timhoffnagle
American looking for information about Brazil
Forum posts
38
Contacts
1
About me
American
Speaks English, some Spanish and very little Portuguese
Registration: 07 January 2022
Brazil, a welcoming destination to expats? by Cheryl
Hello everyone, Settling in Brazil, like every new environment, can feel like stepping into the unknown and brings many questions: how will it go, how to integrate successfully, etc. To help smooth this transition, we invite you to share your ...
I had a Brasilian girlfriend for a couple of years (traveled there about every other month) and learned to love the country - so many beautiful natural areas to explore! It's been about two since since we broke up but I got permanent residency and ... Read More
Wise Multi-Currency Debit Card by Peter Itamaraca
This may be of interest: I recently applied for a Wise Multi-Currency Brazilian Debit Card. On to this I have loaded a bunch of BRL, but have also registered it for use with US$, GBP and Euros for travel purposes. As the exchange rates move in my ...
@Peter Itamaraca How are the exchange rates that Wise offers with that card? They have to be making their money somehow, if not by fees... Read More
New evisa requirements for travel to Brasil by timhoffnagle
Does anyone know the reasoning behind the new requirement for citizens of the U.S., Canada, and other countries? I just started applying for one and, in addition to the website being slow and not working on my phone (it seems to be just slow on my ...
OK....thanks for the background. I have only been going to Brasil since 2020. But these new requirements are for every visit to Brasil. For a Brazilian to come to the U.S., they can get a visa that lasts for (10?) years. Having to get a new visa ... Read More
New evisa requirements for travel to Brasil
Does anyone know the reasoning behind the new requirement for citizens of the U.S., Canada, and other countries? I just started applying for one and, in addition to the website being slow and not working on my phone (it seems to be just slow on my ... Read More
Marriage necessary for a permanent visa? by Kurterino
A friend of mine owns a house and has been coming here for over 20 years, until the pandemic he usually stayed 6 months at a time (3 months plus 3 months extension), which was ok for him, because that鈥檚 just about the duration of the Swiss ...
If they have been together for that long, a legal stable union (aka, "civil union") may be the way to go. That's what I did and you can set it up like a marriage with a prenuptial agreement, where you can define the finances and property from ... Read More
How to register a marriage to a Brazilian citizen outside Brazil by James
When a Brazilian citizen marries a foreign national outside of Brazil, while the marriage is legal in Brazil it must be registered at the Consulado-Geral do Brasil where they reside (not necessarily always the same country where the marriage ...
@abthree it sounds like you may be able to answer this question.... My partner and I documented a stable relationship, which allowed me to get permanent residency in Brasil. By my understanding, a stable relationship is equivalent to a marriage in ... Read More
What is the most efficient way to buy a home in Brazil? by john8670
I'm looking to move to Santa Catarina with my wife no later than August 2023.I want to avoid renting from someone in Brazil like the plague I've heard bad stories about it. I also don't like the idea of "paying for the landlords property taxes" When ...
@john8670 I am starting to look for a house, too, and was advised by every Brazilian that I spoke with to get an attorney to help with the purchase. Property titles are not like in the U.S. and the provenance of them can be murky, at best. The ... Read More
Sending money to Brasil by timhoffnagle
As a new permanent resident of Brasil, I have been transferring money regularly (<$10,000 each time) from the U.S. to my bank account in Brasil. I plan to use the money to buy a house there, as well as make some investments (e.g., some friends ...
@abthree how did you do the SWIFT transfer? Maybe it's just the bank that I have in Brasil (Nubank) but they told me that they won't take dollars. My friends are trying to send their part of our investment ($20,000) and their bank asked for the ... Read More
Sending money to Brasil by timhoffnagle
As a new permanent resident of Brasil, I have been transferring money regularly (<$10,000 each time) from the U.S. to my bank account in Brasil. I plan to use the money to buy a house there, as well as make some investments (e.g., some friends ...
@john8670 I'm not sure where all the money goes. There are some taxes and government fees that are paid and the bank takes some profit on it. So, you don't get the "official" exchange rate that you can find on the internet. However, it isn't too ... Read More
Sending money to Brasil
As a new permanent resident of Brasil, I have been transferring money regularly (<$10,000 each time) from the U.S. to my bank account in Brasil. I plan to use the money to buy a house there, as well as make some investments (e.g., some friends ... Read More
Transfer money to Brazil taxes by silandreoli
Hi, I would like to send some money to my daughters Bradesco bank account, so I would like to know, how much can I transfer in the Brazilian tax year without my daughter paying any taxes on the amount of money I transfer. Just to clarify my ...
