CNPJ for Foreigners: How gov.br Registration Works

A foreigner can get a CNPJ in Brazil, but only after registering a CPF first, either in person at a Brazilian consulate abroad or through a resident attorney-in-fact holding a Hague-apostilled power of attorney. Without that CPF, the Junta Comercial (Commercial Registry) cannot register the company, and gov.br’s Redesim portal cannot issue the CNPJ.

CNPJ for Foreigners: why CPF comes first

CNPJ is the 14-digit registry number the Receita Federal (Federal Revenue) assigns to every company, split into an 8-digit root, a 4-digit branch code and 2 check digits. It identifies the business itself. CPF identifies the individual. A foreign partner or administrator needs a CPF on file before the Junta Comercial will register the company’s articles of association, so the CNPJ application never even reaches Redesim without it.

Two ways for a non-resident to get a CPF

Under Normative Instruction RFB No. 2,172/2024, a non-resident foreigner has two paths: appear in person at a Brazilian consular office abroad with a valid passport, proof of address and the completed individual registration form, or appoint an attorney-in-fact who resides in Brazil to file the request with the Receita Federal. The second route requires a power of attorney, either public or private, apostilled under the Hague Convention.

Foreign administrators need a resident representative too

A separate requirement applies to whoever will manage the company day to day. Article 3 of Normative Instruction DREI/ME No. 112/2022 requires a foreign administrator to appoint someone residing in Brazil who can receive legal notices and citations on the company’s behalf. This representative is distinct from the attorney-in-fact used only to obtain the CPF.

From CPF to CNPJ through gov.br and Redesim

Once every partner and administrator has a CPF, the company follows the same Redesim flow as any Brazilian-owned business: a viability check on the name and CNAE code, a Documento Básico de Entrada, registration at the Junta Comercial, and a tax regime defined in the Módulo de Administração Tributária before the CNPJ is released. An accountant or an online accounting service typically conducts this sequence on the founders’ behalf, since it is the same process required of any company opening in Brazil, foreign-owned or not.

A format change that will not affect existing CNPJs

Starting July 2026, new companies receive an alphanumeric CNPJ (mixing digits and letters) instead of the all-numeric format used until then. Companies already registered keep their current CNPJ unchanged; the change applies only to new registrations going forward.