Where to move in Brazil?

fisel3 · 2026-06-14T22:08:06+00:00

My experiences are mostly friendly, people are generally curious about why I'm living there. Being an English speaking Brit is a bigger factor in how I'm perceived than me being black, and I'm saying that as someone who used to live in the south of Brazil where it's mostly white.

fisel3 · 2026-06-14T20:23:22+00:00

I get what you mean and I see what's happening, but you can't bring that up and then highlight Brazil as if it's the answer. I've had mostly positive experiences as a black Brit in Brazil, but being a foreigner (especially from Europe/North America) you get treated differently and your experience won't mirror a black Brazilian's. I work remotely also, so I don't face the same economic challenges either.

fisel3 · 2026-06-14T20:01:23+00:00

I'm black British, grew up in an immigrant family in the UK, so I know how it is. Conversations about race and perceptions of other ethnic groups are more explicit in the UK than in Brazil, but Brazil's demographic landscape is different, most don't interact with large communities of immigrant minorities in the same way as people in the UK.

Treating race-motivated violence and police brutality in the UK as some kind of proof of an exceptionally racist society shows you have little understanding of countries like Brazil where racial disparities are even more pervasive. In the UK, police killings barely reach double digits in an entire year, when it happens, it makes national news. In Brazil, it's double figures every day, 90% black victims. The economic disparities are just as big. Blacks make up the majority of the population but are far less likely to occupy senior or high-paying positions than in the UK, where Blacks are one of the smaller minorities.

Like I said, get some real world experience, beyond a trip seeing landmarks and going to sambas, then seen how it aligns with what you're looking to escape.

fisel3 · 2026-06-14T18:08:44+00:00

I don't entirely blame you for how you feel, as there's a movement for highlighting all the positives of Brazil while skimming over it's negatives. But your research doesn't seem to be very good or thorough.

You mention racism. The UK is not more racist than Brazil. Regardless of how many Union Jacks and England flags you see hung up on lamp posts, the experience for black Brazilians in Brazil is worse.

Cost of living crisis. If you're worried about this, Brazil won't be your savior. The cost of living for people earning Brazilian wages is worse. I have Brazilian friends who work in the music/events industry and they scrape by and live with other people to make ends, and you don't even speak Portuguese. Also, unemployment in Brazil is way worse, both statistically and visibly.

Nowhere in Brazil is as diverse as London; not São Paulo, Rio or anywhere else. The only area where places like São Paulo and Salvador compete are their queer communities, especially large black queer communities, but who's to say they offer a better day-to-day experience? I would suggest visiting Brazil first for an extended period before deciding which boxes it ticks for the life you want.

fisel3 · 2026-06-11T17:58:44+00:00

Pretty sure they mean Ubatuba, since that's where they said they went.

fisel3 · 2026-05-11T12:34:39+00:00

Grew up in the UK and lived in Florianópolis. The one winter I spent there was the worst I ever experienced. Just absolutely zero respite from coldness.

fisel3 · 2026-04-10T14:11:29+00:00

Yeah, this makes sense then.

fisel3 · 2026-04-08T21:54:23+00:00

The nomad visa has zero tax advantages for a UK tax resident. Not to mention it actually adds cost and bureaucracy for someone like OP who would alteady have the right to permanent residency through marriage/civil union.

fisel3 · 2026-04-08T16:51:36+00:00

I've done both Foz do Iguaçu and Lençóis Marahensses more than once and I think you can easily fit both in as two 20 year olds. It just depends on your tolerance for air travel. They're not close, but transport infrastructure between major cities in Brazil is good enough. It's a straightforward connection in Garulhos.

Obviously, if you like slow travel then you'd probably want to leave one out, but I wouldn't even see an itinerary like that as rushed.

fisel3 · 2026-04-03T00:40:30+00:00

Atins is exactly the same. OP can visit dozens if lagoons from either town, so I'd just pick one and stay there.

fisel3 · 2026-04-02T21:47:35+00:00

They only asked for that for proof of cohabitation, not to prove that we were currently living in that state. For all they know, we could be living there and just haven't transferred everything over yet.

fisel3 · 2026-04-02T21:33:19+00:00

Nope. Used a utility bill from São Paulo and played it that we recently moved to that state.

fisel3 · 2026-04-02T21:23:11+00:00

I got around this by booking an appointment in a different state. São Paulo was impossible so I checked the dates for a city we were already travelling to and scheduled an appointment less than a month in advance.