As a new permanent resident of Brasil, I have been transferring money regularly from the U.S. to my bank account in Brasil. I plan to use the money to buy a house there, as well as make some investments (e.g., some friends and I are lending money ... Read More
loan interest rates in Brasil by timhoffnagle
I was looking at bank web sites and found a page on the Bradesco Bank site advertising the "Bradesco Personal Loan" at rates "from 3% per month."聽If I am doing the math correctly, that's 42%/year. WTF?????聽I don't think that loan sharks in ...
@sprealestatebroker I don't need a loan...thankfully! But, with those exhorbitant interest rates, I can't help but wonder why someone isn't giving loans at 1% or 2% / month. That's still an annual profit of 12% and 26%, respectively. Most ... Read More
loan interest rates in Brasil
I was looking at bank web sites and found a page on the Bradesco Bank site advertising the "Bradesco Personal Loan" at rates "from 3% per month."聽If I am doing the math correctly, that's 42%/year. WTF?????聽I don't think that loan sharks in ... Read More
Communication in Portuguese - Stranger in a Strange Land by amsp
I am an American living in Sao Paulo since 2019. I speak some Portuguese and understand more. I've taken several Portuguese classes and currently take 3 hours of private lessons a week. I'm really trying to improve. I own my own business ...
On a slightly different tangent, I am always amazed at those who say that they understand a language better than they speak it. I speak enough Spanish to get around and feed myslef and am reaching that point in Portuguese but in neither language am ... Read More
Biting flies in Rio by timhoffnagle
I have visited my girlfriend's family on the outskirts of Rio twice. And both times I got some insect bites on my feet and legs that were the worst that I have ever had. I have visited and lived in many places in the world and have been bitten by ...
These are not chiggers and may not be borrachudos, as the bites seem to show up after dark. Another strange thing about them is that I have only gotten them on my feet and legs, despite my head and arms being equally unprotected. My girlfriend has ... Read More
Biting flies in Rio
I have visited my girlfriend's family on the outskirts of Rio twice. And both times I got some insect bites on my feet and legs that were the worst that I have ever had. I have visited and lived in many places in the world and have been bitten by ... Read More
Permanent residency by timhoffnagle
Here's a little encouraging news for those of you who may be trying to get permanent residency in Brasil. It seems that the bureaucracy is not as strict as you might think. I hired an attorney to help with the process (advisable) and she was able ...
@Kenny MeSt that's kind of a tough question to answer because of the logistical issues involved and the fact that my attorney did all of the work in Brasil. I got fingerprinted for the FBI background check last summer (July, I think) and it took a ... Read More
Permanent residency
Here's a little encouraging news for those of you who may be trying to get permanent residency in Brasil. It seems that the bureaucracy is not as strict as you might think. I hired an attorney to help with the process (advisable) and she was able ... Read More
Your best culinary memory in Brazil by Mickael
Hello everyone, As you know, every country has its own flavours and tasting the local cuisine is a great way to discover the culture of a destination. Whether it's a small typical restaurant to taste local dishes, a traditional meal in a local's ...
I'm a person for whom fancy food is a waste of time and money. I very much enjoy their simple meals of salad, beans, rice, fries, and some kind of protein (preferably pork but beef, chicken, or fish are also good). I also enjoy salgados and really ... Read More
Brazilian Bank Account by roddiesho
I need to open a Brazilian Bank Account (recommendations welcome). i am living permanentlywith my Brazilian wife and my Brazilian second mother in Ceara. I do not have any Brazilian credentials yet.What will I need? Thanx,Roddie in Retirement. ...
@jasonlovesdogs I've used several online services for that. They are all going to get their cut, one way or another, by either a service fee or the exchange rate. So I just check to see which will result in the most reais making it into the ... Read More
Long Distance Brazilian Bus Accommodations by roddiesho
I will be taking a 6-hour long distance bus in Ceara soon. What accommodations do the buses have. i.e. Air Conditioning, Internet, Peanuts, In-Flight movies (just kidding) etc.Roddie in Retirement
@roddiesho I've taken the bus a few times between Sao Paulo and Rio (6-7 hours) and found them to be comfortable and clean. You can recline the seats pretty far, making them easier to sleep on. In fact, I have taken the overnight trip and slept ... Read More
Learning to speak Portuguese by john8670
1. How much did your Portuguese improve after living in Brazil for your first year?聽2. Do you have any tips that helped you pick up the language faster?聽Currently I'm using a combination of:聽1. Babbel, Rocket Languages apps聽2. ...
