Citizenship and residency through a child born in Brazil

What citizenship does the child get?

Under the Brazilian Constitution (art. 12, I, “a”), people born in Brazil are Brazilian by birth even if their parents are foreigners: “…ainda que de pais estrangeiros, desde que estes não estejam a serviço de seu país”. The exception concerns parents who are in the country in the service of their own state, for example in a diplomatic mission.

Brazil’s Ministry of Justice (Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública) stresses that citizenship by birth does not depend on the parents’ migration status (the Ministry’s page on naturalization).

Citizenship arises by the fact of birth. The birth certificate (certidão de nascimento) records that fact and serves as proof, but it does not “grant” citizenship. A birth must be registered within 15 days (Lei 6.015/1973, art. 50), and the first registration and first copy of the certificate carry no fee (Lei 9.534/1997). The procedure step by step: Newborn documents and the article Birth certificate in Brazil.

What is needed for the child’s passport?

A Brazilian passport is issued by the Polícia Federal (PF, the Federal Police). According to the PF page, as of October 3, 2026 a child needs the following:

• a CPF, the individual taxpayer number (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas): under Lei 14.534/2023 every applicant must have one, including children;
• an in-person appointment: the child must be present; for children under five a 5×7 photo is needed;
• the passport fee, R$ 257.25, in some cases higher (PF page on paying the fee, updated October 20, 2025);
• issue time: at the in-person appointment the PF states the time, overall from 6 to 10 working days (PF passport page); it depends on delivery logistics to the state (PF collection instructions, page updated May 13, 2026).

What the parents get: a residence permit

What it is called. The “residence permit” here is the autorização de residência. In everyday speech “permanent” means a permit “for an indefinite period” (prazo indeterminado), and that is the wording that matters for the law: the count of the naturalization period depends on it.

On what basis. A residence permit “for family reunification” is issued, among others, to a person “who has a Brazilian child” (Lei 13.445/2017, art. 30, I, “i” and art. 37, II; Decreto 9.199/2017, art. 153, III; Portaria Interministerial 12/2018, art. 6, IV). The application is accepted by the PF; it may also be filed by a foreigner who is in Brazil as a visitor (art. 5 of the same Portaria).

Documents. The Ministry of Justice gives this list:

• a travel document and two 3×4 photographs;
• an application form and receipts for the fees;
• proof of the relationship: the child’s birth certificate;
• the Brazilian child’s document and a declaration that the child lives in Brazil;
• police clearance certificates for the places of residence over the last five years and a declaration of no criminal record in any country.

Under PF rules, foreign documents generally need an apostille (an authentication of the document’s genuineness for use abroad) and a translation by a sworn translator made in Brazil. For the current list, see the Ministry of Justice page.

Fees and timeline. As of October 3, 2026, according to the gov.br page: R$ 168.13 for processing the application and R$ 204.77 for the CRNM migrant card (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório); the timeline guideline is up to 180 days. The Ministry of Justice says “from 130 to 180 days”. The time depends on the PF appointment and on the particular case.

The card and the permit’s term. After registration the CRNM card is issued. For a permit of indefinite term it is valid for nine years (Decreto 9.199, art. 74). The term a particular applicant receives is determined by the PF at registration, so check it in your documents. The Ministry of Justice warns that the date on the card does not always match the actual residence period recorded in the PF system (SISMIGRA). More: the article Residence permit for parents of a Brazilian child.

Who decides and what to expect: the parents’ path

Naturalization: what is needed besides the residence period?

The conditions for ordinary naturalization (naturalização ordinária) are listed in Lei 13.445/2017, art. 65: legal capacity, the residence period, the ability to communicate in Portuguese, and no criminal record or rehabilitation. The basic period is four years. For a person who has a Brazilian child it is reduced to one year (art. 66, II; Decreto 9.199, art. 235, I).

Three things are important to know about this “year”:

• residence for an indefinite period counts (Decreto 9.199, art. 221), and by the time you apply, the required period must already have been lived (as stated on the Ministry of Justice page);
• the period must immediately precede the application (Decreto 9.199, art. 233, § 1);
• trips abroad count as occasional if they total less than 90 days a year and do not exceed 12 months over the whole period (Portaria MJSP 623/2020, art. 51). The Ministry of Justice describes this as “no more than 3 months a year”; go by the stricter threshold: for a period of one year, less than 90 days in total.

Language. Knowledge of Portuguese is confirmed by one of the documents listed in art. 5 of the same Portaria (the list is also on the Ministry’s step-by-step page). For example:

• a Celpe-Bras certificate (an exam of the INEP institute);
• a diploma from a Brazilian university accredited by Brazil’s Ministry of Education;
• passing the bar exam (Exame de Ordem, OAB);
• a completed Portuguese course for immigrants at such a university;
• a school-education document based on the ENCCEJA exam.

