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McLen wrote:

I joined here in April, I think. My plan is to move to Brazil next year hopefully - as soon as a Covid-19 vaccine is widely available.

I intend to move to Joao Pessoa, marry my Brazilian fiancé, and work remotely, as I am doing here in Portland Oregon.

I have many to-do's on my list (not necessarily in this order):
- Learn Portuguese.
- Determine the best way to move a few sq meters (several suitcases) of necessary items.
- How to maintain a USA permanent residence while I'm gone.
- Brazilian marriage process, required documents.
- Acquire a CPF.
- Rent for now in JP, but eventually buy a home. (not sure about apt or house)
- For me: Start Brazilian immigration-naturalization process.
- For my fiancé: Start American immigration-naturalization process.

Well a good start. If several suitcases, I did same and payed the extra baggage fees.
Maintain resident, look at US Global Mail. Gives you as physical address. can scan items and send PDF to your email. (Will not scan CC's). Any mail your need they will ship (various ways from USPS to multi cargo shippers.
Marriage can be done at tabeliões. (May be more than 1 in JP)
CPF can be done at BR Consulate/Embassy (Place CPF on all mail faster service, Add to your US Mail service address for mail and shipping)
Start Brazilian immigration-naturalization process.? You will need to enter on tourist visa. First 90 days get documents to PF office for CRNM. naturalization means a test and only done after CRNM and reside in BR for a certain time.
As to all documents see the forum(s) on permeant residency. Will need an FBI background check for last 5 years but do that last.
Good luck. Bride can help a lot. Have her go to PF office (When normal) and get a check list of documents.

instantcoffee wrote:

Thank you for the warm welcome Robal!
I tragically lost my husband a few years ago, and due to the nature of his passing, I receive a decent amount of money monthly that has allowed me to live comfortably in New York without working.
I was raised in Brazil in my teenage years and attended private school there myself, but I spoke Portuguese fluently, which made things easier.

A part of my decision to consider going back to Sao Paulo is due to the fact that I do have a comfortable monthly income, but also because of the lower cost of Ph.D. programs in Sao Paulo (I'm checking out PUC and Mackenzie right now) compared to NYC.

My main concern with considering this is my children. I've lurked around here a bit and was hoping to be able to get some feedback in regards to general experiences, but mostly in regards to other parents have experienced.

Children at 4 and 8yrs old? They adapt and pick up things easily especially languages. Believe me, 6 months and they will be as fluent as you are. Avenues, the most expensive school for children and also headquartered in NY is in São Paulo. Charges more than R$10,000 per month per child, more than an average  PhD program in Brazil...

robal

McLen - Let me know if you and your fiancé already have family in JP or not (send me a PM) as I can help connect you to folks that can help you meet your immediate needs.

Are you planning on living in JP proper or looking at beach communities north and south?

No - I'm not a realtor nor a provider of any services. I just have family up and down the coast in the area and can point you to people that can orient or even might have places for rent.

I can also quickly identify the places you'd hate to live due to some of the seasonal activity mob-scenes that occur (and I personally abhor). I'm also in the process of hunting down best Internet providers north and south of the city for other relatives setting up their "snow-bird" dwellings.

I live inland. Not much of a beach person except when the desire for some seafood arises!!

MattB In Campina Grande

Hi everyone. I have been to Rio many times since 2006. On my most recent visit I met a woman that I will marry. Didn’t think it could happen! I’m not a wealthy man, but have sufficient means and can work remote. The border restrictions have put a damper on our plans, of course, since I had returned to Canada to make arrangements to move, after which they instituted the ban. I have two questions.
1) Does anyone have any reasonable intel as to when they will lift the ban?
2) it is possible for us to get married online, but we need a notarized copy of her passport., and the notarization must be in English. Does anyone know a lawyer in Rio who will do this for a reasonable price? Usually we could get it done at the Canadian embassy for $45, but they are closed. I contacted one lawyer in Rio who said he wanted $500. This seemed a bit excessive to me for 10 minutes of work.

Thanks, and glad to have discovered this forum!

Hum, "online wedding"?
I thought Las Vegas was quick.
I will defer to the CA friend. Most notary need witnesses and executed in their presence.
"Cartorio's" can notarize for her, but you will need to do all the application in the Cartorio. plus her's will be in Portuguese.
Not many "on line/email doc's are recognized by the Brazil PF.
Again I will defer as to CA

Taureanmatador wrote:

Hi everyone. I have been to Rio many times since 2006. On my most recent visit I met a woman that I will marry. Didn’t think it could happen! I’m not a wealthy man, but have sufficient means and can work remote. The border restrictions have put a damper on our plans, of course, since I had returned to Canada to make arrangements to move, after which they instituted the ban. I have two questions.
1) Does anyone have any reasonable intel as to when they will lift the ban?
2) it is possible for us to get married online, but we need a notarized copy of her passport., and the notarization must be in English. Does anyone know a lawyer in Rio who will do this for a reasonable price? Usually we could get it done at the Canadian embassy for $45, but they are closed. I contacted one lawyer in Rio who said he wanted $500. This seemed a bit excessive to me for 10 minutes of work.

