Brazil’s Federal Police (PF) quietly uploaded its latest Administrative Bulletin to the Migration Law register late on 9 December, but the corporate immigration community reacted quickly when the document became public on 11 December. The bulletin lists dozens of fines—ranging from modest R$100 paperwork penalties to a R$7,200 overstay sanction—complete with the full names of the foreign nationals involved. The publication underscores the agency’s determination to enforce the 30-day post-arrival registration rule for all non-tourist entrants.
Under Brazil’s Migration Law, foreign assignees, students and dependants must appear in person at a PF office within 30 days of entry to submit fingerprints, photographs and original documents. The requirement applies even to holders of digital visas and residence permits issued abroad. Failure to do so triggers escalating fines and, in extreme cases, can jeopardise future visa renewals or lead to deportation proceedings.
For organisations and travellers that prefer a turnkey solution, VisaHQ’s Brazil desk can step in to secure PF appointments, review documentation and track the 30-day deadline on your behalf. Its online portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time status updates and automated reminders, ensuring employees stay compliant while freeing HR teams to focus on core tasks.
![Federal Police ‘Name-and-Shame’ List Highlights New Fines for Late Registration]()
Immigration advisers note that the latest bulletin shows a sharp uptick in fines compared with previous releases and that the PF is now publishing names as a deterrent. Multinational employers are advised to tighten arrival protocols: schedule PF appointments before entry where possible, track the 30-day clock in HR systems, and issue reminders to mobile employees and their dependants. Companies should also budget additional time for regional PF offices that have started requesting original, apostilled documents—even when notarised copies were previously accepted.
The enforcement drive coincides with the government’s broader digital-transformation push. From January 2026, the PF plans to merge its legacy scheduling platform with the gov.br single-sign-on system, which will allow HR teams to book appointments online using a corporate digital certificate. While the upgrade promises convenience, advisers warn that system outages during the transition could lengthen queues in major cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte.
Practically, employers should brief travellers on the importance of carrying entry stamps or boarding passes as proof of arrival date, keep scanned copies of all immigration documents on file, and prepare to pay fines online via PagTesouro if a deadline is inadvertently missed. Proactive compliance will not only avoid reputational damage but also prevent delays in obtaining CPF numbers, work cards and bank accounts for newly arrived staff.
Under Brazil’s Migration Law, foreign assignees, students and dependants must appear in person at a PF office within 30 days of entry to submit fingerprints, photographs and original documents. The requirement applies even to holders of digital visas and residence permits issued abroad. Failure to do so triggers escalating fines and, in extreme cases, can jeopardise future visa renewals or lead to deportation proceedings.
For organisations and travellers that prefer a turnkey solution, VisaHQ’s Brazil desk can step in to secure PF appointments, review documentation and track the 30-day deadline on your behalf. Its online portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time status updates and automated reminders, ensuring employees stay compliant while freeing HR teams to focus on core tasks.
Immigration advisers note that the latest bulletin shows a sharp uptick in fines compared with previous releases and that the PF is now publishing names as a deterrent. Multinational employers are advised to tighten arrival protocols: schedule PF appointments before entry where possible, track the 30-day clock in HR systems, and issue reminders to mobile employees and their dependants. Companies should also budget additional time for regional PF offices that have started requesting original, apostilled documents—even when notarised copies were previously accepted.
The enforcement drive coincides with the government’s broader digital-transformation push. From January 2026, the PF plans to merge its legacy scheduling platform with the gov.br single-sign-on system, which will allow HR teams to book appointments online using a corporate digital certificate. While the upgrade promises convenience, advisers warn that system outages during the transition could lengthen queues in major cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte.
Practically, employers should brief travellers on the importance of carrying entry stamps or boarding passes as proof of arrival date, keep scanned copies of all immigration documents on file, and prepare to pay fines online via PagTesouro if a deadline is inadvertently missed. Proactive compliance will not only avoid reputational damage but also prevent delays in obtaining CPF numbers, work cards and bank accounts for newly arrived staff.
