The Giving Birth in Brazil Series: A-Z on Having a Baby in Brazil
You don't have to prove that you can afford it, you just have to make the declaration to the Policia…
In this series, I am going to lay out exactly from A-Z, how you as a foreigner can have a baby in Brazil.
I mean everything: entering the country pregnant, health insurance, hospitals, doctors, best birthing cities, housing, costs, visas, risks, benefits, the birthing process, after birth must-know information, citizenship for the baby, health coverage for the baby and more.
If you are considering having a baby in Brazil, then this series is a must read.
As many have read about in the ‘about me‘ section of this website, I met my wife in Brazil but she isn’t Brazilian. This meant that immigration and permanent residence would be a bit trickier for us.
Due to our love affair with the country, we were determined to find an easy and permanent solution to our problem.
You know the old saying “where there is a will, there is a way”? This couldn’t be truer for us.
So what do you do when you both are foreigners wanting to live in Brazil and planning on having a child anyway? You have that baby in Brazil!
Why Have a Baby in Brazil?
BAM: instant citizenship for the child and permanent visas for the Brazilian child’s parents!
Yep, we had a Brazilian anchor baby and I’m not ashamed to say it.
But the truth is that due to all of the difficult immigration laws and hideous bureaucracy, it can be tough to get the right kind of visa (although it’s not impossible, see this post ).
So our method was to go around the immigration rules and follow right off the nationality law – one law to rule them all!
I kind of turned into a bit of a hobby lawyer in researching all of this as there wasn’t too much info out there.
In the law, it states that any person being foreign or of Brazilian decent, obtains citizenship at birth.
And since it would be a violation of human rights to expel a Brazilian child’s parents due to their nationality, they are allowed to stay irrespective of their criminal background, visa status or nationality.
It is also one of the only ways to change visa status while in Brazil – you can come on a tourist visa, give birth and just stay…
More Benefits of Having a Baby in Brazil
If none of the above is good enough for you, then just think about the future opportunities you would give your child by it being a Brazilian citizen – and yes, Brazil allows dual citizenship.
Seriously though, while Brazil may be in recession at the moment, the country still has lots of opportunities to offer and is still very much on the rise in the long term – it would be a bit foolish not to get onto the bandwagon. And in 18 years or so when your child is an adult, think about where Brazil will be by then!
Oh and don’t forget Mercosur (the Southern Common Market), they are aiming to join the countries of South American so that there is free passage and open borders – opportunities galore for the lucky holders of the magical green Brazilian Passport.
Did I mention that you can become a citizen by being a parent of a Brazilian child within 1 year?
As a foreigner, there are a lot of restrictions on property, business ownership and even voting, although with citizenship, all restrictions are lifted. You too can easily obtain the otherwise difficult-to-get Brazilian citizenship and experience the benefits.
T here are a lot more pluses to throw your way about giving birth in Brazil, so for the sake of time, I’ll get to the point:
Giving birth in Brazil can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking if you don’t have the right guidance and support along the way.
And if anyone knows this well, it’s me…
I had to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together alone and I don’t want you to have to do the same.
So here is my gift to you: a complete guide on how to avoid mistakes I made and be able to give birth stress free and with peace of mind.
- Part 1: Planning to Have a Baby in Brazil – What You Must Know
- Part 2: Choosing a City, Housing + logistics
- Part 3: Finding a Doctor and a Hospital to Give Birth
- Part 4: All About Pricing when Giving Birth
- Part 5: All About Insurance When Giving Birth
- Part 6: Before and During Birth – Getting Ready and What to Expect
- Part 7: After Giving Birth, Here’s What You Do Next
- Part 8: Having Our Baby in Brazil – A Success Story
Over the last few years, this guide has helped many people navigate their way through the tricky world of Brazilian bureaucracy on their own – these families are now living happy and successful lives in Brazil. I’m currently in the process of updating it, so that it can continue to do this for years to come.
If you still have questions about giving birth in Brazil, this is a very handy list of to take a look at.
However, if you reach the end of this guide and you feel like you’d like some hands-on help, please complete this enquiry form and I’ll get back to you with a package that’s tailored to suit your needs. With the help of my team, I offer a range of services at reasonable prices that will take the stress and confusion out of your move, leaving you to focus on the important things, like giving birth and planning your family’s new and exciting future in Brazil!
