Brazil moved Digital Nomad Visa issuance to the SCI online portal Sept. 1

Remote workers and expats from visa-exempt countries can now secure Brazilian temporary residence without mailing physical passports or attending embassy appointments.

Electronic VITEM processing via SCI

Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs shifted temporary visa issuance entirely online Sept. 1 for eligible foreign nationals. The electronic system covers the entire VITEM framework, including work permits, student authorizations, family reunion status and the digital nomad visa.

Applicants complete the entire filing process through the Sistema Consular Integrado (SCI) web portal. Travelers upload required background checks, employment proof and application forms directly to the platform for consular review.

Once consular staff approve the file, the system delivers the visa directly to the applicant's registered email address. The final document arrives as a PDF with a QR code, which border officials scan upon arrival. Travelers can present the file on a mobile screen or carry a printed copy, removing the need for physical passport stickers.

Eligibility scope and consular requirements

The digital rollout applies only to nationals of countries that already qualify for Brazil's short-stay visitor visa (VIVIS) exemption. Passport holders from the UK, European Union member states and Japan fall into this group, allowing them to bypass physical consular visits when requesting long-term entry.

Underlying category criteria haven't changed. Remote employees and freelancers must still prove foreign employment, submit clean criminal background records and satisfy remote income thresholds when organizing their paperwork for settling in Brazil.

The catch centers on nationality. Travelers from countries that require a standard tourist visa to enter Brazil can't access electronic temporary visa processing. Those applicants must continue scheduling in-person consular appointments, submitting paper files and leaving their physical passports with embassy staff for manual stamping.