How to get a CPF
The Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas is Brazil’s master key. Get it before you try to rent, bank, or buy a SIM.
A CPF is an 11-digit tax id. Every contract, PIX, phone plan, and lease asks for it. Foreigners can get one. It is free at the Receita and at consulates.
Once you are in Brazil, apply at:
- Receita Federal (book an appointment)
- Some Banco do Brasil and Caixa branches
- Correios in some cities
Bring your passport and a fixed address you already have (an Airbnb, or the studio you are staying in). Some branches charge a small fee.
For non-Brazilians this is odd, but the number is used everywhere and people usually memorise it. It can be a PIX key for sending and receiving money. You will use it a lot in Brazil.
What the CPF is not
It is not permission to work. It is not a visa. It is not an RG or a CRNM. Holding a CPF does not make you tax-resident.