The RNM is the National Immigration Registration number (Registro Nacional Migratório). The CRNM is the National Immigration Registration Card (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório), the identity document that contains that number. Residence authorization, in turn, is the decision allowing a foreign national to reside in Brazil on a specified legal basis and for a specified term. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Articles 62 and 63.
These distinctions determine the correct procedure: registering with the Federal Police (PF), renewing residence authorization, replacing an expired card or requesting a duplicate card.
What Is the Difference Between the RNM, the CRNM and Residence Authorization?
RNM — the registration and its number. The registration brings together biographical and biometric data and assigns the foreign national an individual identification number.
CRNM — the identity card. Issued by the Federal Police, it proves registration and identifies the immigrant in Brazil. It displays the RNM, personal details and information about residence and the card’s validity. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Articles 62 and 63.
Residence authorization — immigration status. It establishes the basis for residence, such as work, investment or family reunification, for a fixed or indefinite term. Issuance of the card does not remove the obligation to comply with the conditions of the authorization.
A visa is issued by the consular authority for the relevant immigration purpose. Anyone arriving on a temporary visa must register with the Federal Police. The CPF, by contrast, is an individual taxpayer registration number: it neither replaces immigration registration nor proves authorization to reside in Brazil.
What About the Former Acronyms RNE and CIE?
RNE stood for Registro Nacional de Estrangeiro, the former National Register of Foreign Nationals, now called RNM. CIE stood for Carteira de Identidade de Estrangeiro, the former Foreign National Identity Card, now called CRNM. Older forms and private-sector records may therefore still ask for an “RNE” when referring to the immigration identification number. Federal Police — Questions About RNM and CRNM
The change in terminology does not require two different numbers. The number shown on the immigration document should be entered in registration forms and records.
Who Must Register with the Federal Police?
Under the ordinary immigration regime, registration is mandatory for holders of temporary visas and residence authorizations. The obligation also covers children and adolescents granted residence, subject to the applicable rules on representation and appointments. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 62.
Entering as a visitor does not result in an RNM or CRNM. To become a resident, the individual must obtain authorization on an appropriate legal basis.
Some categories combine the authorization application and registration within the Federal Police procedure. Others, including various employment-related authorizations, require a prior decision by the Ministry of Justice. Filing through MigranteWeb, the online system for employment-related immigration applications, does not replace Federal Police registration. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Articles 66 and 79.
What Is the Registration Deadline?
The deadline depends on how residence was obtained:
- Entry on a temporary visa: as a general rule, the registration application must be submitted within ninety days of entering Brazil. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 64.
- Residence authorization granted to someone already in Brazil: the deadline is thirty days from publication of the approval. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 66.
These deadlines concern registration, not the duration of residence or production of the card. The applicable category and the decision granting residence should be checked, as specific rules apply in certain circumstances.
Appointments should be arranged in advance. If difficulties arise, it is advisable to retain evidence of attempts to book an appointment and contact the competent office. A lack of available appointments does not automatically extend the statutory deadline.
How Do Registration and Issuance of the CRNM Work?
The procedure involves an application form, documents, fees where payable and an appointment. At the appointment, the Federal Police checks the documents and carries out identification procedures. The applicant then monitors the card’s issuance and availability. Federal Police — Registering as a Foreign National in Brazil
The documents required vary by category. They include an accepted travel or identity document, evidence of the visa or authorization, and the other items on the relevant checklist.
Why Might a Birth or Marriage Certificate Be Required?
Not every passport states the holder’s parents’ details, known as filiação in Brazilian documents. If this information is absent from the document submitted, it must be established through a birth or marriage certificate, or another alternative accepted under the regulations. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 68.
Foreign documents must meet the formalities applicable to their origin and the procedure. French public instruments covered by the France–Brazil agreement are exempt from apostille and legalization requirements. A sworn translation by an authorized public translator, where required, is a separate step. Decree No. 3,598/2000, Article 23.
The guide Foreign Documents for Immigration to Brazil: Apostilles, Translation and Requirements explains this document preparation in greater detail.
What Proves Immigration Status While the Card Is Being Issued?
Until the CRNM is issued, a registered immigrant may present the filing receipt received when applying, together with a travel document or another accepted identity document. Decree No. 9,199/2017 provides that this receipt is valid for 180 days and may be extended free of charge by the Federal Police. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 63, paragraph 1.
