I've met some really amazing people, on and offline through my blog, and Mallory and Henrique are some of my favorites. Mallory, an American, recently married Henrique, a Paulista, in Brazil, and she was kind enough to put together a guest post on what it takes for a foreigner to marry in Brazil, inspired by my K-1 visa series. She also wrote a very sweet post about her wedding day on her blog, which you can read here. Hopefully, her guide will be helpful to foreigners looking to marry their Brazilian partners in Brazil, be it to settle in Brazil or before moving to other countries on spouse visas. The process is a bit tricky and requires quite a bit of paperwork, so it's useful to get an overview before you jump in.
Without further ado, here is a guide to getting in married in Brazil.
Guide to Foreign Marriage in Brazil
Rachel began her K-1 visa how-to guide with the opening line, “So you fell in love with a Brazilian”, which uncannily happens to be our step one here for Mallory's Guide to the Obsessive Compulsive Process that is Marriage in Brazil as well. However, unlike in the U.S. where you immigrate first and then marry, in Brazil you marry first and then immigrate. Sounds so much easier than the humiliatingly long and expensive process with the USCIS, does it not? To be honest, I was expecting it to be snap. My thoughts were: marriage has often historically been abused to gain a green card in the U.S., but what are the statistics of an American buying a residency in Brazil through a scam marriage? What a breeze, I thought, all I have to do is say I do. Wrong. Don't let the Brazilian stereotype fool you; there is nothing simple nor laid-back about Brazilian bureaucracy. It is apparent that the words unnecessary and detail were born in this country. Did I cry? Only once. But the consular officer (known as the Michigan Man) at the Sao Paulo Consulate put it best at my final visit—All this to get married? He better be worth it. A great reminder that it really is all worth it, because a life in Brazil with my best friend is more than worth it. So take a breath, and go.
Read the full post after the jump.