Thanks, and glad to have discovered this forum!

I am from Canada as well depending on what province you are from you will need to reach out to your consulate in your area for more accurate information as  it can change on a daily basis. Just be careful when you come down and don't get stuck not knowing the language. Will hamper your experience. Working remotely can have its challenges as well as down here they don't need to provide 100% of what they sold for internet speeds. So depending on your needs be careful. Overall can be a good experience depending on how much preparation efforts you do for yourself.

TM,

Congratulations!

I've learned never to say "never" where Brazil is concerned, but Brazil accepting an online marriage?  You want to check, doublecheck and triplecheck that one, before you get anywhere near an airport.

Especially since Canada is not a party to the Apostille Convention, and any documents you need will have to be legalized at the Brazilian Consulate before you leave, Mike's suggestion to be in frequent communication with them is absolutely essential to iron out any potential problems before they happen.  Resolving issues from 5000 miles away is not usually a good alternative.

Brazil just passed the UK as the country with the second most covid cases and deaths in the world, so you're still going to have some time.  Good luck!

Taureanmatador wrote:

Hi everyone. I have been to Rio many times since 2006. On my most recent visit I met a woman that I will marry. Didn’t think it could happen! I’m not a wealthy man, but have sufficient means and can work remote. The border restrictions have put a damper on our plans, of course, since I had returned to Canada to make arrangements to move, after which they instituted the ban. I have two questions.
1) Does anyone have any reasonable intel as to when they will lift the ban?
2) it is possible for us to get married online, but we need a notarized copy of her passport., and the notarization must be in English. Does anyone know a lawyer in Rio who will do this for a reasonable price? Usually we could get it done at the Canadian embassy for $45, but they are closed. I contacted one lawyer in Rio who said he wanted $500. This seemed a bit excessive to me for 10 minutes of work.

Thanks, and glad to have discovered this forum!

My congratulations! Yes, wedding by videoconference is sweeping Brazil due to COVID-19. Is the notarized copy of her passport needed in Canada to officiate a marriage by videoconference or is that Brazil´s per Conselho Nacional de Justiça (CNJ) and Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça´s guidelines? Wedding ceremony by videoconference done by a Justice of the Peace in Brazil would be easier since your wife would then petition you for family reunion. It´s even faster if you come as a tourist and then wife can file the petition while in Brazil. You just have to bring with you your legalized (by the Brazilian consulate) criminal background check and all pertaining documents for your residency permit.

robal

COVID-19 is still increasing in intensity in the southern states. So opening is possibly by October or could even run to December!

robal

As far as worldwide Internet providers go, I'm very hopeful for StarLink to come online in the next year or two. It's a low-latency satellite mesh Internet created by SpaceX. Prices haven't been published, but people are estimating it'll be very competitive. Perhaps $80/month. Very reliable, and a very fast pipe. Hopefully will be with more reasonable data caps, contract, and modem prices.

McLen wrote:

As far as worldwide Internet providers go, I'm very hopeful for StarLink to come online in the next year or two. It's a low-latency satellite mesh Internet created by SpaceX. Prices haven't been published, but people are estimating it'll be very competitive. Perhaps $80/month. Very reliable, and a very fast pipe. Hopefully will be with more reasonable data caps, contract, and modem prices.

yea I am having high hopes for this because we all know musk makes some quality gear. was actually looking at his tesla batterys for solar powered home here, starts at around 20k usd worth it long term though

Now my other problem would be 5g competition. I am down for 5g but its not avaliable in my state yet

5g will take a while. Even in the US, it hasn´t really taken off. I don´t know if the US delegation has succeeded in convincing Brazil not to take on Huawei with regards to 5G.
5G I gather is not really safe for self-driving cars. A very big investment in infrastrucure because antennas have to be installed closer to each other.

robal

"was actually looking at his tesla batterys for solar powered home here, starts at around 20k usd worth it long term though"

You´re referring to his Powerwall. Haven´t seen it here. Only in the US...

