Visa for Foreign Professional Athletes in Brazil
Foreign professional athletes belong to one of the worker categories which need a visa to work in Brazil. Find in this article how they can obtain one.
In order to legally practice a sport in Brazil, foreign professional athletes need a work permit and visa - an authorization to work and an authorization to stay in the country while working. In this case, there should be an interested company which intends to hire the foreigner, thus establishing an employment bond between the sports entity and the professional athlete.
Therefore, it is necessary that an organization, whether a club or sports association, shows interest in the contract of the foreigner. For professional athletes, the only type of visa available is the individual temporary one. It can be valid for a period between three months and two years, and can be renewed.
Necessary Documentation
Some documents need to be presented to the Ministry of Labor and Employment, by the organization interested in hiring, in order for them to issue the work permit and visa allowing the foreigner to legally perform his activities in Brazil. These documents are:
- Work permit application form, in Portuguese, named Formulário de Requerimento de Autorização de Trabalho.
- GRU - proof of payment of the individual tax of immigration for the foreigner and for each legal dependent (in the cost of BRL 16.93 per person).
- Legal registration of the company - duly registered in a board of trade or in a notary office. In case a copy is presented, it must be notarized.
- Document of election or nomination of the legal representative of the applicant institutions, duly registered in a board of trade, or in the office of the civil clerk or in the Federal Official Gazette.
- Copy of the CNPJ's card.
- Power of attorney by public instrument or with a notarized signature in case of being private, when the applicant is represented by an attorney. In cases of presenting a copy, the said copy must be notarized.
- Copy of the identification page of the foreign passport. It must contain the number, name, birth date, nationality, and photograph; it doesn't need to be notarized.
- Employment contract for a maximum period of two years, signed by all parties, containing:
- Qualification and signature of the contracting parties.
- Agreed remuneration.
- Commitment to repatriate the foreigners and their dependents by the end of their stay.
- A validity period from three months to two years, beginning on the foreigner's arrival date in Brazil.
- Since the requirements for work permits and visas may vary, it’s important to check, when applying, if the required documentation has changed or not.