Moving to São Paulo checklist, step by step

Moving to São Paulo checklist at a glance

This moving to São Paulo checklist runs in the order you'll need it, from paperwork at home to your first 90 days. Most steps apply anywhere in Brazil, so it also works as a moving to Brazil checklist. The addresses, fares and rents are specific to São Paulo.

Before you move to São Paulo

Start the paperwork at home. Apostilles can only come from the country that issued each document.

US, Canadian and Australian citizens have needed an eVisa since April 10, 2025. It costs US$80.90 and allows stays of up to 90 days. British visitors enter visa-free for 90 days, and EU citizens for 3 months in any 6. To live in São Paulo you need a residence visa or permit, compared in our guide to Brazil visas and residency.^{1 2 3 4}

1. 1

   Choose your residence route

   The digital nomad visa for remote workers asks for foreign income of at least US$1,500 a month or US$18,000 in funds. The retiree visa asks for a pension of at least US$2,000 a month, transferable to Brazil. If you're still abroad, a work visa generally needs a prior residence authorization from the Ministry of Justice. Spouses and partners can apply for family reunion.

2. 2

   Get an apostille for Brazil at home

   The Apostille Convention has applied in Brazil since August 14, 2016, and the US, UK, Australia and Canada are all members. Get each apostille in the country that issued the document, such as birth, marriage and criminal record certificates. The US Embassy in Brazil doesn't issue criminal record checks, so request yours before you leave.

3. 3

   Get sworn translations once you're in Brazil

   The Polícia Federal says sworn translations of foreign documents can only be made in Brazil. Only a registered public translator can produce one, prices are agreed freely, and the original must go with the translation. In São Paulo, find translators through the JUCESP registry lookup.

4. 4

   Buy health insurance valid in Brazil

   Consulates ask for health insurance valid in Brazil for the digital nomad and retiree visas. The UK government warns that private hospitals won't admit you without proof of funds or insurance. See healthcare in São Paulo for plans and the public system.

5. 5

   Budget for the first months

   At FipeZap's August 2026 asking rents, an unfurnished 35 to 50 m² apartment for one person runs R$2,420 to R$4,090 a month (about US$485 to US$820). That range covers Vila Mariana, Perdizes, Bela Vista and Paraíso. Add R$680 to R$1,330 (US$136 to US$267) for the condo fee and IPTU property tax, based on QuintoAndar listings in October 2026. A cash deposit can reach three months' rent, so arrive with savings. The São Paulo cost of living guide covers every other line, and our neighborhood guide compares areas.

6. 6

   Check your appliances

   Homes in São Paulo usually have both 127 V and 220 V outlets on a 60 Hz supply, according to Enel's network specification. Some urban areas run at 120 and 240 V instead. Check the voltage label on each appliance before you pack it.

7. 7

   Book temporary housing

   Rental platforms such as QuintoAndar ask foreigners for a CPF and an RNM residence ID, so book a furnished place first. A short-stay lease can last up to 90 days, and landlords may ask for all of it upfront. Housi rents furnished apartments from one day with bills included. Yuca bundles rent, condo fee, IPTU and Wi-Fi into one bill. Neither asks for a guarantor.

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Shipping household goods, parcels and pets

Household goods can enter free of import tax within a set window. Parcels need a CPF, and pets need a certificate from home.

Shipping household goods to Brazil

Receita Federal lets a foreigner moving to Brazil import furniture, household goods and work tools, new or used, free of import tax. The shipment must arrive as cargo between 3 months before and 6 months after you. Miss that window and you can lose the exemption and pay a 20% fine on the tax due. Clearance needs an itemized box list with values, the bill of lading in your name and your visa document.²²

Suitcase goods worth up to US$1,000 per person enter duty-free by air, and families can't pool their allowances. Laptops and tablets count, while one phone and one watch can pass as personal items. You pay 50% on the excess, and cash over US$10,000 must be declared.^{24 25}

Parcels from abroad and customs

Correios treats every parcel from abroad as an import that needs a CPF in good standing. The name on the parcel must match your Receita Federal record. Track it in Minhas Importações or the Correios app. Pay any tax and handling charge there by boleto or Pix within 20 calendar days, or the parcel goes back. Ask for a tax review before you pay, not after.^{34 74}

Since May 12, 2026, purchases up to US$50 from sites certified under Remessa Conforme pay no federal import tax. From US$50.01 to US$3,000 they pay 60%, minus a US$30 discount, and uncertified sites charge 60% with no discount. São Paulo state adds 17% ICMS, calculated on the price plus import tax.^{75 76}

Bringing a dog or cat to Brazil

Dogs and cats need an International Veterinary Certificate (CVI) or an official pet passport from your country's veterinary authority. Since September 6, 2025, the CVI must follow Brazil's official model. Pets over 90 days old need a rabies shot, and after a first shot you must wait 21 days before departure. A vet must treat for parasites within 15 days and examine the animal within 10 days before the certificate is issued. Brazil may refuse animals diagnosed with leishmaniasis.^{26 27}

From the US, an accredited vet signs the certificate and USDA endorses it online. It stays valid for 60 days and must still be valid when you land.²⁸

Your first week in São Paulo

Get your CPF first. The bank account, phone line and transport app all depend on it.

1. 1

   Get a CPF, Brazil's taxpayer number

   The CPF is a taxpayer number, not an identity card. Foreigners can request one free from the Receita Federal online, by email or in person. Partner outlets such as Correios, Banco do Brasil and Caixa charge R$7. Non-residents use a passport, and people living abroad can start at a Brazilian consulate. Banks, the TOP transit app, TIM's eSIM portal and parcels from abroad all need it. Shops ask too, but giving it is optional.

