How to Get a U.S. Green Card as a Brazilian Citizen

Many Brazilian citizens are increasingly drawn to the prospect of obtaining their permanent resident cards, more commonly known as Green Cards, in the United States. This interest in Green Cards is fueled by the pursuit of economic opportunity, high-quality education, and improved quality of life in the United States. For Brazilian citizens, factors such as an increasingly globalized economy and a strong desire to provide their family members with stability and diverse opportunities further motivate this pursuit of U.S. permanent resident status.

Brazil’s unique characteristics make its citizens well-positioned to explore the various ways to become a U.S. Green Card holder. With a steadily growing English-speaking population, especially among younger citizens, Brazilian nationals often have an advantage when navigating U.S. systems. Furthermore, there are already large Brazilian expatriate communities across the United States, with more than two million Brazilians living in the country. That number is expected to continue rising as, according to a recent report, Brazil is in the top ten home countries for new immigrants to the United States, with more than 50,000 immigrants arriving each year.

Additionally, there are no significant restrictions on remittances from the U.S. to Brazil, unlike those imposed by some countries’ governments, which simplifies financial planning for immigrants and their family members. The potential for economic instability in Brazil relative to the economic conditions in the United States has also led many citizens to consider the U.S. as a more stable and reliable alternative for their families, finances, and businesses.

Fortunately, there are multiple pathways for individuals from Brazil to obtain U.S. Green Cards, and eventually gain United States citizenship. Common methods include family sponsorship visas, marriage and fiancé visas, immigrant work visas, and the Diversity Visa Lottery. However, for individuals with the means to invest, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is an especially attractive option.

This article explores the different pathways available to citizens of Brazil and their family members who are seeking U.S. Green Cards, examines the pros and cons of each method, and highlights the EB-5 visa as a leading option for many Brazilian citizens due to its efficiency, reliability, and low level of risk.

U.S. Visa Pathways Unavailable to Brazilian Citizens

The Diversity Visa Lottery, which is also commonly known as the U.S. Green Card Lottery, is a very popular program run by the U.S. State Department that gives out up to 50,000 Green Cards annually. However, the guidelines for the Fiscal Year 2026 Diversity Visa Lottery state that natives of countries and territories from which at least 50,000 individuals immigrated to the United States in the prior five years are not eligible. That means that Brazilians are ineligible to participate in the upcoming Diversity Visa Lottery, and it is unlikely that Brazilian citizens will be eligible for any other Diversity Visa Lottery in the near future.

In addition, Brazilian citizens are not eligible to come to the United States with an E-2 non-immigrant classification because the United States and Brazil do not have a treaty in place that would allow for that classification.

The Most Common Ways for Brazilian Citizens to Get a Green Card

Despite the limitations mentioned above, there are still several viable and appealing pathways for Brazilian citizens to obtain Green Cards in the United States. The best Green Card option will depend on the unique circumstances of each individual and their family. Some of the most popular options for becoming a Green Card holder include:

Marriage-Based and Fiancé-Based Visas

Marriage and fiancé visas are among the most widely used pathways for obtaining U.S. Green Cards, including for Brazilian citizens. These types of visas allow Brazilian nationals to enter the United States to marry their U.S. citizen fiancé or to join their spouse who is already a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident. The process is usually relatively quick, with a range of costs to pay depending on circumstances. However, applicants for marriage and fiancé visas are required to meet specific eligibility criteria and provide proof that the relationship is genuine. Otherwise, they would be entering the United States unlawfully. The two main visa types in this category are:

The K-1 Visa

The K-1 visa can be used by Brazilian nationals who are already engaged to marry a U.S. citizen. This type of visa permits the foreign national fiancé to come to the United States under the condition that the couple marries within 90 days of their arrival in the country. After the couple gets married, the Brazilian national can apply for lawful permanent residence status and obtain a Green Card.

To begin the process of receiving a K-1 visa, the U.S. citizen must file an immigrant petition called Form I-129F with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Once the form is approved by USCIS, and after the couple obtains a marriage certificate, provides proof that the marriage is genuine, and proves that they met in person within the previous two years, the Brazilian national spouse becomes eligible to adjust their status to obtain lawful permanent residence status and become a Green Card holder.

