Can a foreigner open a company in Brazil?

Yes. A foreigner can open a company in Brazil and own up to 100% of it, with no requirement to live in the country or hold a visa to be a shareholder. The main conditions are practical: every partner needs a Brazilian tax number (CPF), and a non-resident partner must appoint a resident attorney-in-fact (procurador) to represent them. The most common structure is a limited liability company (Sociedade Limitada, or LTDA), which an accountant or an online accounting service sets up remotely — defining the activity code (CNAE), the tax regime and the registration with the Board of Trade (Junta Comercial). The questions below cover who can do it, what is required, and when a visa matters.

Can a foreigner really open a company in Brazil?

Yes. There is no nationality restriction to be a partner (quotaholder) in a Brazilian company, and a foreigner can own up to 100% of it while living abroad. Only a few strategic sectors cap or restrict foreign ownership — among them rural and border-zone land, media and broadcasting, and airlines. For the vast majority of service, technology and trade activities, foreign ownership is unrestricted.

What does a non-resident foreigner need to open a company in Brazil?

Four things, in practice: a CPF (Brazilian individual tax number) for every partner, obtainable online or at a Brazilian consulate without being in Brazil; a resident attorney-in-fact (procurador) for each non-resident partner; a digital certificate to sign the company documents; and the incorporation documents themselves. An accountant or an online accounting service conducts the whole process remotely — activity code, tax regime and registration. See the full step-by-step guide to opening a company in Brazil.

Does a foreigner need to live in Brazil or hold a visa?

Not to be a shareholder. A foreigner can own and hold quotas in a Brazilian company while living anywhere in the world, with no visa required. A visa becomes necessary only to live and work in Brazil for the company — typically an investor visa, which generally requires a minimum investment (from around R$ 150,000, depending on the project and job creation). Being a passive owner does not, by itself, grant residency.

Who can be the company’s administrator?

Since Law 14,195/2021, a non-resident foreigner may be the administrator of a Brazilian company. The condition is that an administrator residing abroad must appoint an attorney-in-fact domiciled in Brazil, with powers to receive service of process. For a limited liability company (LTDA), Board of Trade rules also require the articles to provide for the supplementary application of the Corporate Law. Alternatively, the company can appoint a Brazil-resident administrator to handle day-to-day management.

What is the procurador (attorney-in-fact) and why is it required?

The procurador is a resident representative that each non-resident partner must appoint to receive service of process and act before Brazilian authorities on their behalf, for as long as they hold a stake in the company. This representative may be a Brazilian citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence in Brazil. It is a legal requirement, not an optional step, and it is what lets a non-resident own a company without being physically present.

Which type of company should a foreigner choose?

Most foreign founders open a limited liability company (Sociedade Limitada, or LTDA), which limits each partner’s liability to their capital and can have one or more partners. A single foreign owner can use the single-shareholder limited company (Sociedade Limitada Unipessoal, or SLU); larger or investment-heavy ventures often use the corporation (Sociedade Anônima, or S.A.). The MEI micro-entrepreneur status generally requires residing in Brazil, so non-residents typically open an LTDA or SLU.

Can a foreign company, not just an individual, be a partner?

Yes. A foreign legal entity can hold quotas in a Brazilian company. In that case, the foreign company must be enrolled with the Brazilian corporate taxpayer registry (CNPJ) as a partner and must also appoint a resident attorney-in-fact in Brazil. The incorporation and enrollment are handled by an accountant or an online accounting service as part of the registration.

How long does it take and how much does it cost?

For a limited company, registration takes on average 30 to 48 days depending on the state, plus the time to obtain CPFs and the power of attorney abroad. Government fees include the Board of Trade registration and the digital certificate. The process is conducted remotely by an accountant or an online accounting service; the step-by-step guide details each stage from the activity code to the CNPJ.