Moving from United States to Brazil
A transatlantic sea move from North America to South America's largest country. The shipping is straightforward. What catches Americans out is that Brazilian customs wants your CPF tax number and a visa in hand before it releases the container, and that power here is a mix of 127 and 220 volt.
This is a transatlantic move from North America to South America. A container leaves a United States port such as Houston, Savannah, Charleston or New York, sails south and east across the Atlantic, and arrives at Santos, the huge port that serves Sao Paulo, or at Rio de Janeiro or Itajai depending on your destination. From the quay your goods clear customs and are trucked to your new home. The ocean leg is well travelled and the logistics rarely surprise people.
What does surprise Americans is the paperwork and the power. Brazil wants to see that you hold a CPF, the individual taxpayer number, and a permanent or temporary visa before it will release a household shipment, so your immigration status and your freight have to move together. On power, Brazil runs at 60 hertz like the United States but its voltage is a patchwork of 127 and 220 volt depending on the city, with its own type N socket, so check the supply where you are landing before you ship large appliances. Everything below gives you the numbers, the ports, and the Brazilian offices and documents you will actually deal with.
What it costs to move from United States to Brazil.
The numbers below are indicative ranges for United States to Brazil in 2026, quoted in US dollars because that is what movers price on this lane from the United States, though you will spend Brazilian reais once you arrive. Volume and container mode are the main levers.
Indicative US dollar ranges for 2026 on the United States to Brazil lane. The drivers are volume in cubic metres, shared versus sole use container, the season, and the inland delivery distance from Santos, Rio de Janeiro or Itajai to your Brazilian address. Delivery into the Sao Paulo metro is shorter than a long haul to the interior.
- + Lowest cost for a one or two bedroom load
- + You pay only for the space you use
- × Slower, as the container consolidates
- × Less control over the sailing
- + Holds a small two to three bedroom home
- + Ships on your schedule, so it is faster
- × You pay for the whole box even if part empty
- + Right for what you cannot wait weeks for
- + Bridges the gap while the sea load crosses
- × Uneconomic for a whole household
Four levers move the number. Volume in cubic metres is the biggest, so decluttering before the survey cuts the bill directly. Mode comes next, with shared container space cheaper but slower than a sole use box. Season brings a premium on busy sailings. Access and delivery in Brazil adds cost, especially for a move beyond the Sao Paulo or Rio metro into the interior, and Brazilian port clearance can be slow if your CPF and visa are not ready. Insist on a binding pre move survey.
A realistic schedule for this move.
A transatlantic route to Brazil rewards early planning, above all because customs will not release your goods until your CPF and visa are in order. Work backwards from your arrival date.
Survey and book the sailing
Get a video or in home survey for an accurate volume, check the voltage where you are landing in Brazil, and book shared or sole use container space from a United States port.
Sort your CPF and visa
Apply for your CPF taxpayer number and have your permanent or temporary visa underway, because Brazilian customs wants both before it releases a household shipment. Prepare a detailed inventory in Portuguese.
Pack, inventory and load
The crew packs and produces a full inventory. The container is sealed and trucked to the United States port for export.
Atlantic transit
The vessel sails south and east across the Atlantic and arrives at Santos, Rio de Janeiro or Itajai depending on your destination.
Customs clearance and delivery
Your agent files the unaccompanied baggage declaration with the Federal Revenue Service, applies the new resident exemption, and delivers to your address in Brazil once cleared.
Bringing your household goods into Brazil.
Brazilian customs sits within the Federal Revenue Service, the Receita Federal do Brasil. Used household goods that arrive as unaccompanied baggage for a person moving to Brazil with a permanent or temporary visa are generally admitted free of import duty, declared through the simplified procedure for personal effects. The practical conditions are that you hold a CPF, the individual taxpayer number, and a valid visa, and that the goods are clearly used personal effects rather than new or commercial items.
You will need a detailed inventory in Portuguese, your passport, your visa, your CPF, and the bill of lading. New residents register with the Federal Police, which issues the national migration registration card and number, the CRNM. Restricted and prohibited items follow the usual pattern, with controls on weapons, certain foods, plants and medicines, and pets need their own health paperwork. Remember the mixed voltage, since parts of Brazil run on 127 volt and others on 220 volt, both at 60 hertz, so confirm the supply at your destination before shipping large appliances.
How people from United States actually settle in Brazil.
As a United States national you can visit Brazil on the usual short stay terms, but to move you apply for a temporary or permanent visa, known by their VITEM codes, and then register on arrival. The right basis depends on your work, family or means.
A Brazilian employer sponsors a temporary work visa tied to your role and contract, with the company handling the labour ministry authorisation before you apply at a consulate.
- Best for
- Sponsored workers
- Basis
- A job and an employer
- Note
- Employer led process
Brazil offers a residence route for retirees who can show a qualifying regular pension income, a popular path for Americans settling on a fixed income.
- Best for
- Pensioners
- Basis
- A guaranteed pension
- Note
- Minimum income applies
Marriage or a stable union with a Brazilian, or a close family tie, supports a residence permit, often one of the faster routes to settle.
- Best for
- Partners and family
- Basis
- A Brazilian relationship
- Leads to
- Residence
Brazil runs a digital nomad route for remote workers employed by a company outside the country who can show sufficient income, letting you live in Brazil while working abroad.
- Best for
- Remote workers
- Basis
- Foreign employer and income
- Note
- Income threshold applies
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
This site never names, ranks, or recommends a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that separates a safe international mover from a risky one. Apply it to every quote you receive.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from United States to Brazil?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 5,000 to 10,500 US dollars in shared container space, and 7,500 to 12,000 US dollars in a sole use 20ft container. Volume, season and delivery distance from Santos drive the final figure.
How long does shipping take from United States to Brazil?
Plan on about 4 to 7 weeks door to door by sea. The vessel sails south and east across the Atlantic from a United States port to Santos, Rio de Janeiro or Itajai, and shared container space adds time for consolidation.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Brazil?
Used household goods arriving as unaccompanied baggage for a new resident holding a permanent or temporary visa are generally admitted free of import duty under the personal effects procedure. You must hold a CPF and a valid visa. Verify the current rules with the Federal Revenue Service.
Do I need a CPF to clear my shipment in Brazil?
Yes. Brazilian customs wants to see your CPF, the individual taxpayer number, along with your visa, before it releases a household shipment. Apply for the CPF early so it is ready when your container lands.
Will my appliances work in Brazil?
It depends on the city. Brazil runs at 60 hertz like the United States, but its voltage is a mix of 127 and 220 volt with a type N socket, so confirm the supply at your exact destination before shipping large appliances.