Brazil renews deadline for humanitarian visa for Haitians

The Brazilian government has renewed the deadline for granting a temporary visa and humanitarian residence permit to Haitians. The measure is valid until December 31 of this year.

According to the Ministries of Justice and Public Security and of Foreign Affairs, this decision assures “the continuity of the policy adopted by Brazil in 2012, due to the situation of large-scale calamity and environmental disaster, and the worsening of the humanitarian situation in Haiti.

An inter-ministerial decree states that other measures may be adopted by Brazil to protect Haitians and stateless persons residing in Haiti.

Temporary visa

According to the decree, the temporary visa shall be valid for 180 days, being granted exclusively by the Brazilian embassy in Port-au-Prince.

To apply for a temporary visa, the interested party must present a valid travel document to the consular authority, a completed visa application form, and proof of means of transport entering Brazilian territory, besides a police record issued by the Republic of Haiti, or a declaration, under penalty of law, of no criminal record in any country.

In the case of stateless applicants, to obtain the document they have up to 90 days after entering the national territory to initiate a process of recognition of this condition with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, through the SisApatridia system, available on the Gov.br platform.

Temporary residence

In the case of requests for temporary residence, they can receive a temporary residence permit for a period of two years. Haitian citizens who are already in the Brazilian territory, “regardless of the migratory condition in which they have entered Brazil, may apply for a residence permit in one of the Federal Police units,” the rule reads.

In the case of children, adolescents, or any relatively incapable individual, the application for a residence permit may be made by one of the parents, as well as by a representative or legal assistant, as the case may be, individually or jointly.

Residence

To apply for a residence permit, interested parties must present a passport or official identity document issued by the Republic of Haiti, even if the date has expired, a birth or marriage certificate, or a consular certificate.

It is also necessary to declare the absence of criminal records in Brazil and abroad, in the last five years prior to the date of application for a residence permit. Once the mentioned documents are presented and evaluated, the registration will be carried out, and the National Migration Registration Card (CRNM) will be issued.