Key Facts
—Getting a CPF is free at any Banco do Brasil branch and costs R$7 at a Correios post office. It takes five to ten minutes and requires only a passport — no long-stay visa, no proof of address, no appointment.
—Tourists can apply. There is no minimum-stay requirement. Anyone planning to rent an apartment, open a bank account or sign any contract in Brazil needs one, regardless of how long they are staying.
—Your CPF is permanent. The eleven-digit number is yours for life. It does not expire, does not change and follows you whether you are resident or non-resident, in Brazil or abroad.
—Status matters more than possession. A CPF can be regular, suspended or cancelled. Only regular status unlocks all services. Fiscal residents who fail to file an annual income tax return for two consecutive years will find their CPF suspended.