I hope you enjoy this series and make sure and share this page with anyone who could benefit from it.
Cheers – valeu!
Kevin
(Page last updated September 2015)
Hi kevin, do you still need to do a police check to get the citizenship this way?
Hey Rebecca. No this is not necessary 🙂
THere should be a way readers can subscribe so that when the other parts of the story is published we get it in the mail or somehow get it.
Oi Oladapo,
If you look at the top right of the page, under the date, there is an option to subscribe to RSS/ or get email updates. Just click on one or the other and you will get an update everytime there is a new post.
See this picture (if it shows).
https://liveinbrazil.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Screen-Shot-2012-11-24-at-2.01.40-PM.png
Hi Kevin, I just heard from an expat lady who lived here in Brazil for the past 3 years and she said that a mother gets residency right away bases on a baby born in Brazil but it is more complicated for a father. Can you comment on this?
Hey Marina
According to my knowledge, it shouldn’t be any more difficult than the mother. Afterall, the father’s name is on the same birth certificate as well – maybe they make it more difficult in some areas?
Hey Marina
According to my knowledge, it shouldn’t be any more difficult than the mother. Afterall, the father’s name is on the same birth certificate as well – maybe they make it more difficult in some areas?
I've got my residency when my baby was born, well it took a while because of all the bureaucracy and paperwork buy it is the same thing for both of you, no difference.
Perfect, thanks for that Rocio! 🙂
You were able to apply right away but it just took a while for the actual residency to come through correct?
Do both parents have to be in Brazil to get baby’s birth registered and obtain passport?
That is the way it worked for us. My wife’s pregnancy was partially spent in Brazil and California. I was working in CA. but toward the end of the 8th month I went back to Brazil, she gave birth and I was there to sign all the documentations. THEN for the child to become a USA citizen as well you must apply thru the Consulado in RJ and wait for the child’s American Birth certificate to arrive, which takes about 3-4 weeks.
GO GIVE BIRTH TO YOUR BABY IN YOUR DANG COUNTRY AND GET AWAY FROM MINE.
Hi, Do they require the baby to be vaccinated? I do NOT want to vaccinate my baby..
yes, they do and a whole battery of vaccinations with proof.
Hi Kevin,
How many weeks was your wife/partner pregnant when you passed through the customs or federal police. I am just curious to know how obvious her pregnancy was?
Hi Kevin,
My husband and I are moving to Brazil with our daughter this January and I am actually pregnant expecting in May. We are going to work with an NGO to combat sex trafficking. We have purchased a one way ticket down there but are having trouble obtaining a visa because you need to have a round trip ticket. Do you recommend we call the embassy down there and explain the situation, pregnancy and all, or would that make things worse. Do we just need to bite the bullet and purchase a roundtrip ticket that we will not use? Would love to hear your opinion on this.
Thanks!
Joy
I would recommend you buy a fully flexible ticket home, then cancel it once you are in the country.
Hello! Friend, I’m an Indian national and a legal student here in brazil…. My wife is 7 months pregnant soon to become mom…. So, if we plan to give birth to our first kid over here? Would this make us eligible to apply for the Brazilian Citizenship on the behalf of our Brazil born kid as we are the parent of that kid…. Please do reply for sure…. Thank you…. Jason (Brazilian student visa holder)
Most of you are looking to obtain the coveted resident card. Nobody anywhere has address the issue of what in the world do you when the card itself expires! You become “permanent” yes, BUT the card you show to institutions, banks, etc. in Brazil think it is no longer valid. I had my card for 13 years, now shows an expired date in 2013. Any thoughts? It is also said that after age 60, the card needs no validation! Ajuda!
You go to the Polícia Federal and renew it… that’s it.
Thank you Christian, even THEY are misinformed and did not tell me that!
I just departed Brazil yesterday so once again I missed yhe boat.
My question is this. What if one enters Brazil with the wife and kids, later on have a baby born in Brazil, will that help their other kids to obtain a resident in Brazil?
Thanks and hoping to hoping to hear from you soon.
Hi,
I can’t say enough how much I am thankful to you. Because of your posts I was able to reach an English speeking doctor in Sao Paulo and give a natural birth to my baby Juliana.
