What to say at Polícia Federal (CRNM registration)

São Paulo is the landing city. The foreigner desk is not the prefeitura. It is Polícia Federal. Temporary-visa holders generally have 90 days from entry to register; people whose residence was authorised in the Diário Oficial generally have 30 days from that publication. The product of that visit is the CRNM — Carteira de Registro Nacional Migratório.

The Portuguese town-hall phrase page has the short lines for a municipal queue. This guide is the PF appointment. The official service is Registrar-se como estrangeiro no Brasil on gov.br: book through the PF system, bring the passport, the visa or the DOU authorisation, a photo, and the fee receipt. CPF is a separate number from Receita Federal. You will want both. They are not the same window.

Do not walk into a prefeitura asking for a foreigner card. They will send you to PF.

Before you book

Start on SISMIGRA, the PF system named on that gov.br page. Do not trust a Facebook group that “knows a guy.” Write the protocol number on paper.

• Quero me registrar como estrangeiro. — I want to register as a foreigner.
• Preciso agendar o atendimento na Polícia Federal. — I need to book the Federal Police appointment.
• Trouxe o passaporte e o visto. — I brought the passport and the visa.
• Já paguei a taxa. — I already paid the fee.

If you still need a CPF, do that first or the same week. Banks and phone shops will ask for it before they care about the CRNM.

At the PF window

Bom dia. Protocol first. They will check the photo, the fee, and whether the visa type matches the form.

• Quais documentos eu preciso? — What documents do I need?
• Não entendo este formulário. — I do not understand this form.
• Pode falar mais devagar, por favor? — Could you speak more slowly, please?
• A carteira fica pronta hoje? — Will the card be ready today?

Sometimes you leave with a protocol and a later pickup. Photograph everything they stamp.

If they send you back

• Qual documento está faltando? — Which document is missing?
• Posso voltar hoje à tarde com a cópia? — Can I come back this afternoon with the copy?
• Vim retirar o documento. — I am here to collect the document.

A PF morning is a number and a wait. The Portuguese that matters is: I am here to register as a foreigner, here is the passport and the fee, please go slower.