Can a Foreigner Open a Brazilian Company (REDESIM)?
A foreigner can own 100% of a Brazilian company; a non-resident needs a CPF, a resident attorney and cannot be the administrator. How it works via REDESIM.
A foreigner can open a Brazilian company and own up to 100% of the shares in most activities, and the registration runs through REDESIM on gov.br. The catch is residency, not nationality: a non-resident partner needs a Brazilian CPF, must appoint an attorney-in-fact resident in Brazil, and cannot be the company’s administrator, a role reserved for someone who resides in the country. An online accounting service conducts the registration remotely and holds the CNAE, the tax regime and the CNPJ steps together.
Can a foreigner own a company in Brazil?
Yes. A foreigner can hold up to 100% of a Brazilian company in most activities; a few sectors are restricted by law. Ownership does not require living in Brazil, so a non-resident can be a partner from abroad.
Does a non-resident partner need a CPF?
Yes. A non-resident obtains a Brazilian CPF, through an attorney-in-fact in Brazil, before joining the company. The CNPJ registration cannot be completed without the partners’ CPFs on record.
Who is the attorney-in-fact and why is it required?
It is a person resident in Brazil, Brazilian or a resident foreigner, holding a public power of attorney to represent the partner before the Receita Federal and the Banco Central and to receive service of process. A non-resident partner is required by law to keep such a representative in the country.
Can a non-resident be the administrator of the company?
No. The administrator must reside in Brazil, so a non-resident partner appoints a resident administrator. A foreigner who lives in Brazil with a permanent visa can be both partner and administrator.
How does the registration actually work?
Through REDESIM on gov.br: the viability check, the incorporation act, the Junta Comercial registration and the CNPJ at the Receita Federal after the MAT step. An online accounting service conducts these steps remotely and signs the act with a digital certificate. Once open, the company can be run remotely from abroad.
Does the power of attorney need translation?
Yes. A public power of attorney issued abroad must be notarised in the partner’s country and translated by a sworn translator linked to a Junta Comercial before it is accepted in the registration.