So now me and my husband and two kids are all permanent residents of Brazil.
My sons are both under five year old and I was wondering if you have any idea how can they apply for citizenship?
What are the requirements?
Hi Arwa,
Thrilled to hear that you gave birth in Brazil and this site helped you do it! You should contact an agency called Horizon for more information on becoming citizens:
Hi Arwa,
I am also pregnant now, and I am actually planning to give birth in Brazil, so do u recommend it?
And can you please help me by giving some details about the cost, doctor, hospital and the citizenship of the baby and the parents or siblings?
pls email me on pls pls
thanks alot.
Please tell us your own experience.The whole series is more than great,it is FANTASTIC.
we will all appreciate the final part even with short details.We know horizon can do it but reading what you did will give us the last step of the road map you started. THANKS
Arwa – please can you give details of the English speaking Doctor in Sau Paulo?
Hello Juliana,
I’d love to pick your brain if you have a few moments to spare?
What is the name of the hospital and physician? How much did it cost you? How long were you there prior to? and how long/did you have to apply for a CPF number, first?
Dear Kevin
please contact me as i am looking for some assistance for planing a baby in brazil
i am not able to email you directly from website thats why leaving my email id
&
Kevin does not respond to emails. I think he no longer offer services on giving birth in Brazil.
Hi there, Kevin does respond to emails, but as you can imagine he gets a lot of emails, often they are quite involved and asking for a lot of research and detail, so it can take time to reply. Kevin’s team is offering birth assistance in Brazil. There is a form you can complete and we will get back to you.
Sorry I put the link in wrong! Following on from the last comment, the link for Doctor Luisa is http://www.doctorluisa.com.br
We definitely recommend her, she was really nice from start to finish and is an advocate for natural birth which was perfect for us!
Thanks dear for the great info, I was searching a lot for this, maybe this is the best blog yet to explain it in details.
We are a Syrian copulas and we are thinking to give birth in Brazil because many we facing so many difficulties with our current “Syrian” passport and we need to get another passport, for us this would be costly and we can’t stay long time there, maximum to give birth for the baby and do all the document, so is there a way for us “the parents” to get the passport without actually living there ? what is the detailed requirements to get the Brazilian citizenship ?
Thanks for your time and help in advance, regards
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Thanks dear for the great info, I was searching a lot for this, maybe this is the best blog yet to explain it in details.
We are a Syrian copulas and we are thinking to give birth in Brazil because many we facing so many difficulties with our current “Syrian” passport and we need to get another passport, for us this would be costly and we can’t stay long time there, maximum to give birth for the baby and do all the document, so is there a way for us “the parents” to get the passport without actually living there ? what is the detailed requirements to get the Brazilian citizenship ?
Thanks for your time and help in advance, regards
Hi Mohamed, you can get permanent residency through childbirth in Brazil, however if you want to become a Brazilian citizen you will need to live here for a year as a permanent resident. Plus, you will need to learn some Portuguese as well. Unfortunately there really isn’t any way around this. Citizenship is all about declaring your loyalty and commitment to your new country, and as such there are certain things that are expected of you in return. Boa sorte!
Hi I am mahnaz, I appriciate for your comments.l decided to come brazil for pregnancy but I don’t know about costs of hospital and doctor please give me about it …
Hi Mahnaz, have you filled out this form yet? We can assist if you come to Florianópolis for the birth: https://liveinbrazil.org/want-to-have-your-baby-in-brazil/
Hi i need to know about CPS in brazil.. some one told me if your child took birth in brazil then CPS will kidnape your child and will ask you for money..please tell me about it briefly please?
Are you referring to Child Protective Services? Where on earth did you hear this?
HI Kevin,
I have a daughter already, (not Brazilian), however i heard that as long as i go give birth in brazil before my daughter turns 5, she as well can get the Brazilian passport. Is that true?
HI Kevin,
I have a daughter already, (not Brazilian), however i heard that as long as i go give birth in brazil before my daughter turns 5, she as well can get the Brazilian passport. Is that true?
Hi Rita, To my knowledge this is the case, however it means living in Brazil for 12 months as permanent residents first before applying for citizenship.
