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Sending money to Brazil is way more complex than most foreign citizens expect. Brazil has a history of extreme regulation of monies entering and leaving the country. Banks in Brazil face fines in the hundreds of thousands of reais if such wire transfers are not scrutinized and documented. So, it is not a surprise that in case of doubt Brazilian banks will always be overzealous.
Brazilian banks may take several weeks to release large amounts (e.g.: over R$500,000) requiring that the receiving party provide many documents and get an additional registration done with their currency exchange departments.
No! Currency exchange departments in traditional Brazilian banks take a long time to review the documents and approve the transaction. There is also a substantial disconnection between the bank back-office and the branch personnel and the fact that most bank employees are not fluent in English, bringing more friction to the mix.
Unfortunately not. Although it doesn't take you more than 10 minutes to send a wire transfer from the USA, the remittance will not be of any good unless the recipient actually gets the money! It is not uncommon for Brazilian banks to return wire transfers to the USA after the recipient party fails to satisfy the bank's requirements.
No. It is never guaranteed. We can tell you that for the most straightforward and well-supported transactions, the recipient bank will almost always release the funds. The problem is that not every transaction is interpreted as "straightforward" by the banks.
Yes, it is concerning since you cannot time the release of the funds to match with the closing. This is the dilemma: commercial banks in Brazil will always push for large payments to be made directly to the selling party. But, this will destroy any leverage that you could have to make the seller attend the closing and transfer title.
No. There is no title insurance or escrow accounts in Brazil.
First, educate yourself by learning how things work in Brazil. You should not assume that cross-border transactions work the same way they work in your country of origin. Second, allow yourself a long time between signing the contract and the closing date. We recommend a period of 60 to 90 days. The more time you have, the higher the chances you will get your ducks in a row to successfully transfer the required funds while retaining the right conditions for a safe closing.
And, it is within this context that we explore the different ways to send money to Brazil, their pros, and their cons.
Learn the three main ways to send money to Brazil, their pros, and their cons.
If you are transferring small payments to family, friends, or even a small downpayment upon signing a property purchase contract, you may want to check how to transfer amounts of up to USD10,000 through apps to Brazil.
If you need to send any amount through traditional bank channels, make sure you have solid documentation to support your remittance, and you don't mind the seller being fully paid before you get legal title to the property you are buying. Learn more on how to send money to Brazil through the usual bank system.
Currency Exchange Banks in Brazil (not to the same as brokers) represent an alternative to traditional banks such as Bradesco, Itau, Santander, and Banco do Brasil. Learn how Currency Exchange Banks are better prepared to structure cross-border payments for foreign parties.
By just learning these seven things you need to know when transferring money to Brazil, you will be better prepared than the vast majority of people trying to send money to Brazil! Check it now.
Have a question not previously answered? Check our definitive FAQ to read all questions and answers ever received by our staff. Got a question not addressed? Ask this question on our YouTube page to have it answered at no cost to you and added to our FAQ.
Are you in a hurry and got only 3 minutes to spare? Want to know some of the main things to know when transferring money to Brazil to purchase Real Estate. Watch our Sending Money to Brazil to Buy Real Estate video now!
Are you in a hurry and got only 3 minutes to spare? Want to know some of the main things to know when transferring money to Brazil to purchase Real Estate. Watch our Sending Money to Brazil to Buy Real Estate video now!
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
Until not long ago, the so-called apps were not authorized to work in Brazil. The Bolsonaro administration has gradually and substantially reduced the barriers for such apps to operate in Brazil as well as red tape across the administration's departments.
Today Western Union operates in most main Brazilian cities. While you can send money to Brazil by depositing in a western union store in your country of residency for the Brazilian counterparty to withdraw the funds in Brazil, most remittances are capped at really low amounts. Most stores will cap the remittance to R$10.000,00 while others will have even lower caps.
Wise is currently considered the easiest way to send money to Brazil. While it is not clear how much Wise operations have been vetted by the Brazilian authorities, we are aware of a large number of foreign individuals successfully sending money to Brazil through Wise.
Just like Western Union, Wise is also limited to lower amounts. However, it looks like Wise actually allows larger amounts to be sent to Brazil (e.g.: up to USD10,000).
Warning: the fact that you have remitted funds to Brazil successfully through Wise in the past does not mean you will continue to be able to do so. Many of our clients have reported increased document requirements over time (e.g., copies of passport, source of funds, etc.) and even plain refusal of the company in allowing additional remittances.
Copy of an actual warning from Wise.
Being aware of such risks is important so you don't end up learning you cannot send more money right before a payment deadline is up.
Paypal has two main modalities for money remittance: (a) purchase of sales or goods and (b) family and friends.
