Brazil’s Federal Police (PF) has sent shockwaves through corporate-immigration circles by publicly listing the full names of dozens of foreign nationals fined for missing the 30-day post-arrival registration deadline. The unprecedented disclosure appeared in the PF’s Administrative Bulletin uploaded on December 9 but was spotted by advisers on December 11 and dominated compliance discussions by December 13.
Under Brazil’s Migration Law, every non-tourist entrant—whether on a work permit, student status, digital-nomad visa or as a dependent—must appear in person at a PF office within 30 days of first entry to be photographed, fingerprinted and to show original documents. Penalties start at R$100 but escalate daily and can exceed R$7,000 for serious overstays. By posting names as well as amounts, the PF is clearly leveraging public pressure to drive better observance of the rule.
For multinational employers the move introduces new reputational and employee-relations risks. Global-mobility managers report that assignees now demand proof of timely registration, and several firms are building automated PF reminders into HRIS dashboards. Immigration counsel warn that fines must be paid before any renewal or change-of-status filing and that unpaid penalties can trigger deportation proceedings.
![Brazilian Federal Police ‘Name-and-Shame’ Bulletin Raises Stakes for Late Registration]()
To simplify these requirements, employers and travelers can lean on the turnkey support offered by VisaHQ. Through its Brazil desk (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) the company arranges PF registration appointments, tracks the 30-day deadline, and issues automated alerts so that assignees don’t incur avoidable fines—all while giving HR teams real-time visibility into case status.
Practical steps include pre-booking PF appointments before an employee lands, archiving boarding passes as evidence of the 30-day clock, and budgeting extra lead time in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte where regional PF offices increasingly insist on apostilled originals. Employers are also urged to familiarise staff with PagTesouro, the government’s online payments portal, because paper payment slips are being phased out.
With Brazil expecting record foreign arrivals ahead of COP-30 in 2026, the PF’s message is unmistakable: compliance will be visible—and costly—for those who fall out of line.
Under Brazil’s Migration Law, every non-tourist entrant—whether on a work permit, student status, digital-nomad visa or as a dependent—must appear in person at a PF office within 30 days of first entry to be photographed, fingerprinted and to show original documents. Penalties start at R$100 but escalate daily and can exceed R$7,000 for serious overstays. By posting names as well as amounts, the PF is clearly leveraging public pressure to drive better observance of the rule.
For multinational employers the move introduces new reputational and employee-relations risks. Global-mobility managers report that assignees now demand proof of timely registration, and several firms are building automated PF reminders into HRIS dashboards. Immigration counsel warn that fines must be paid before any renewal or change-of-status filing and that unpaid penalties can trigger deportation proceedings.
To simplify these requirements, employers and travelers can lean on the turnkey support offered by VisaHQ. Through its Brazil desk (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) the company arranges PF registration appointments, tracks the 30-day deadline, and issues automated alerts so that assignees don’t incur avoidable fines—all while giving HR teams real-time visibility into case status.
Practical steps include pre-booking PF appointments before an employee lands, archiving boarding passes as evidence of the 30-day clock, and budgeting extra lead time in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte where regional PF offices increasingly insist on apostilled originals. Employers are also urged to familiarise staff with PagTesouro, the government’s online payments portal, because paper payment slips are being phased out.
With Brazil expecting record foreign arrivals ahead of COP-30 in 2026, the PF’s message is unmistakable: compliance will be visible—and costly—for those who fall out of line.
