Bank and payments in Brazil: the law gives you the right to an account, the bank decides the documents, and Pix is free

Yes, you can open an account in Brazil, and you even have a legal right to it: article 4 of the migration law names "the right to open a bank account" and "the right to transfer the proceeds of your income and your savings to another country". What it costs, the bank decides. The pitfall is in what the central bank adds in its own brochure for migrants: "no bank or other institution is obliged to open an account", the central bank has "no list of documents" laid down, and "it is up to the banks to determine the list". The right in the law is therefore a right of access, not to a yes from the bank around the corner. Whoever carries the fixed documents — the CPF, and the CRNM or the protocol — and tries more than one bank, gets there.

	What the rule says	Source
Right to an account	the migrant has it, whatever the status	Lei 13.445, article 4
Obligation of the bank	none; the bank chooses its clients and its documents	brochure, chapter 2
Identity document	the CRNM, the provisional DPRNM or the protocol of your application	brochure, chapter 2
CPF	asked by bank and payment institution; free at the Receita Federal	Receita Federal; consulate
Payment account	simpler rules up to a balance of 5,000 reais	brochure, chapter 2
Pix	free for individuals, 24 hours a day, within seconds	brochure, chapter 4
Money from the Netherlands	through an institution authorised for the exchange market; paid out in reais; no legal maximum	brochure, chapter 6

Which documents do I bring?

The brochure of the Banco Central, published through the Ministry of Justice, is precise about that. The rules say that "any identity document recognised by Brazilian law" suffices to open an account, and that the bank is obliged to identify and qualify its client — and thus determines itself what it wants to see for that. As examples of what banks accept from migrants the brochure names the CRNM, the provisional DPRNM and, for whoever is still waiting for the decision, the protocol of the application. If the bank asks for a CPF, "go to the Receita Federal" — and that number you should already have from Amsterdam, as the article on CRNM and CPF describes. An address belongs to it, and that is your rental contract.

What the bank asks on top of that is policy: proof of income, the origin of your money, sometimes a statement from your employer. Bring your pension statement or your employment contract, in Portuguese, and ask at more than one bank.

Which account fits the first months?

The brochure distinguishes the conta-corrente, the ordinary current account at a bank, the conta poupança, the savings account that pays interest, and the conta de pagamento, the payment account at a bank or a payment institution, often to be opened via the phone. The latter has, according to the brochure, "simpler rules for opening as long as the maximum balance is 5,000 reais": you fill in your identity document, your name and your CPF, and the account works as soon as you put money on it. For the first weeks — the rent, the supermarket, the phone — that is enough, and for Pix too. The conta-corrente with the pension on it comes once the bank finds your file complete.

How do I pay?

With Pix. The brochure describes it as the electronic transfer between accounts "in real time", 24 hours a day, seven days a week, also on public holidays, from the app of your bank or payment institution. You link a key — your CPF, your phone number, your e-mail address or a random code — to your account, and whoever wants to pay you only needs to know that key. For individuals it is free: the brochure says that natural persons "are exempt from fees" for making and receiving a Pix, with as the only exceptions a payment via the counter or the phone while the app works, and whoever receives more than thirty payments a month as a seller.

With your Dutch card. Withdrawing and paying works, at the costs of your Dutch bank, and in the weeks of waiting for the Brazilian account that is your bridge.

How does my pension come in?

Through an institution the central bank has authorised for the exchange market, says the brochure, and "always paid out in reais", even if the SVB transfers in euros; the rate is the one you agree with the institution, and the brochure advises asking about the procedure, the documents and the total costs before the first transfer. There is no legal maximum. The amount may be credited directly to your account.

Only switch the SVB and your fund once the account works. First have a small amount come over and see what the bank charges in rate and costs; only then redirect the monthly payment. You keep your Dutch account: the Belastingdienst does not tax a Dutch bank account of a non-resident in box 3, and the return and the refunds come in there. See also keeping a bank account and DigiD.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 5 of 5 of the journey, step 5.3: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Brazil or go straight to step 5.3 in the open plan.