We do not recommend using Paypal for remitting money to a party in Brazil. We have personally experienced issues related to Paypal arbitrarily withholding funds. The last thing you want to happen when sending money to honor a contract is Paypal sitting on your money while the seller gets mad at you and you face the risk of severe contractual penalties being triggered.
Monito has an interesting business model. Instead of actually processing the remittances, they ask you some basic info about your remittance and then show how the actual processors would handle the transaction along with associated fees. Among Monito's partner processors are Wise, MoneyGram, and others.
Depending on where you are sending the funds from, you may want to check other money remittance processors such as MoneyGram, small world, WorldRemit, Skrill, Paysend, and Remitly.
Important: we do not endorse any of these services here described. It is up to you to select and investigate the trustworthiness of the money remittance processor. Use money remittance processors at your own peril.
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
In this section, we discuss traditional wire transfers initiated in the senders' country of origins with the payee in Brazil.
How to Pick Banks in Brazil
Traditional banks in Brazil such as Bradesco, Itau, and Banco do Brasil usually take several days to process a wire transfer from abroad. It is not uncommon for people to wait weeks until the funds are released.
Banks specializing in currency exchange are usually much faster. They can review documents quicker and get a wire transfer released in just a few days.
The situation may be even worse in smaller towns
When a party tries to receive a wire transfer in smaller Brazilian towns or branches in the suburbs of any towns chances of trouble increase even more since local branches have little to zero experience with international wire transfers.
We usually assist our clients by using partner banks specializing in currency exchange to expedite the remittance process. Bankers who have been handling wire transfers for many years are better prepared to assist with wire transfers of larger sums.
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Examples of transactions prone to be declined by traditional Brazilian banks:
(1) you want your attorney to receive the funds on your behalf to take to the closing as a certified check; (2) your source of income comes from a business instead of employment; (3) a parent or a relative will be paying part or all of the cost.
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In terms of how to send money when buying real estate in Brazil, there are two main approaches:
Sending the payment directly by bank transfer (e.g.: from your Chase, Bank of America, etc.) to the seller may be the preferred approach for sending a smaller downpayment (e.g., no more than 10% of the total purchase price).
Downside - Risk of Paying Seller Before Closing
We don't like to see our clients paying large amounts to the seller by bank transfer previous to closing. Sending a full payment to sellers before the closing will put you in a very fragile position since a seller may not necessarily attend the closing later on (e.g., seller dies between payment and closing date, seller change his mind about selling, or seller intends to defraud the buyer).
Upside - Let the Seller Do the Leg Work
The biggest upside of sending monies directly to a real estate seller is that this person is highly motivated to be paid. As long as you give the seller a clear and conspicuous heads up about the fact that their bank will ask them for lots of documents and require a lot of communication, the seller will be the one bearing the burden of making the bank release the funds.
Through a power of attorney (POA), you can have a lawyer or a family member representing you at the closing. A valid POA allows you to transfer the closing funds to the POA holder instead of the seller.
The POA holder can then use your funds to obtain a certified check at his bank and use this certified check to pay the seller during the closing. The advantage of this approach is that the seller will not get your money until the moment that they sign the transfer of title.
Downside - Can You Trust Your POA?
Sending your money to someone in Brazil involves substantial risk. Is this person reliable? What if this person end up kidnapped because of the money?
If buying a property in Brazil
You would then issue a certified check with the funds from your Brazilian bank to attend the closing in person. Your check should be handed to the seller only after the seller signs the transfer of title at closing. The downsides of this approach for parties living outside of Brazil would be the multiple trips required to Brazil (open the bank account, attend the closing, etc.)
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
You need a legitimate reason to send large amounts of money to someone in Brazil. The legitimacy of such transactions is closely evaluated by Brazilian banks from a technical perspective. The two main factors involved in such analysis are: (a) Declared Income and (b) Purpose of the transfer.
Most of our clients need to send a large amount of money when buying real estate properties in Brazil. For this purpose, banks will focus their analysis on (a) deciding if your declared income is compatible with the price of the property you are buying and (b) if there is a certainty that you are buying the property.
It is common for our clients to say "the red tape involved in getting a transfer of money to Brazil is unbearable." Many of our clients decide to hire us after missing the closing date, incurring in substantial penalties (e.g., 10% of the contract amount), and being threatened to be sued by the seller.
If you need professional help getting a transfer to Brazil, contact us today. To get your specific questions answered by our attorneys, please schedule a paid consultation here.
Currency Exchange Banks
3.1) How are Currency Exchange Banks different from Everyday Banks in Brazil?