@john8670聽I suspect that most countries are like that.聽 I know that foreigners who become U.S. citizens know a lot more about U.S. history and government than the vast majority of native citizens, who have forgotten all of what little they ... Read More
Learning to speak Portuguese by john8670
1. How much did your Portuguese improve after living in Brazil for your first year?聽2. Do you have any tips that helped you pick up the language faster?聽Currently I'm using a combination of:聽1. Babbel, Rocket Languages apps聽2. ...
@john8670聽Duolingo is a free web site for learning languages.聽 Also, you can change the audio and closed caption languages on many TV shows and movies on Netflix to Brazilian Portuguese.聽 In that way, you can compare two languages at ... Read More
Permanent residency to Brazil by Dudu Garcia6
Hi,I would like to relocate to Brazil with my girlfriend (she is a Brazilian citizen) in a few years time. I only have a New Zealand citizenship and I have doubts as to my ability to attain a work visa in Brazil, as I don't not speak Portuguese very ...
@Dudu Garcia6聽I am in a similar situation, although it sounds like I may be older, as I will be retiring soon.聽 I have been working with Giselle Amorim, an attorney in Brazil, to get my permanent residency through a stable union.聽 It ... Read More
Limitations on money transfers by 56tbourne
While reading though these posts have gained valuable information. Have also read how important it is to have a "personal" relationship with your Brazilian bank. Have also read that there is a limitation of $2000 /transaction when sending money from ...
I think that the limit for sending money to Brazil is higher than $2,000.聽 I just sent $10,000 to my girlfriend via Remitly.聽 Also, there are ways around this issue.聽 I also sent her $85,000 and we did it through the management of a ... Read More
Obtain your CPF online by Kurterino
Hello, I was advised to go to a post office or some other place (that I鈥檝e forgotten), in order to obtain my CPF number. First off, I wrote 鈥楥PF number鈥� because it seems that they no longer give you card, but you get it in ...
@Kurterino聽Have you had success getting a CPF number?聽 Someone else sent me the same link that you provided for getting a CPF.聽 I tried it and found it to be unintelligible.聽 First, the address section doesn't seem to work with ... Read More
transfer money to Brazil by timhoffnagle
I am trying to help my girlfriend's buy an apartment for her daughter and tried to send some money ($100,000) to her bank.聽 However, I just got an email that the Brazilian bank rejected the transfer.聽 Does anyone know why the payment might ...
Yeah, I have been sending money to my girlfriend for nearly a year with some regularity to pay my half of the rent of our apartment and I think that gave me naive confidence that sending a much larger amount, even as a loan, to help her daughter ... Read More
transfer money to Brazil by timhoffnagle
I am trying to help my girlfriend's buy an apartment for her daughter and tried to send some money ($100,000) to her bank.聽 However, I just got an email that the Brazilian bank rejected the transfer.聽 Does anyone know why the payment might ...
HI abthree,Thanks for the advice - that's what I have suggested to my girlfriend.聽 I used Xe to transfer the money and the email that I got from them simply said, "We鈥檝e been advised that your payment for contract C11867800 BRL 257,305.00 ... Read More
transfer money to Brazil
I am trying to help my girlfriend's buy an apartment for her daughter and tried to send some money ($100,000) to her bank.聽 However, I just got an email that the Brazilian bank rejected the transfer.聽 Does anyone know why the payment might ... Read More
Thoughts on UBER (Brazil) by Kurterino
Yesterday I had to take a taxi, and called an Uber. All in all, I did about 90 km, for a total price of just about 150 Reais. They were small and economic cars, I guess they would use about 7 liters per 100km, which comes to almost 50 Reais in fuel ...
I have had the same thoughts about how much the Uber drivers are actually getting paid and the price of gas. In Sao Paulo, I try to walk as much as I can and will be bringing my bike down there, soon. However, I do use Uber to travel to and from ... Read More