branches, reduced staff may result in longer wait times for new work visa holders registering within 30 days of entry and for business visitors and tourists seeking to extend their stays.
Brazil’s Federal Police Department consists of more than 140 branch offices. Branches in the cities of Macaé and Recife are already on strike, with no agents available to handle work visa registrations and tourist and business visa extensions.
Additionally, Federal Police staffing has been reduced at Brazil’s ports and airports, causing delays to entry and exit processes. Services for Brazilian nationals, such as the issuance of Brazilian passports, have ceased throughout the country.
Mandatory Registration-related Penalties
A backlog due to staff shortages and the recent influx of refugees into Brazil has pushed back the first available Federal Police registration appointment for work visa holders in São Paolo to November 20, 2014. Foreign nationals who are not able to register within 30 days of arrival under their work visa may be subject to daily fines of R$ 8.28 (approximately USD 3.37) per unregistered day, even though it is through no fault of their own.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals in need of immigration services in Brazil should account for delays as a result of the strike. After the strike ends, processing delays are expected to remain for foreign nationals in Brazil due to the registration and extension backlogs that will develop during the strike.
Foreign nationals arriving within 30 days of November 20, 2014 should be prepared to pay penalties associated with the backlog. Such foreign nationals are advised to appear at their local Federal Police branch (if the strike is over by that time) on their 29th day in Brazil to request a walk-in registration appointment. This may prevent the foreign national from incurring penalties as a result of the backlog.
Fragomen will monitor the strike and disseminate further alerts as the situation develops.
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].
© 2009 - 2015 © Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, Fragomen Global LLP and affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
