Brazilian dual citizenship: what dual nationals need to know
For anyone holding American and Brazilian citizenship at the same time, what trips people up in practice is the passport when traveling to Brazil.
Since April 2025 the United States is on the list of countries that need a visa, and the Los Angeles consulate explains that a Brazilian cannot receive a Brazilian visa in a foreign passport.
Since airlines check the visa at boarding, the advice is to travel on a valid Brazilian passport.
Chicago's passport page records a change: a dual national whose Brazilian passport has expired can now apply for a visa and travel on the foreign passport. As the rule changed recently, check with the consulate before buying the ticket.
Losing or regaining the nationality
Requests to lose or reacquire Brazilian nationality belong to the Ministry of Justice, not the consulate, and the person concerned starts the process there, according to the Washington consulate.
Loss or renunciation only takes effect from publication in the Diário Oficial da União (the act differs by source, as explained below).
Children born in the United States
A child of a Brazilian parent born in the United States can be a natural-born Brazilian. The most direct route is registering the birth at the consulate: according to Washington, consular registration secures original Brazilian nationality.
Registration done directly at a registry office in Brazil later requires an option for nationality before the Federal Courts, from age 18.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Loss or reacquisition | Ministry of Justice |
| Travel to Brazil | valid Brazilian passport |
| Child born in the US | birth registration at the consulate |
- Valid Brazilian passport to travel to Brazil
- CPF
- Military document, for men aged 18 to 45
Obligations that remain
Being American as well does not exempt a Brazilian man from military service: Washington points out that the obligation applies regardless of place of birth, residence or dual nationality. And the CPF has been required for consular services since January 2024.
Requesting loss: what the Consular Portal requires
According to the Consular Portal, you can only request loss if you already hold another nationality on a permanent basis, so you are not left with none.
Minors cannot request it, not even through their parents: only the person concerned, after turning 18. The request goes straight to the Ministry of Justice, through its Electronic Protocol or by mail to the Residence Division in BrasÃlia.
The two official sources differ on the act that makes the loss formal: Washington speaks of a decree in the Official Gazette, and the Consular Portal of a declaratory ordinance from the Minister of Justice. In both, the loss only takes effect from publication.
And renouncing does not prevent you from later reacquiring your original Brazilian nationality.
Without a valid Brazilian passport
The Consulate in Los Angeles notes that the visa requirement for US citizens returned on April 10, 2025 and that airlines check for the visa at boarding.
Since a dual national cannot get a visa in the US passport, the way out is to request a Brazilian passport on e-Consular or, if that is proven impossible, a Return Authorization (ARB).
Loss of nationality only takes effect once published in the Diário Oficial da União.Details verified on 4 October 2026.
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