The Portaria lists other options too. Certificates of enrollment in a course or of attendance are not accepted: a mark of successful completion is required.

Documents.

• the CRNM (even if expired), a CPF status certificate and a passport (even if expired);
• proof of residence, one for each year of the period;
• federal and state justice clearance certificates for the places of residence over the last four years;
• a certificate from the country of origin, with an apostille and a sworn translator’s translation;
• for the shortened period: the Brazilian child’s birth certificate.

Procedure.

1. The application is filed online in the Naturalizar-se system through a gov.br account. No fee is charged for filing the application (as stated on the gov.br page).
2. Then comes an in-person appointment at the PF with originals and biometrics.
3. The Ministry of Justice makes the decision and publishes it in the Diário Oficial da União, the official gazette. The timeline guideline is up to 180 days; Decreto 9.199, art. 228, allows the review period to be extended by an act of the Minister of Justice.
4. If the application is refused, an appeal can be filed within 10 days.
5. After a positive decision is published, the CRNM card must be handed in to the PF (gov.br).

Trips abroad and the risks

The rules on absence from the country apply in two cases.

Loss of the residence permit. A permit is lost, among other grounds, in the case of “absence from the country for more than two years without submitting a justification” (Decreto 9.199, art. 135, III). According to the PF’s explanation, on your return you are given the chance to explain the reason; if the explanation is not accepted, a procedure to revoke the permit begins, with the right of defense (PF FAQ).

The period for naturalization. It must immediately precede the application, and only occasional trips are allowed (see above).

That is why a plan like “get the card, leave for several years, then come back, live a year and apply for citizenship” does not fit these rules: a long absence can call the permit itself into question and break the period count. Before leaving for a long time, consult a Brazilian lawyer (advogado).

Russian citizenship and obligations to your country of citizenship

The rules of your country are set by its laws. Below is what we checked for Russia against the text of Federal Law No. 138-FZ of April 28, 2023 “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation” in its original version. Part 4 of article 13 was amended by Federal Law No. 396-FZ of October 27, 2025 (in force since April 26, 2026). We have not checked other amendments to the law: for the current version and how it is applied, ask the Russian Interior Ministry (MVD) or a consulate.

Notification of a residence permit. A Russian citizen who obtains abroad a residence permit or another document confirming the right to permanent residence must file a notification within 60 calendar days of receiving the document (art. 11, parts 1 and 6).

• If the notification was not filed on time because the person was abroad, the law requires filing it no later than 60 calendar days from the day of entering Russia (part 6).
• The notification is filed with the MVD or, while abroad, with a consulate (part 2).
• For a minor it is filed by the legal representatives (part 4).

Whether your Brazilian permit is among the documents this rule covers, ask the consulate.

Russian citizenship for the child. Article 13 of the law describes when a child acquires Russian citizenship by birth:

• if both parents, or a sole parent, are Russian citizens, item 1 of part 1 applies;
• if one parent is a Russian citizen and the other a foreigner, and the child was born outside Russia, item 4 applies: the child must not acquire the citizenship of a foreign state by birth.

A child born in Brazil becomes Brazilian immediately, so whether item 4 applies in this case has to be clarified separately with the consulate.

A parent can confirm the acquisition of citizenship by birth with an application to the MVD, including in electronic form, or to a consulate (art. 13, part 4, as amended by 396-FZ). There is also admission to citizenship: a child who is a foreign citizen may be admitted if one of the parents is a Russian citizen (art. 16, part 5).

An apostille does not confer citizenship. Brazil (since August 14, 2016, Decreto 8.660/2016) and Russia (since May 31, 1992) are parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention (HCCH table).

An apostille on a Brazilian document confirms the genuineness of the signature, the signer’s capacity and the seal (CNJ, Resolução 228/2016), so that the document is accepted abroad. It does not replace a decision on citizenship and contains no “stamp of admission to citizenship”.

Which documents a consulate accepts, and in what form, ask the consulate.

What we don’t guarantee

• decisions of the PF and the Ministry of Justice, and timelines: 180 days is a regulatory guideline (Decreto 9.199, art. 228), not a promise;
• that the residence permit will be issued for an indefinite period or that the conditions for naturalization will not change;
• that your country of citizenship recognizes the child’s or the parents’ citizenship and will not require notifications, military registration or tax returns;
• that a consulate will accept Brazilian documents in the form in which you prepared them;
• that fees and timelines will stay the same: the data are given as of October 3, 2026.

When you need a lawyer

Consult a Brazilian lawyer (advogado) if an application has been rejected or archived, if there is a criminal record or past overstays, if you plan a long departure, if the term of your permit is unclear in the documents, or if you are not sure whether your residence counts.

Turn to a lawyer in your country’s law, or the consulate, for answers on notifications, the child’s citizenship, military registration, taxes and dual citizenship.

If you need help with the language and the order of steps, you can write to Katerina.