Hi kevin
first let me thanks for your great information you share with us on your nice site .
i filed the form twice but not yet got any replay , before we have plan to travel to canada for our child born there even we got Canada Multple visa but after i find you website also benefit of PR and Nationality for Parrent we change our plan and want to came there , please i wait for your assistance
regards
Mehdi
Hi Mehdi,
We have sent you a reply now via email. Sorry for the delay.
Hello Kelvin,
I am a Nigerian, previously I have given birth in the US, however, due to cost, I am looking at giving birth to my third child in Brazil. I am 8 weeks pregnant already. I need help mostly with timing as my maternity leave is only 12 weeks so I will need to complete baby’s documentation before then. So this is a list of the questions I have
1. Do I need to search for doctors and delivery hospital separately like in the US?
2. What is the cost for medical services ( in US dollars please)
3. I was looking at airbnb for accommodation, are there better options?
4. I currently do not speak Portuguese at all, will this be a problem? Can always put my mind into learning it though if it is crucial.
5. Can I use the public hospital?
6. How long after delivery before I get my baby’s birth cert and passport?
Thanks for your anticipated response
1. If you go to a private hospital, the doctor will be allocated to you. You can choose your own private doctor if you wish but it will cost you more.
2. the hospital fees for a private hospital are about US$3000 or so in Florianopolis (includes 2 nights accommodation and all medical fees)
3. If you are coming short term, Airbnb is easiest, but there is also olx.com.br but avoid high season as it is the most expensive time of year.
4. Yes you need to speak Portuguese in Brazil. Some doctors will speak english but you’ll need help from us if you can’t speak the language at all to get the rest of your life organised.
5. Yes you can but it is only for natural births and no pain relief is given. But at least the hospital is free.
6. If you use our team, you can have paperwork done within a month or two.
Thank you so very much for the concise information! I still have a couple of questions:
1) How long does it take to get a CPF number? Is it OK to get one after the baby is born when I apply for a Brazilian passport?
2) How long before I can return to USA with the baby?
3) With regards to giving birth in a private hospital, what happens if I need n emergency C-section?
4) With regards to giving birth in a private hospital, am I able to make payments? Do I have to pay all of it upfront?
Please and thank you!!
Oh, and how much do your services cost to fill & file all the paperwork?
Please can you give details of the English speaking Doctor in Sau Paulo? (Giving Birth) my email :
Is it necessary for the parents to be married to get residency?
Or is it sufficient when the father´s name is on the birth certificate?
No, you don’t need to be married. But both parents need to be there in Brazil to get their names on the birth certificate. Once you have that document proving you have a Brazilian baby, you can apply for permanent residency, but you can only apply in Brazil, not in your home country.
If you are born in Brazil to foreign parents and stay a day or a year and leave permanently ,are you a citzen for life or are there citzenship retention requirements to maintain Brazilian citzenship ?
If you were born in Brazil you are a citizen for life. End of story.
Will the Brazil citizenship be a problem for people that can’t actually speak Portuguese but give birth to a child in the country ?
There is a Portuguese language element to becoming a citizen, yes. If you can’t speak, read or understand any Portuguese, you won’t be able to become a citizen. You don’t need to be fluent, but you do need to have proficiency in the language to become Brazilian.
hi
Please i need your help, my wife is 6month gone and planning to have our first baby in Brasil,
What is the situation with the immigration at the point of entry, will they allow us cos my wife is heavy.
It’s highly unlikely you will have a problem, but it’s worth using your common sense – wear loose clothing, try to come as early in the pregnancy as you can. For more info:
I have a question. I am pregnant with Twins and will soon be dependent on my Brazilian boyfriend since I will need to stop working. After the children are born one of the requirements to get the visa is a declaration that I will be financially responsible for the children. If I do not have the funds to prove this, does that mean that I cannot get the visa or protections It provides? We want to get married however I have overstayed my visa due to a myriad of reasons…what do you reccomend in this case?
You don’t have to prove that you can afford it, you just have to make the declaration to the Policia Federal.
Hi.. Very good job… I need a suggestion for a good cheaper private hospital in sao paulo and ob. Gyn doctor for c- section surgery…and if there is a public hospital can offer c- section surgery on request.
Thanks
Public hospitals in Brazil do not offer c-sections on request. They will only give if it is medically necessary.