Opening a Brazilian bank account as a foreigner

Brazilian banks decide for themselves which documents they accept, under rules set by CMN Resolution 4.753 of 2019. In practice you need a CPF, and residents usually also show a CRNM (the Polícia Federal migrant ID card) and proof of address. Itaú, for example, asks for photo ID, proof of address dated within 180 days, and recommends proof of income dated within 60 days.

This page covers foreign nationals living in Brazil and visitors who want an account, including US and UK citizens.

Why a Brazilian account helps

On a long stay, a local account saves money and time. Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system, runs through Brazilian accounts and is used for almost everything: rent, shops, taxis, market stalls and splitting bills with friends. Many landlords and small businesses prefer Pix to cards.

A local account also lets you receive a Brazilian salary, pay utility bills by direct debit, and avoid foreign card fees and the IOF tax on every purchase. If you are staying only a few weeks, you can manage without one; see the last section.

The rule every bank follows

CMN Resolution 4.753 of September 26, 2019 governs opening, keeping and closing deposit accounts. The CMN is Brazil’s National Monetary Council. Its rules are published by the Banco Central.

Article 2 tells banks to verify and validate the identity and “qualification” of each account holder. Qualification means information that lets the bank judge your risk profile and financial capacity. Banks can check what you give them against public and private databases.

Three more points matter for foreigners:

• Each bank writes its own list. Article 8 requires every bank to set its identification criteria in a written internal document. That is why requirements differ from bank to bank.
• Phone calls do not count. Article 3 allows any channel, including apps, but not voice telephone.
• Non-residents are covered too. Article 10 applies the resolution to real-denominated accounts of people resident abroad, subject to specific rules.

The resolution does not mention the CPF. The CPF requirement comes from bank practice, and a missing CPF usually stops the account opening, even where the bank accepts a passport as ID.

Step one: get a CPF

Receita Federal issues the CPF to foreigners for free, resident or not. With only a passport, you apply in person at a Receita unit in Brazil or at a Brazilian consulate abroad. The full process is in how to get a CPF in Brazil as a foreigner.

If you live in Brazil

Residents open an ordinary account. The documents usually include your CPF, your CRNM and proof of address. You receive the CRNM after you register with the Polícia Federal. See registering with the Polícia Federal.

What one bank asks for: Itaú

Itaú offers three ways to open an account and one document list.

The RNE is the older foreigner ID card; the Polícia Federal now issues the CRNM, which replaced it. Bring your CRNM and, if the app rejects it, open the account at a branch.

Other large banks

Santander’s document list for individual accounts accepts, for foreigners, the RNE, a passport with a Polícia Federal visa plus the RNE protocol, or an identity document from Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia or Chile. It also asks for proof of CPF status from Receita Federal and proof of address, such as a utility bill valid for 3 months.

Banco do Brasil, Bradesco and Caixa also serve resident foreigners. Expect a similar set: CPF, CRNM, proof of address and often proof of income.

Check before you go: document lists change, and branch staff do not always know the rules for foreigners. Call or visit the branch first, ask which documents it accepts from a foreigner with a CRNM, and bring originals and copies of everything.

Digital banks

Digital banks are the easiest option for many residents. Banco Inter, Nubank, PicPay, C6 Bank, Mercado Pago and PagBank are popular with foreigners who hold an RNM (CRNM). You apply in the app with photos of your documents and a selfie, and approval can take minutes to days.

Each bank sets its own list. Nubank, for example, accepts the RNE, the RNM or a Ministry of Foreign Affairs identity document from foreigners, and the passport for Brazilians only. Check the requirements inside each app before you apply, and try a second bank if one rejects you.

Proof of address without a utility bill

New arrivals often have no bill in their name. Ask the bank what it accepts instead. Common options include a signed lease, a bill in your landlord’s name with a declaration from the landlord, or a statement from your employer.

If you do not live in Brazil

Brazil has a separate account type for people resident abroad, the non-resident account (conta de não residente, often called CNR or CDE).

Lei 14.286 of December 29, 2021, the foreign exchange law, defines a non-resident as a person resident, domiciled or headquartered abroad (Article 1). Article 5 gives the Banco Central power to regulate real-denominated accounts held by non-residents, including how they are opened. Article 5, paragraph 4 says these accounts get the same treatment as residents’ accounts, except for the requirements the Banco Central sets.

Banco Central Resolution BCB 277 of December 31, 2022 lets institutions authorized to operate in the foreign exchange market open and keep real-denominated accounts for non-residents on the same conditions as for residents (art. 67). The bank can request or waive documents based on its assessment of the client, and third-party movements are limited (art. 68).

Few banks open these accounts in practice:

• Opening any account is a two-sided contract, so a bank may decline.
• Banks generally open non-resident accounts only for clients with a special relationship or significant investments.
• The account must be opened at a bank authorized to operate in foreign exchange, and it cannot be joint.

BTG Pactual, Banco Rendimento, C6 Bank and Itaú Personnalité are among the banks that offer non-resident accounts. Contact the bank’s non-resident or private-banking desk directly, and expect detailed questions about your income and the source of funds.

A visitor on a tourist entry cannot usually open a Brazilian digital account. If you visit often but live abroad, a multi-currency account from home may serve you better.

Paying without a Brazilian account

If you are visiting, you may not need an account. Wise offers Pix QR code payments from the Wise app while you are physically in Brazil. Payments settle in reais and cover goods and services only, with no person-to-person transfers or cash withdrawals. Each payment is capped at R$ 10,000 (about US$1,970, checked Oct 2026).

Check before you go: open the Wise app before you travel and check that Pix payments are available for your account and country of residence.

Cards and cash cover the rest. See money in Brazil for card fees, ATMs and the IOF tax.

Staying safe with Pix

Pix is fast, and transfers are hard to reverse. Phone theft in big cities often targets banking apps. Protect yourself:

• Set low daytime and night-time Pix limits in the app, and raise them only when needed.
• Use a strong phone lock and a separate password for the banking app.
• Check the recipient’s name before you confirm any Pix.
• Never send Pix to someone who contacts you claiming to be from your bank.

Before you go to the bank

1. Get your CPF from Receita Federal.
2. If you live in Brazil, register with the Polícia Federal and get your CRNM.
3. Collect a utility bill in your name dated within 180 days, or ask the bank what it accepts instead.
4. Bring proof of income dated within 60 days.
5. Read your chosen bank’s own document list before you apply.
6. If you live abroad, ask the bank directly about a non-resident account, and be ready for a refusal.
7. Once the account is open, set low Pix transfer limits in the app.

Related routes

Start with how to get a CPF. If you are moving to Brazil, read registering with the Polícia Federal and Brazil tax residency for foreigners. For a short trip, money in Brazil covers cards, cash and Pix workarounds.