All foreigners may acquire real estate in Brazil. There are no restrictions to these investments, both in terms of amounts invested and in the number of real estate units. There are restrictions regarding real estate located in rural areas or in borders with other countries.
Below, the law states that:
The buyer must have a permanent place of residence in Brazil (authorization to become a resident or acquired nationality)
Real estate in rural areas must be registered at the National Rural Registration System (SNCR) and be equal to o less than 3 modules (*)
The law restricts land acquisition by foreigners to a percentage of each municipality´s territory. In case the real estate being considered surpasses this limit, the sale can only be concluded with the authorization of the President of Republic, through an administrative ruling;
Prior authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture is required when the interested party is a corporate entity, and the real estate is in a rural area;
If the real estate is located in or within 150km of one of the country’s international borders , or within 100km of federal highways, the sale can only be concluded with the authorization of the National defense Council;
If the party interested in acquiring real estate in a rural area is of Portuguese nationality, with a reciprocity certificate as acknowledgment by the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988, there is no need to obtain authorization from INCRA.
(*) a module is a measurement unit expressed in hectares. It must be established for all rural real estate. By taking into account the dimensions, the geographic situation as well as its shape and associated economic value.