Everyday banks in Brazil are banks such as Bradesco, Itau, and Banco do Brasil. Most of them have branches. Newcomers as Nubank and Banco Inter do not have branches, but they are also focused on traditional banking operations. Such banks have currency exchange departments in their back offices that are not closely integrated with their branches or customer service channels. There is a lot of disconnection and friction when you use such banks. As their experience with currency exchance is also limited, they will choose to work with only transactions that fit neatly in what they see as straightforward transactions. Any variation in scenario will probably cause them to reject your transaction.
Currency exchange banks in Brazil will usually stay away from traditional banking operations and focus their resources on currency exchange and a few other specialized types of transaction.
3.2) Can I simply hire the services of a Currency Exchange Bank and be worry-free?
The main downside of using such banks is that they are not usually too happy with working with consumers.
They will rather work with a more sophisticated party who will not waste their time with transactions that end up not materializing or requiring too many interactions.
3.3) Which are the circumstances when a payor must seek a currency exchange bank?
The three main reasons to use currency exchange banks instead of an everyday Brazilian bank:
1) Seller is unwilling or incapable of handling the legwork required to release funds through their own bank;
2) Your source of income is unconventional and everyday banks will not accept it;
3) your tax returns do not support a level of income required to purchase the property as per everyday bank standards;
3.4 )Can I work directly with the currency exchange bank? Or, do I have to hire you as my attorney?
Now, even when working with a currency exchange bank, you would still have to decide to work with this bank "solo" or hire an attorney like us to intermediate the transaction.
Large remittances to Brazil are highly scrutinized and no legitimate bank or financial institution in Brazil will allow them without a substantial amount of paperwork and red tape. Do not rely on individuals, intermediaries, or small agencies abroad as they may be operating off books. If someone takes your money and does not credit you in Brazil, you may be out of luck for good.
Sophisticated Recipients
Professional sellers of luxury real estate in Brazil are usually the parties best prepared to interact with their bankers and enable such remittances to be received through a regular commercial bank such as Itau, Bradesco, Banco do Brasil, or Santander.
All Other Recipients
Most of the other sellers, whether middle-class citizens or even private wealthy sellers of real estate in Brazil have no clue about the red tape involved in receiving substantial sums of money from abroad.
Because of such lack of experience, and the optimistic nature of Brazilians, such sellers will usually get into a sale transaction with a foreign buyer without understanding the complexity of such transaction. It is not a surprise that many of these transactions will end up in trouble.
Sellers will get annoyed when they do not get their money on time, buyers will get spooked when their money gets entangled between the sender and the receiver bank, and attorneys may need to get involved when it is unclear if penalty clauses addressing late payment will be applicable or not.
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
So, now you know that sending large amounts of money to Brazil will almost inevitably result in some level of headache. What can you do to reduce the friction of such transactions? Tips to reduce friction and headache:
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
For smaller amounts, sending money through the apps/digital platforms make sense. For larger amounts (e.g., the total required for a real estate purchase), a traditional wire transfer is the way to go.
From an accounting and tax authority perspective, any monies entering the country must be declared by the receiving party. Because of such requirements, the use of regular wire transfers with the support of an accountant to properly file your tax return in Brazil will bring maximum peace of mind.
NO, YOU CAN NOT. First, you need to declare to the Brazilian Federal Police any amounts higher than R$10,000 (roughly USD2,000). If you don't declare and they find the cash, the cash will be seized and you will have to wait months to retrieve it (considering you are able to prove it came from a legitimate source of income) and spend big money with attorneys.
What about if I declare the money prior to arriving in Brazil? See the next question.
NOT A GOOD IDEA. There is an assumption worldwide that good people don't carry hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Sorry to break the news, but carrying bags of cash is done mostly by smugglers, drug traffickers, thieves, and other types unable to move money through legitimate channels.
So, even if you properly declare to the Brazilian Customers / Brazilian Federal Police that you are carrying this amount of cash, there is a substantial chance that your cash will still be seized until you can convince the authorities that your money is clean.
To send little money, consider apps such as Western Union and Wise. To send more money, you will need to send through a regular wire transfer not forgetting that the recipient party will need to show documents, contracts, and proof of destination for the monies sent by wire transfer.
Western Union and Wise work are some of the money transfer services available in Brazil. Such money transmitters work well for US-based parties sending little amounts. Through these services, you can have a money transfer directly to the recipient account or available as cash pickup in Brazil.
To send more money (e.g.: over $10,000) it is not possible to send money online. You will need to send through a regular wire transfer not forgetting that the recipient party will need to show documents, contracts, and proof of destination for the monies sent by wire transfer.
By opening a bank account in Brazil you may be able to transfer your funds from abroad to your bank account in Brazil. Most banks will still require you to send money through a traditional wire transfer, meaning you are still required to present documents to release the money in Brazil.
Additionally, while some banks in Brazil are starting to allow bank accounts to be opened remotely, this does not apply to foreign citizens who do not have at least a national Brazilian ID known as the "Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório" (National Migration ID Card). This ID is issued only to foreign citizens with the intention to migrate to Brazil.
