logo Agência Brasil
General

Gov’t regulates Cuban doctors’ rights to live in Brazil

They can now request to live in the country indefinitely
Pedro Peduzzi
Published on 29/07/2019 - 18:41
Agência Brasil
Mais Médicos
© Arquivo/Agência Brasil
Em outubro de 2013, médicos cubanos desembarcavam em Brasília contratados pelo Programa Mais Médicos
© José Cruz/Agência Brasil

The Brazilian government today (Jul 29) regulated the residence rights of Cuban doctors who participated in Brazil’s Mais Médicos program, or More Doctors. To be allowed to stay in the country for two years, applicants must submit a request to the Federal Police.

Later on, immigrants may ask to live in the country indefinitely by filing another request in the 90 days prior to the end of the two-year residence period. Furthermore, having a residence permit granted means applicants “give up any attempt to attain refugee status.”

Requirements

Doctors applying for residence rights must produce a number of documents, including ID or passport and police records from the Brazilian states and countries where they have lived, in addition to proof of participation in the More Doctors initiative, immigration papers, and photos.

The initiative

The More Doctors program is an attempt by the Brazilian government to join efforts with local authorities to improve health care in underserved areas across the country.

For years, the program was joined by Cuban doctors, whose partnership was subsequently revoked, even though a number of professionals chose to stay in Brazil.