This document must be distinguished from a form that has not yet been submitted, an appointment confirmation or a pending residence application. Not every application number corresponds to a receipt for registration that has already been completed.
If the card is delayed, the applicant should monitor its issuance and check whether the receipt needs to be extended. For international travel, the receipt does not replace a passport; boarding, entry and return requirements must be checked against the documents available.
How Long Is the CRNM Valid?
Residence for a Fixed Term
As a general rule, the card’s validity follows the term of the residence authorization. As that period approaches its end, the holder must check whether the category allows renewal, a change to an indefinite term or another basis for residence. Simply requesting a new card does not extend the authorization. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 73.
Residence for an Indefinite Term
The general rule is to issue a CRNM valid for nine years, even where residence is authorized for an indefinite term. In that situation, the card’s expiration does not, by itself, end the right to reside, but the identity document must be brought up to date. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 74.
The decree provides for cards of indefinite validity for holders who have reached sixty years of age by the document’s expiration date and for persons with disabilities, subject to the applicable eligibility and evidence requirements. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 74.
Even residence for an indefinite term remains subject to rules on maintaining and losing that status. An absence from Brazil exceeding two years without justification, for example, is a statutory ground for loss of authorization, to be examined in a specific proceeding. This subject is covered in the guide More Than Two Years Outside Brazil: Loss of Residence. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Articles 135 and 137.
Are Renewal, Replacement and a Duplicate Card the Same Thing?
No. Before choosing a service, it is necessary to identify what needs updating:
- Renewal of residence authorization: concerns the right to continue residing after the authorized term ends. It depends on the rules for the relevant category and may require fresh evidence that the requirements are met.
- Replacement of the CRNM: applies, for example, where the card expires while residence is authorized for an indefinite term, or where biographical details change. Federal Police — Replacing a CRNM
- Duplicate CRNM: issued where the document is lost, mislaid, stolen, taken in a robbery or damaged, retaining the previous card’s details and expiration date. It is not a new grant of residence. Federal Police — Requesting a Duplicate CRNM
The Federal Police states that, as a general rule, renewal may be requested during the ninety days before expiration. The application channel and documents depend on the authorization to be maintained or renewed. Federal Police — CRNM Renewal Guidance.
For a card that has already expired, missed deadlines, fines and steps to regularize status, see Expired CRNM: Renewing the Card and Maintaining Residence in Brazil.
Which Changes Must Be Reported?
The regulations require address and electronic contact details to be kept up to date. Changes to name, marital status, nationality or other biographical details may also require registration records to be updated and the card replaced, as applicable. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Articles 70 and 75.
In the event of marriage, divorce or a name change, the civil documents and immigration records must be checked for consistency, and the instruments supporting the change must be submitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Enter My RNM in a Field Labeled “RNE”?
Generally, yes, where the field asks for the former immigration identification number. Check the registration instructions and copy the number shown on the card, without confusing it with a CPF, passport or filing receipt number.
Does the CPF Replace the CRNM?
No. The CPF is a taxpayer registration. The CRNM is the immigration identity document, and residence authorization determines the right to reside. Having a CPF does not remove the need to complete the applicable immigration formalities.
Does My RNM Cease to Exist When the Card Expires?
It is the document that expires, and, depending on the category, this may coincide with the end of the residence authorization. Expiration does not simply mean that the registration number has been deleted. The correct action depends on whether residence is authorized for a fixed or indefinite term.
Do Children Also Need a CRNM?
Children and adolescents holding temporary visas or residence authorizations must also register. Each family member must have their own status documented, with the involvement of their legal representative where applicable. Decree No. 9,199/2017, Article 62.
Can I Renew My CRNM at a Brazilian Consulate?
The CRNM renewal procedure is carried out with the Federal Police in Brazil. A consulate cannot replace that service. Anyone abroad should check in advance which documents are needed to return and the status of their residence. Federal Police — Renewing a CRNM in Brazil.
Does Requesting a Duplicate Card Extend Its Validity?
No. A duplicate retains the previous card’s expiration date. If the card has expired or is expiring, or residence needs to be renewed, the appropriate service must be identified, rather than using a duplicate card as an extension. Federal Police — Requesting a Duplicate CRNM
Identifying the Correct Immigration Procedure
Checking the legal basis and term of the authorization, the card’s validity and the registration makes it possible to arrange the service appropriate to the foreign national’s circumstances.
Check which registration or immigration procedure applies to the foreign national’s circumstances.