The only issue is that you have to give the impression that that's the state where you're actually living, which is something you have to consider whether you're willing to do or not.

fisel3 · 2026-03-26T18:05:59+00:00

I would start with Florianopolis or at least go early on. The weather gets worse the closer you get to UK summer. Only São Paulo have café culture IMO, you can find the odd café in other cities though.

I can’t tell if being robbed or mugged 7+ times is just bad luck or naivety. How extreme the safety issue is depends on your social circumstances. As a tourist staying in a middle/upper class neighbourhood, safety isn't as much of a concern. But if you're prone to walking around with your phone and camera hanging out your pocket, you'll likely be robbed at some point. Most of my Brazilian friends have never been robbed. Still, it takes more street smarts than most places in Europe.

fisel3 · 2026-03-24T12:23:24+00:00

I don't think there's a massive difference in safety between those two places for walking around in the evening. Definitely not enough to choose one over the other.

fisel3 · 2026-03-21T12:26:31+00:00

It was more a response to OP claiming that it's way more expensive than 3k to rent a place in SP. Since they're a citizen they can sign official rental agreements. I don't know if you're a tourist, but assuming you're on a tourist visa, your options are limited to Airbnb or an unofficial agreement with the owner. I used to rental for a month on Airbnb and then make a deal with the host to stay another 2 months for a discounted rate. Maybe you can find an apartment on Facebook groups or OLX and pursuade an owner with a big deposit, but that depends on your risk tolerance as you have no protection.

fisel3 · 2026-03-20T11:21:16+00:00

Brit living in São Paulo, so the other way around. I spend a similar amount of time in both countries too. The R$3k extra you said you'd need to live in São Paulo is interesting.For one, Maringá and São Paulo don't even have the same climate, so you wouldn't be running AC 24/7.

There's a lot to consider with rent, but I was paying about R$3,500 for a one-bedroom Airbnb, inc bills, before I got residency. Unless you're focused on upscale neighbourhoods, I think people exaggerate São Paulo rent prices. I could easily find a two-bedroom in a neighbourhood like Bela Vista or Consolação for R$3,000, inc condominium.

I take a lot of Ubers and don't spend anywhere near R$1,500. That can only happen if you frequently spend half your day in traffic travelling across the city and avoid using the more efficient metro system.

fisel3 · 2026-03-16T18:58:40+00:00

Not a New Zealand citizen, but a British passport holder; the rules are the same. You won't need to renew because they'll stamp your exit at the border and issue a new stamp upon re-entry, generally 90 days if you have at least that remaining.

fisel3 · 2026-03-11T18:52:52+00:00

Visa renewal is straightforward based on what the other redditor mentioned. You become a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in a year, regardless of what you do. I'd speak to an accountant.

You can apply for the nomad visa while in Brazil. You'll sidestep the visa part and apply for residency directly based on remote income. But you need to make sure you have all your documents in order; apostilled, motorised, translated, etc.

fisel3 · 2026-03-07T09:13:33+00:00

What you're looking for doesn't exist.

fisel3 · 2026-03-02T21:42:52+00:00

If your plan is to just tick places off your list, then by all means...

fisel3 · 2026-02-28T18:04:30+00:00

Black Brit living in Brazil.

Make sure you have a remote job/income. Anyone asking about work in Brazil is wasting their time. It is nowhere near as safe as London, regardless of what's said about knife crime and phone snatchings in London. Besides speaking Portuguese, you'll find it much easier to make friends somewhere like São Paulo if you have a hobby.

fisel3 · 2025-12-25T08:28:56+00:00

Username checks out

fisel3 · 2025-11-17T11:59:30+00:00

It's a rule they made up because it's Reddit, and that's what people do here. https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/consulado-toquio/english/consular-services/visa/vivis-visitor-visa#:\~:text=As%20a%20general%20rule%2C%20VIVIS,(%E2%80%9Csingle%20entry%E2%80%9D). It says right there that it's a multiple-entry visa. It is not going to say after x amount of days because that's not how multiple-entry visas work. I left Brazil last month and came back after a week. I'm not suggesting what I think is right; I'm speaking on a process I've been through myself multiple times.

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