Brazil eSIM and SIM card guide

Vivo sells a Tourist Plan eSIM for R$ 55 (about US$11, checked Oct 2026) with 25 GB for 30 days, bought online. Claro sells a Flex Pass eSIM for international visitors with 20 to 40 GB. Regular prepaid chips ask for a CPF, Brazil’s taxpayer number, though Claro registers foreigners with a passport in its stores.

This page is for visitors whose phone is not locked to a home carrier. Conversions use R$ 5.08 per US$1, the rate used on money in Brazil.

Why you want a Brazilian number

A local data plan pays for itself within a day or two. Brazil runs on WhatsApp: pousadas, guides, boat operators and even some bus companies confirm bookings there. Ride apps, Pix payments and bank verification all assume you have mobile data. Home-carrier roaming is usually far more expensive than a local plan.

The three national carriers are Vivo, Claro and TIM. All three cover the big cities and main highways well. Coverage in rural areas differs by carrier and by region, so ask locally which network works best where you are going.

Your options at a glance

Visitors have two easy eSIM routes and several regular prepaid options. The table compares them.

For most short trips, a visitor eSIM is the simplest choice. A regular prepaid chip makes sense for longer stays, or once you have a CPF.

Vivo Tourist Plan

The Vivo Tourist Plan costs R$ 55 for 30 days. It includes 25 GB of data, 300 minutes and 100 SMS. It is an eSIM only, sent by email.

How it works:

1. Buy on the Vivo page with a credit card. Hipercard and Diners are not accepted.
2. Install the eSIM on your phone.
3. Activate within 15 days of purchase.
4. The 30 days start at activation, so activate after you land.

You register with your passport number and need no CPF. Vivo stores in Brazil also sell the plan, which helps if your card is refused online.

Claro Flex Pass

Claro’s Flex Pass is an eSIM for international visitors. Plans come with 20, 30 or 40 GB, from 15 days up to 30 days. Calls and SMS within Brazil are unlimited.

You buy it in the Claro Flex app:

1. Choose “I’m an international visitor.”
2. Pick a plan and register with your passport number and a temporary address in Brazil.
3. Pay with an international credit card, with 3D Secure.
4. The eSIM activates within minutes, with a Brazilian number.

No Brazilian ID is required. English support runs 24/7 in the app. Prices are in US dollars and shown in the app. At launch in November 2025, the plans cost US$9.32 for 20 GB, US$11.20 for 30 GB and US$13.00 for 40 GB. Check the app for the current price before you buy.

TIM

TIM points international visitors to its Chip TOP prepaid plan. In October 2026 it advertised 45 GB for R$ 64.99 (about US$13, checked Oct 2026) a month, with WhatsApp included. TIM says these amounts are promotional.

You buy the chip at a TIM store or a retailer such as a newsstand, pharmacy or supermarket. It is a physical chip, so your phone needs a free SIM slot.

Check before you go: if you want TIM as an eSIM, or need to register with a passport, ask at a TIM store in a shopping mall. Staff there handle foreign customers more often than small retailers do.

Regular prepaid chips and the CPF

Brazilian law requires prepaid carriers to keep a register of every user. Lei 10.703 of 2003 asks for the full name, address and either an ID document number or a Ministry of Finance registry number (the CPF).

Each carrier applies this in its own way:

• Vivo Pré. Registration asks for your CPF, a selfie and a photo of your document, front and back. You then recharge to finish activation.
• Claro. Foreigners without a CPF bring a passport or RNE. Activation happens only in physical Claro stores.

For the CPF itself, see how to get a CPF.

Vivo Pré recharges:

All prices checked Oct 2026. Data renews automatically when you have a valid balance of at least R$ 1. You can recharge in the carrier app, at pharmacies, newsstands and supermarkets, or with Pix.

eSIM in a store

Both Claro and Vivo can set up an eSIM in person. Foreigners can activate a Claro prepaid eSIM with a passport, in physical stores only. An eSIM is free through Claro’s online channels and costs R$ 15.00 (about US$3, checked Oct 2026) in a store.

Vivo lets you activate an eSIM in the Vivo app, at a Vivo store or in your phone’s settings. Supported phones include the iPhone 11 or later and the Samsung Galaxy S22 or later. Bring your passport and phone to the store, and expect the process to take a while at busy times.

Will your phone work

Most recent phones from major brands work in Brazil with a local SIM or eSIM. The phone must be unlocked and compatible with Brazilian networks. Anatel, Brazil’s telecom regulator, also runs a program called Celular Legal that blocks irregular phones.

A phone bought abroad works if Anatel has certified the model or the model is covered by the program’s international agreements. If a phone is flagged as irregular and used with a new Brazilian line, the owner gets an SMS notice, and the phone stops working on Brazilian networks after 60 days. Short visits rarely run into this.

Check before you go: confirm your phone is unlocked with your home carrier, and that it supports eSIM if you plan to use one. If you buy a used phone in Brazil, check its IMEI on Anatel’s website for a blocking record. Phones with two SIMs have a separate IMEI for each.

Coverage off-route

Large areas of Brazil outside cities have weak or no cellular coverage. National parks, long stretches of highway in the North and Center-West, and boat routes in the Amazon often have no signal. Do not rely on GPS apps alone. Download offline maps before you leave the last town.

Avoid public Wi-Fi networks for banking or payments. Airports such as Salvador offer free Wi-Fi for booking rides, but a working eSIM means you do not need it. Many pousadas in remote areas have Wi-Fi even where mobile signal is poor.

Keep your home number

Keep your home SIM active if your bank sends security codes by text. A dual-SIM or eSIM-capable phone lets you run both lines at once. Turn off data roaming on the home line to avoid charges, and leave it on only for texts.

Quick checklist

1. Check that your phone is not carrier-locked and supports eSIM.
2. Buy a visitor eSIM before you fly, or plan a store visit with your passport.
3. Activate after landing so the 30 days start in Brazil.
4. Keep your home SIM for bank texts.
5. Download offline maps for off-route stretches.

Who can skip a Brazilian SIM

Skip a local plan if your home carrier includes Brazil roaming at a fair daily rate and your trip is short. Also skip it if your phone is locked to your home carrier, since a local SIM will not work. Everyone else saves money and hassle with a local eSIM.

Next, set up your ride apps with Uber, 99 and taxis in Brazil and plan your airport to city route.