The CR-1 and IR-1 Visas

For Brazilian citizens who are already married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the CR-1 and IR-1 visas provide direct routes to obtain permanent residency status in the United States.

A CR-1 Visa is intended for couples who have been married for less than two years, and grants the Brazilian national conditional permanent residency, which is also known as a conditional Green Card. Those individuals are then allowed to adjust status to receive permanent Green Cards.

An IR-1 Visa, on the other hand, is for couples who have been married for more than two years, granting them full permanent residency status right away. To apply, the U.S. citizen spouse must submit Form I-130 to USCIS. Once USCIS approves the form, the Brazilian national spouse must schedule an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate and, once completed, is able to obtain permanent residency status and become a U.S. Green Card holder.

Family Sponsorship Visas

Family sponsorship visas are another pathway for Brazilians with immediate relatives already in the United States as citizens or lawful permanent residents to immigrate and eventually obtain U.S. Green Cards. With family sponsorship visas, alien relatives that are considered immediate family members, like spouses, parents, and minor children under the age of 21, usually enjoy faster processing times compared to extended family members. These visas also require the sponsoring relative to file Form I-130 with USCIS. Once the form is approved by USCIS immigration officials, the Brazilian national must apply for a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Processing times can range from several months to several years, depending on visa availability and on which specific category of visa the individual is applying for. These types of visas fall into two main categories:

Immediate Relative Visas

Immediate relative visas are available for certain family members of U.S. citizens, including spouses, parents, and any child under 21 years of age. These visas are not subject to annual caps, which means they generally have more availability and shorter processing times, sometimes taking only a few months. Once approved, the Brazilian national can enter the United States and apply for permanent residence status, receiving a Green Card shortly thereafter.

Family Preference Visas

Family preference visas are designed for more distant relatives of U.S. citizens, such as siblings and children over 21, as well as certain relatives of U.S. permanent residents. Unlike immediate relative visas, these visas are subject to an annual limit on availability, which can lead to significantly longer wait times in some cases. However, once processed and approved by USCIS, the Brazilian national is eligible to move forward in the process of obtaining a Green Card and becoming a permanent resident of the United States.

Immigrant Work Visas

Immigrant work visas are a valuable pathway for Brazilian nationals to integrate into the U.S. workforce and achieve their dreams of permanent residency and Green Card ownership. These visas often require employer sponsorship and fall into several employment-based preference categories based on the applicant’s skills, education, and job type. Each category offers a potential pathway to applying for Green Cards and gaining permanent resident status. However, due to high demand and annual numerical limits, these visa categories are prone to backlogs, and processing times can be lengthy. In fact, especially for applicants of EB-2 and EB-3 visas, foreign nationals from some high-demand countries often have to wait for a decade or more. Still, in some cases, these types of visas can be viable ways for obtaining permanent residence status in the United States. The main employment-based visa categories include:

The EB-1 Visa

To qualify for an EB-1 visa, an individual must fall under the category of certain priority workers with exceptional ability in fields such as business, athletics, or academia. These types of visas are often a good option for professors, scientists, and similar types of highly skilled professionals. Applicants in this category often experience faster pathways to permanent residence status and a Green Card due to their specialized or technical qualifications.

EB-2 Visas

To qualify for an EB-2 visa, an individual must fall under a slightly different group of professionals than those eligible for EB-1 visas. This type of visa is usually for individuals who hold advanced degrees or who have exceptional abilities in specific fields. Applicants usually require a job offer from a U.S.-based employer, as well as labor certification to work in the United States. Once approved, EB-2 visa holders can transition toward securing Green Cards and becoming permanent residents in the United States.

EB-3 Visas

The EB-3 visa is designed for both skilled and unskilled workers who have received permanent job offers from employers in the United States. Despite being a relatively accessible option compared to EB-1 and EB-2 visas, this preference category is subject to a quota of only 40,000 visas per year. This visa number cap often results in substantial delays for applicants seeking permanent residence status and Green Cards in the United States.