Travelers to Brazil can bring up to R$10.000 in cash without any formalities. For amounts over R$10.000, it is necessary that the person completes an e-DVB notice previous to arriving in Brazil.
Although the Brazilian revenue does not address what would happen if someone was bringing a large amount of cash (e.g., USD100,000), we assume that the carrier could be temporarily stopped by the police to assess the origin and purpose of such money.
In addition to the above inconvenience, there is also the risk of getting the cash stolen.
Therefore, we highly recommend for travelers to Brazil not carry significant amounts of cash on them.
We advise you not to have cost as the main driver of your decision on how to transfer money to Brazil. All the banks involved in transferring monies to Brazil must follow stringent rules related to how to analyze and document the remittances. These procedures cost money and such cost is naturally factored into the conversion exchange to be applied to your transaction.
Unnaturally high currency exchange rates are usually offered only by non-legit parties such as non-registered intermediaries and individuals or small entities doing the so-called "dolar-cabo". Dolar cabo happens when two parties agree to release funds in different currencies in different countries without actually moving any funds. This is considered a crime in Brazil and most countries.
No. It is a terrible idea and it is also a crime. In addition to be involved in a criminal activity, you would also risk losing all your money since the individual may be a scammer who has no intentions to give you any Brazilian reais after you give him access to your US Dollars.
There is no pre-fixed limit on how much money you can send to Brazil. Banks will review remittances on a case by case basis. Main factors considered are your declared income in your country of origin and how well you can prove to the bank that the underlying transaction is legitimate.
It is the illegal practice of trading dollars in the gray market for deposit in an institution abroad. This may or may not involve actual cross-border transfers of money. The practice is a crime under article 22 of the Brazilian Law concerning crimes against the Financial System. It is often used in money laundering schemes.
No, you cannot. Sending money on a piece-meal basis to avoid detection or compliance by Brazilian banks is considered a crime in Brazil and many other countries. There is even a term for that: smurfing. Smurfing is a money-laundering technique involving the structuring of large amounts of cash into multiple small transactions. Smurfs often spread these small transactions over many different accounts, to keep them under regulatory reporting limits and avoid detection.
Brazil is still working on a legal framework for cryptocurrencies.
Although not necessarily the same thing, it has been decided by some Brazilian courts that property purchase contracts may indicate an amount in US dollars as long as the actual transaction is liquidated in Brazilian reais.
In any scenario, we strongly recommend that parties in a real estate contract avoid indicating currencies other than Brazilian reais since the Brazilian legislation at the time of this writing disfavors such contracts and will actually hold many of them unenforceable.
Yes, with the RNE card and the CPF you can open a bank account. CPFs are provided to any foreign citizens acquiring properties in Brazil. You do not need to become a citizen first. Remember that the RNE cards (Brazilian IDs for foreign citizens) will be given only to those with migrant intent and a respective application.
Loans in Brazil are more difficult to obtain than in countries such as the US. Although not impossible, financial entities in Brazil will almost never extend loans to foreign buyers.
Financial entities in Brazil will require a solid credit history in addition to sources of income verifiable in Brazil (meaning they will almost always ignore your income outside of Brazil).
A US lender would rarely accept collateral in Brazil. However, if you are able to secure a loan in the US based on other collateral (e.g., a home you own in the US), yes, you should be able to use the funds to purchase real estate in Brazil.
Yes, many people feel the same. The current Brazil administration is working towards reducing the bureaucracy, but we don't see that happening any time soon. The truth is that Brazil is a unique country. People who really appreciate the country and the culture will find a way to go through all the hoops to own property in Brazil. And, do not forget. We offer a service where we take care of every single aspect of the property purchase process so you can just sit back and relax. The fee for this all-inclusive service is usually 5% of the property amount with a minimum amount applicable.
A sample list of documents, which may vary depending on the bank.
Please ask your question as a comment on this youtube video. Questions posted there are answered quickly and then posted here as well.
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
Watch our 3-minute video to know the basics about transferring money to Brazil by clicking here.
And, don't forget to access and bookmark our complete Buying Real Estate Properties in Brazil YouTube playlist.
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
To learn all about purchasing real estate in Brazil, check our How to Buy Properties in Brazil guide.
You can also learn about the advantages of buying real estate in Brazil in our Why Buying Real Estate in Brazil guide. Find opportunities and decide where to buy using our Know Where to Buy Real Estate in Brazil guide.
For legal issues or decisions of any kind, the reader should retain and consult legal counsel. You should not act or rely on the information on this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The determination of whether you need legal services and your choice of a lawyer are very important matters that should not be based on websites or advertisements.
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