Mikeflanagan wrote:

yea I am having high hopes for this because we all know musk makes some quality gear. was actually looking at his tesla batterys for solar powered home here, starts at around 20k usd worth it long term though

Now my other problem would be 5g competition. I am down for 5g but its not avaliable in my state yet

I'm also thinking of going off-grid with solar and batteries. Would love to run the AC 24/7 for free! And if it gets too cold from the AC, just open the windows! just kidding...

I've watched plenty of youtube vids of people recovering used rechargeable batteries and using it for their home battery needs. Was wondering if there are quality solar manufacturers in Brazil. There are even ACs that work efficiently at 48 VDC, not having to convert from 110 or 220vac.

Hmmm! Off grid solar and batteries.... I was once involved in a project in the Pine Ridge in Belize and while the solar and batteries were interesting they were also a pain in the ass. We had two Cummins diesel generators to back us up when needed.

STILL the idea of solar and other natural means to reduce energy production needs is a grand gesture. In the northeast of Brazil we have expanding coastal wind farms (dial up Mataraca on Google maps), we have solar incentives for on-grid sell-back plans but there still aren't easy-to-find water solar heating vendors (although huge new low-income housing projects are going up with solar heaters - "Complexo Aluízio Campos").

Pretty much the only thing that is "easy" to do with a new build here in the northeast is to get a contractor looking to make money on the Energisa (energy company and see Resolução Normativa ANEEL nº 482/2012) program. They developed "kits" that generate energy and feed it back to the grid. It isn't really a huge success (and the current president wants to kill any incentives to micro-energy-producers) but it is a decent thing to do.

When I talk to our potentially future home designer he gives me blank stares when I ask what he can do to build a house more suitably receptive to solar energy integration (minimally position) he gives me a blank stare. And while I COULD try to do it all myself I'm too old and disinterested in becoming an "expert" it yet again another area just to frustrate myself trying to get incompetent architects and builders to meet my desires.

Now I have met industrious young people that have built using the most modern concepts and methods but every one says the same thing - they went crazy sourcing materials and then getting local builders to "get" their plans.

If you live in the area and ever want to see a very interesting place that incorporates solar water, grey-water reuse in a commercial application (hotel) check out Paua Hotel Boutique in Pipa (just south of Natal).

In Recife solar water heat is incorporated at the Pousada Lourdes Inglês (bairro Boa Vista - a hop and a skip to the U.S. Consulate). The owner got her initiation by previously owning a pousada on Fernando de Noronha.

MattB

Failure to develop solar in the Northeast is an enormous wasted opportunity.   We had 300 sunny days a year in Sergipe!   A few big solar farms in the interior of Piauí could be like a second Paulo Afonso - and hardly anyone who wasn't flying over would even know they were there.

abthree - agreed! Even in the simplest of terms, we have some of the best solar radiation on the planet yet people would rather pay an arm and a leg to heat their water with electricity. It defies logic.

We need more investments coming in like Musk´s Tesla for their residential batteries and solar panels. His EV´s would also eventually come. I´m also waiting for the advent of small nuclear fusion generators where you don´t need solar or wind to generate electricity. I hope we´ll still be alive then.

robal

Hello everyone and welcome to McLen 

Please note that I have created a new topic on the Brazil forum with your posts which were originally on the New Members thread so that you can carry on effortlessly with the conversation.

@ McLen: With a stand-alone topic dedicated to your query, all replies will be gathered on a single thread which will make it less complicated to find them

All the best,

Diksha
Team ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Thanks, Diksha! 

Hi -

I just wanted to comment on solar and living 'off grid' in Brasil. 

We just completed a new house in Bahia; it is just outside of the town of Lencois.  We have access to electricity for back up if we need it.  There is no city water to the area where we live.   SO, we are pretty much self sufficient with solar panels, solar hot water, and water capture from the roof of the house.  All of it has worked amazingly well!

The solar system was installed by a company from Salvador (a Swiss guy who is very good and gives great customer service).  We would have liked to have used the Tesla battery walls, but they were not available anywhere in Brasil when we did our install; and they would be incredibly expensive to import.  We have been told that they will come to Brasil eventually.  We first installed two batteries in our system, but have just added two more so that we can run the A/C's without using the electrical grid at all.    The system has been working extremely well.

We capture water off of the roof of the house and run it into underground pipes to a 2000 liter filtration tank, and then to a 50,000 liter underground storage tank.  Water is then pumped up to the house (via solar energy).  The grey water returns to another filtration tank, and then a tank for water used for gardening.  The esgoto goes to a 3 caixa filtration system, and eventually ends up in a small field of banana trees on a far corner of our property.

It's all pretty amazing.  I have been a 'city' girl my whole life...and never would have guessed that I would live like this.

It is well worth all of of the effort to do solar, etc. if it is a possibility for you.