EB-4 Visas

The EB-4 visa is tailored for groups of special immigrants which include religious workers and employees of certain international organizations. EB-4 visas provide a unique route to becoming a permanent resident, offering eligibility for a Green Card upon fulfilling the program requirements, but being able to provide proof of qualifying employment can be difficult for most applicants.

The Unique Benefits of EB-5 Visas for Brazilian Citizens

Depending on their individual circumstances, the EB-5 visa may be the most appealing pathway to U.S. immigration for citizens of Brazil. As previously mentioned, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has many unique features that make it an especially attractive option for Brazilian citizens who are interested in obtaining Green Cards and achieving permanent resident status in the United States.

Introduced in 1990, the EB-5 program is designed to stimulate foreign investment in the U.S. economy to create jobs for American workers. In addition, the EB-5 visa program has consistently been regarded as one of the most efficient and reliable ways to obtain a U.S. Green Card.

An EB-5 visa allows Brazilian nationals, along with their spouse and their unmarried children under the age of 21, to live and work permanently in the United States. By fulfilling the program’s requirements, such as making a capital investment that creates 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers, applicants can achieve permanent resident status in the United States. There are also some important strategies available that can help reduce financial and immigration risks while expediting the timeline for obtaining a Green Card through the EB-5 visa program. These strategies include:

Making an EB-5 Investment Through a Regional Center

One way to reduce financial and immigration risk is by investing through a USCIS-designated regional center. Regional centers are organizations that pool investments from several different EB-5 investors and are able to access a special exception to submit exemplar forms for their projects. Once one of those forms is approved for a particular investment project, all subsequent forms pertaining to that project receive automatic approval, leaving only the investor’s personal information to be processed separately. This can significantly shorten the processing time for applicants pursuing permanent resident status with a regional center investment.

Regional center investments also allow investors to include indirect and induced jobs, as determined through economic modeling, in meeting the job creation requirement of ten new jobs for U.S. workers. This simplifies compliance with one of the EB-5 visa program’s key criteria.

Due to these advantages and the reduced financial risk that comes with a reliable regional center, most EB-5 investors opt to make their EB-5 investment through a regional center. You can find more information about EB5AN’s regional center network and how it facilitates obtaining a Green Card and achieving permanent resident status in the United States here.

Making an EB-5 Investment in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA)

Investing in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) also allows for reduced financial and immigration risk for Brazilian nationals interested in becoming Green Card holders through the EB-5 visa program.

A targeted employment area is defined as any area within the United States that has a population of less than 20,000 and an unemployment rate of at least 150% of the U.S. nationwide average. By investing in a targeted employment area, EB-5 investors can lower their minimum investment from $1,050,000 to just $800,000. These categories do not face the long backlogs in EB-5 unreserved categories. Rural TEA investors also benefit from priority processing. This special prioritization by USCIS can significantly accelerate the process of obtaining Green Cards for Brazilian citizens.

Immigrate From Brazil to the United States and Get a U.S. Permanent Resident Card With EB5AN

There are a wide range of factors that make Brazilian citizens particularly well-positioned to benefit from becoming U.S. Green Card holders, from the growing rate of English proficiency among younger Brazilian citizens, to the large communities of existing Brazilians in the United States, to the friendly government remittance policies.

To determine the best pathway to obtaining a U.S. Green Card, Brazilian citizens should always consult with an experienced immigration lawyer and conduct their own preliminary research on the available options. However, it’s clear that for many Brazilian citizens, an EB-5 visa may be the fastest, simplest, and most reliable means of gaining permanent resident status.

EB5AN’s expert team of EB-5 visa program professionals have more than a decade of experience, offers its clients high-quality, low-risk TEA projects. To date, EB5AN has helped more than 2,300 families from 70+ countries navigate the U.S. Green Card process.

To begin your family’s U.S. Green Card application or to request more information about the EB-5 visa application process, schedule a free meeting with EB5AN today.