Documents After Giving Birth in Brazil: Step-by-Step...

Giving birth in Brazil automatically grants the newborn Brazilian citizenship by birthright (Jus Soli), and opens the door for parents, older siblings, and even grandparents to obtain permanent residency (PR). However, to secure these rights and legally travel with your child, you need to complete a specific set of bureaucratic procedures.

This guide is a practical addition to our comprehensive handbook Giving Birth in Brazil 2026: Complete Guide, covering clinic selection, detailed budgets, and preparation.

This step-by-step guide covers the entire documentation process after giving birth in Brazil in 2026.

Document Checklist to Bring from Your Home Country

Before traveling to Brazil, make sure you have gathered and apostilled the following documents (an apostille can only be issued in the country where the document was originally created):

1. Parents' Marriage Certificate (apostilled).
2. Parents' Birth Certificates (apostilled) — required by some Federal Police departments to verify parents' names (the baby's grandparents).
3. Parents' Criminal Background Checks (apostilled) — must be issued no more than 90 days prior to filing for residency in Brazil.
4. Older Siblings' Birth Certificates (apostilled) — if you plan to obtain residency for them as well.
5. Notarized Powers of Attorney (Procuração) (apostilled) — mutual spousal powers of attorney to represent each other, collect documents, and authorize international travel for children if one parent needs to depart urgently.

5 Steps of Processing Documents in Brazil

Step 1: Hospital Discharge Form (DNV)
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Step 2: Birth Certificate (Certidão) + CPF (at Cartório with certified translator) — 0 BRL
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Step 3: Brazilian Passport & National ID Card (CIN) for the baby (at Polícia Federal)
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Step 4: Second Citizenship & Passport (at your home country's consulate)
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Step 5: Permanent Residency for parents & siblings (at Polícia Federal, 30–90 days)

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Step 1: Obtaining the DNV (Declaração de Nascido Vivo)

Immediately after delivery at the hospital (whether public via SUS or private), you will receive a yellow form called the DNV (Live Birth Declaration). This is a medical document recording the baby's birth date, time, weight, gender, and the mother's details. Carefully verify the spelling of all names before signing.

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Step 2: Getting the Birth Certificate (Certidão de Nascimento) and CPF

Take the yellow DNV form to the civil registry office — the Cartório de Registro Civil.

• Many large maternity hospitals (such as Maternidade Carmela Dutra in Florianópolis or Dona Helena in Joinville) have a Cartório desk right inside the building. The certificate can be issued within 1–2 hours before you are discharged.
• Cost: The birth certificate in Brazil is completely free by law for both locals and foreigners.
• Along with the birth certificate, the baby is automatically assigned a CPF (individual tax ID number), which is printed directly on the certificate itself. There is no need to visit the tax office separately.
• Legal language requirement: Under Brazilian civil registry laws, if parents do not speak fluent Portuguese, the Cartório officer is legally prohibited from accepting signatures without a certified / sworn translator present to ensure the parents fully understand the civil act.

Required Documents:

• The yellow DNV form from the hospital.
• Passports of both parents.
• Marriage certificate (apostilled and translated by a certified Brazilian public translator / JUCESC). If the parents are not married, both must appear at the Cartório to declare paternity jointly.
• Identification of the certified translator (if parents do not speak Portuguese).

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Step 3: Getting the Child's Brazilian Passport (Passaporte Brasileiro) and National ID (CIN)

The child's passport is processed at the Federal Police (Polícia Federal). It is required for the child to travel internationally.

1. Fill out the child's passport application form on the official Polícia Federal website.
2. Generate and pay the GRU state fee (approximately 257 BRL).
3. Schedule an appointment online at a convenient post (e.g., Floripa Shopping in Florianópolis).
4. Visit the Polícia Federal office with the baby (they will take the baby's photo on-site) and both parents.
5. Collect the passport within 5–10 business days.

Required Documents:

• The child's Birth Certificate (Certidão de Nascimento).
• Passports of both parents.
• Proof of the GRU fee payment.

💡 National ID Card (CIN — Carteira de Identidade Nacional):
In addition to the international passport, it is strongly advised to obtain the newborn's CIN, Brazil's new standardized national ID card based on the child's CPF. The CIN allows seamless domestic identification and enables travel across all Mercosur countries (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, etc.) without an international passport.

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Step 4: Obtaining the Child's Second Citizenship & Passport

If you want the child to have a second citizenship (e.g., European, North American, or CIS country), you must contact your home country's consulate in Brazil (located in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, or Porto Alegre).

1. Get the Brazilian birth certificate apostilled at any Cartório de Notas.
2. Have the certificate translated by a certified public translator into your home language.
3. Submit the documents to your consulate to process citizenship and a national passport (typically takes 2 weeks to 1 month).

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Step 5: Applying for Permanent Residency for Parents (Reunião Familiar)

With the Brazilian birth certificate in hand, parents, older siblings, and even grandparents are eligible for permanent residency under the family reunification pathway (Migration Law No. 13.445/2017).

The residency application is submitted to the Federal Police (Polícia Federal). You will be issued a resident ID card called the CRNM (Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório), which is valid for 9 years (acting as permanent residency).

• Processing Time: 30 to 90 days. Approval is published in the official gazette (Diário Oficial da União — DOU, typically up to 45 days, with extensions if supplementary documents are requested). During this period, you hold an official photo protocol granting full legal status, right to work, bank account opening, and freedom to travel.
• Sworn Translations (JUCESC): Translations through accredited JUCESC translators take 5–10 business days on average, or up to 2 weeks during peak workloads or for large family packages. Initiate translations as soon as you arrive.
• Required Documents: Sismigra application forms, photos, parents' passports, the baby's birth certificate, parents' marriage certificate (with certified translation), apostilled criminal checks from your home country (with certified translations), local Brazilian background checks (generated online in 5 minutes), proof of address, and proof of payment of local GRU fees.

For more details on CPF and residency procedures, read our Bureaucracy Hub in Florianópolis.

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Summary

Securing documents for your newborn and obtaining permanent residency for the parents is a clear, standardized procedure once you bring apostilled documents from your home country. Most steps can easily be completed on your own without expensive relocation agencies.

If you need assistance with document preparation or finding a certified public translator, reach out to verified professionals: Go to Maternity Services.