How to get a CPF in Brazil as a foreigner

The CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) is Brazil’s individual taxpayer number, and Receita Federal issues it for free to foreigners, resident or not. If your only ID is a passport, you apply in person: at a Receita Federal unit in Brazil, or at a Brazilian consulate abroad. Partner units such as Correios charge R$ 7.00 (about US$1.40, checked Oct 2026).

This page covers foreign nationals in general, including US, UK, Canadian and Australian passport holders. Mercosur nationals have an extra email route, noted below.

What the CPF is and who can get one

Brazilian and foreign citizens can register, whether they live in Brazil or abroad. There is no minimum age. Registering, checking and updating a CPF costs nothing at Receita Federal itself.

A CPF does not give you any immigration status. It is a tax ID. You still need a visa or residence permit to stay, and a Polícia Federal registration if you live in Brazil (see registering with the Polícia Federal).

Many everyday services ask for it: phone plans, online shopping, gyms, leases and utility contracts. Most banks require a CPF to open an account, even when they accept a passport as ID. Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system, runs through Brazilian accounts, so no CPF usually means no Pix of your own. See money in Brazil.

Your four routes

Getting a CPF inside Brazil

The rule for passport holders is simple. A foreigner whose only ID document is a passport must register in person, even when represented by a proxy.

The process has two steps.

1. Submit the request. Fill in the online form “Inscrever Estrangeiro no CPF” on the gov.br service page. It takes about 5 minutes.
2. Present your documents. If the form generates a service protocol (protocolo de atendimento), you show it with your documents at Receita Federal. This step takes about 2 business days on average.

For the in-person part, book a slot. People without priority status must check available units and schedule through the “Agendar” link on the Receita Federal site. People with a right to priority service can be seen without an appointment at any unit.

Getting a CPF from abroad

The rule from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is direct. A foreigner living abroad must apply in person at a Brazilian consular post. You book the appointment in the e-Consular system (econsular.itamaraty.gov.br) of the consulate or embassy that covers your address.

Bring these:

• The signed FCPF form (the CPF registration form), filled in online on the Receita Federal site
• Your identity document
• Your birth or marriage certificate

The FCPF form opens in a pop-up, so turn off your pop-up blocker or the submission will fail. The service is free. Processing time varies by consulate; ask when you book, and apply well before you need the number.

Email is not an option for a first registration. Foreigners outside Brazil cannot request a new CPF by email. The address cpf.residente.exterior@rfb.gov.br handles only changes, regularization, cancellation, reactivation and lookups for foreigners abroad.

Documents Receita Federal asks for

Receita Federal asks for:

Many passports do not show parents’ names. Carry a birth certificate to be safe.

Check before you go: ask the Receita unit or consulate you will use whether your foreign birth certificate needs an apostille or a sworn translation (tradução juramentada). Getting an apostille at home is far easier than arranging one from Brazil, so sort it out before you travel.

The email route for Mercosur nationals

Receita Federal still serves two groups by email: people from Mercosur and associated countries, and diplomats or members of international organizations and their families.

For email requests, Receita asks for a selfie of you holding your photo ID near your face, with the whole document visible. If you cannot show the full document, send two photos (front and back). Each file can be up to 10 MB. Email requests take about 48 hours on average.

After you register

You will not get a card. The plastic CPF card is no longer issued. You can print the proof of registration (comprovante de inscrição) online, request it by email, or show it in an official app. Printed and digital proof have the same validity. This service is free.

The online printout requires a gov.br account at the Prata (silver) or Ouro (gold) level. A version without gov.br login exists for people who filed no income tax return in the past two years.

Keep your details current. Receita Federal lets you check and update your CPF online. If you live abroad, a yearly update is required. Article 23-A of IN RFB 2.172/2024, added by IN RFB 2.236/2024, says a foreigner aged 16 or over with an address abroad must update the CPF data every year, between 1 January and 31 December, in the Receita Federal mobile app. You give your CPF number and date of birth and photograph your face and your passport in the app. If the app does not work, you request the service through a Brazilian diplomatic mission. The 2024 update was optional. A CPF that misses the update can be suspended, and a suspension can be cancelled after 90 days, so set a yearly reminder. Receita Federal also manages tax residency, so the same number follows you if you move to Brazil. See Brazil tax residency for foreigners.

Common problems and how to avoid them

Most CPF delays come from small mismatches. Your name on the CPF must match your passport exactly, including middle names and the order they appear in. Check the proof of registration before you leave the counter, and ask for a correction on the spot if anything is wrong.

Some websites and shops reject foreign CPFs at first because their forms expect a Brazilian address or a Brazilian phone number. Keep the proof of registration on your phone, and be ready to give your accommodation address. A Brazilian phone number also helps, because many services confirm accounts by SMS.

A CPF in “pending” or “suspended” status can block a bank account or a lease. You can check your status on the Receita Federal site with your CPF number and date of birth. If the status is wrong, fix it at a Receita unit or, from abroad, through a Brazilian consulate.

Never pay an agent or a website to “issue” a CPF. Registration at Receita Federal is free, and the only official fee is the R$ 7.00 charged at partner units. Treat any other charge as a service fee you can avoid.

Step-by-step checklist

1. Decide where you will apply: a Receita unit in Brazil, or a consulate abroad.
2. Check your passport for place of birth, parents’ names and date of birth.
3. If any is missing, bring a birth or marriage certificate.
4. In Brazil: fill in “Inscrever Estrangeiro no CPF” on gov.br, then book a Receita Federal appointment.
5. Abroad: fill in the FCPF form online, sign it, then book a consulate slot on e-Consular.
6. Attend with your passport, the protocol or form, and your certificate.
7. Save the proof of registration as a PDF and in an official app.

Related routes

With a CPF in hand, the next step for most long stays is a bank account. Read opening a Brazilian bank account as a foreigner and money in Brazil. If you will live in Brazil, check the Polícia Federal registration deadline and the tax residency rules.