2. 2

   Get a Brazilian phone number

   By law, prepaid lines are registered with your name, address and an ID number or CPF. TIM sells prepaid chips to foreign visitors in its stores and at newsstands, pharmacies and supermarkets, registered with a passport number. In October 2026, R$30 (about US$6) on Vivo Pré bought 25 GB for 30 days. Activation asks for a selfie and photos of your ID. São Paulo numbers use area code 11.

3. 3

   Open a bank account in Brazil and set up Pix

   Brazil's Migration Law guarantees migrants the right to a bank account. Caixa opens current accounts in its app with a photo ID and a CPF in regular status. Nubank's guide lists a CPF, a photo ID, proof of address and a selfie, and says banks vary. Then register a Pix key, such as your CPF, phone number or email. Sending and receiving Pix transfers is free for individuals.

4. 4

   Bring money into Brazil

   Money entering Brazil must go through an institution authorized for foreign exchange, except cash you carry up to US$10,000. Wise, for example, operates in Brazil as an FX broker licensed by the Banco Central. Converting foreign money into reais usually carries 0.38% IOF tax, while sending money to your own account abroad carries 3.5%. Tax depends on your residence status, so confirm yours with a Brazilian accountant.

5. 5

   Get a transport card

   Register on the SPTrans site for a Bilhete Único. The first card is free. Since January 6, 2026, a bus fare is R$5.30 and a Metrô or CPTM trip is R$5.40. For R$9.38 (about US$1.90) you get up to three buses in three hours plus one train or Metrô ride in the first two hours. Contactless bank cards work at Metrô and CPTM gates at full fare, with no bus transfer. See getting around São Paulo for passes.

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Save the emergency numbers. Police is 190, the SAMU ambulance is 192 and the fire service is 193. SAMU calls are free from any phone.^{53 54}

Your first 90 days in São Paulo

Book your Polícia Federal registration as soon as you have an address.

1. 1

   Register for your CRNM

   Temporary visa holders must request registration within 90 days of entering Brazil, or face a fine. If your residence was approved while you were in Brazil, you have 30 days from the approval's publication. The card fee is R$204.77 (about US$41).

2. 2

   Register with SUS, the public health system

   Legal residents can get an SUS card for free public healthcare, and foreigners get emergency treatment in public hospitals. Register at your local UBS clinic with ID and proof of address, and give your CPF, which is replacing the SUS card number.

3. 3

   Gather the documents to rent in São Paulo

   QuintoAndar asks foreigners for a CPF, an RNM and three months of payslips or bank statements. By law a landlord can ask for only one guarantee, and a cash deposit is capped at three months' rent. Rent insurance was the most common guarantee in CRECI-SP's June 2026 survey. Compare prices by area in our São Paulo rent guide.

4. 4

   Create a gov.br account

   A gov.br account, the federal digital ID, requires a CPF. The silver level unlocks more services and can be validated through an accredited bank. You'll need the account to register as an MEI sole trader, covered in working in São Paulo, or to employ a domestic worker through eSocial.

5. 5

   Driving in Brazil with a foreign license

   A foreign license is valid for up to 180 days from entry if your country is covered by a convention or reciprocity. Carry it with your ID and proof of your entry date. Licenses from 1968 Vienna Convention countries, such as the UK, Germany and France, need an International Driving Permit, and Canada recommends one too. After 180 days you need a Brazilian CNH, which the UK government says you exchange at the local DETRAN. It takes a medical exam and a psychological evaluation, plus a road test if your license isn't recognized.

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How to register with the Polícia Federal

1. Fill in the online form and pay the R$204.77 card fee by GRU slip. If you're asking the Polícia Federal for residence, rather than registering a visa issued abroad, a R$168.13 (about US$34) processing fee applies too.
2. Book an appointment in the Polícia Federal scheduling system, at the unit that covers your home address.
3. In São Paulo, migrant registration is at the superintendency on Rua Hugo D'Antola 95, Lapa de Baixo, open 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays except holidays. Bring your passport and your apostilled, translated documents. Your biometric data is collected there.
4. Keep the protocol. With your passport, it gives the card's rights for up to 180 days, including work, a bank account and public healthcare. The Polícia Federal can extend it free.
5. Collect the card when the system shows it's ready, in about 30 business days. Pickup runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
6. Note when the card expires. A temporary-residence CRNM expires with your residence, and you renew it in person at a Polícia Federal unit from 90 days before that date.

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Portuguese terms for your paperwork

The words you'll meet most in offices and on forms.

CPF

Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas, the taxpayer number banks, shops and landlords ask for

CRNM

Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório, the residence card, also called the RNM or the older RNE

Protocolo

The receipt that proves your registration is in progress

Apostila

The apostille certificate that validates a foreign public document

Tradução juramentada

A sworn translation by a registered public translator

Comprovante de residência

Proof of address

Chave Pix

The key, such as your CPF or phone number, that people use to pay you by Pix

Bilhete Único

The city's rechargeable card for buses, Metrô and trains

UBS

Unidade Básica de Saúde, the neighborhood public clinic where you register for SUS

CNH

Carteira Nacional de Habilitação, the Brazilian driver's license

Fiador and seguro fiança

A personal guarantor, and the rent insurance that replaces one

Caução

A cash deposit, capped at three months' rent

Cartório

A registry office. Civil registry offices issue CPFs for R$7