Start and operate your company in Brazil with a Brazilian law firm.
From company incorporation and legal representation to banking, accounting coordination, investment registration and residence permits, ABDO Advogados provides international entrepreneurs and foreign companies with a single English-speaking legal team for their operations in Brazil.
What do you need in Brazil?
Start a Brazilian company
LTDA, single-member LTDA or subsidiary, incorporated remotely by our lawyers.
Company incorporationBuy a ready-made company
An existing, debt-free Brazilian company from our portfolio, for clients who need to start faster.
Ready-made companiesLegal representative in Brazil
Resident attorney-in-fact for shareholders, companies and individuals, with or without opening a company.
Legal representationOpen a bank account
Corporate account opening with Brazilian banks, with the compliance file prepared by our team.
Bank account assistanceInvestor residence
Brazilian residence through a qualifying investment in your own company, run as one integrated project.
Investor residenceAccounting & tax support
Tax-regime analysis, bookkeeping coordination and corporate compliance for your Brazilian entity.
Accounting & taxI am a law firm or adviser
Brazilian co-counsel for your clients: you keep the relationship, we handle the Brazilian law.
Law firms & partnersNot sure yet
A thirty-minute call with a Brazilian lawyer to map the options before you decide anything.
Speak to a lawyerCan a foreigner own 100% of a Brazilian company?
Yes. Foreign individuals and foreign companies may own up to 100% of a Brazilian company in almost every sector; a short list of regulated activities carries restrictions, which our lawyers assess at the structuring stage. Read the answer in full
Built for people and companies entering Brazil from abroad
Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and one of the ten largest in the world. Entering it correctly requires local structure, local representation and local compliance. That is exactly what we provide.
Foreign entrepreneurs & founders
You want a Brazilian company to sell, hire or operate locally, without moving to Brazil or learning the bureaucracy yourself.
International companies & groups
You need a compliant Brazilian subsidiary, with a resident administrator, Central Bank registration and group-level reporting.
Investors seeking residency
You plan to invest in a Brazilian business and obtain an investor residence permit for you and your family.
Digital, SaaS & e-commerce businesses
You sell to Brazilian customers and need a local entity for payments, marketplaces, tax invoices and consumer law.
Professionals & consultants relocating
You are moving to Brazil and need a lean structure to invoice clients locally and abroad, with tax planning from day one.
Family offices & holding structures
You are acquiring Brazilian real estate, equity stakes or agricultural assets and need a holding vehicle and ongoing governance.
The ten services every foreign-owned Brazilian company needs
Each is available individually. Together, they form a complete market-entry solution coordinated by one legal team.
Company formation in Brazil, fully remote
LTDA, single-member LTDA, S.A. or subsidiary, registered with the Board of Trade and the Federal Revenue without a single trip to Brazil.
Learn moreLegal representation in Brazil
Foreign shareholders and companies often require local representation to comply with Brazilian corporate, tax, banking and administrative requirements. ABDO Advogados provides ongoing legal representation and coordinates your company's obligations in Brazil.
Learn moreRegistered tax address
A compliant fiscal domicile in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, for the Board of Trade, tax authorities, banks and official correspondence.
Learn moreCPF & CNPJ registration
Brazilian tax IDs for foreign individuals and foreign parent companies, obtained remotely and registered with the Central Bank.
Learn moreCentral Bank capital registration
Registration of your foreign direct investment (SCE-IED) so that capital, dividends and future repatriation are fully legal.
Learn moreCorporate bank account
Account opening with Brazilian banks and licensed fintechs, with the compliance dossier prepared and presented by our team.
Learn moreTax and accounting coordination
We coordinate the legal and accounting structure of your Brazilian operation, including tax-regime analysis, bookkeeping, payroll, corporate compliance and cross-border considerations.
Learn moreInvestor visa
Residence permit for investors and their families, planned together with the corporate structure and the capital remittance.
Learn moreReady-made companies
Pre-registered, audited Brazilian companies with CNPJ, so you can sign contracts and issue invoices within days.
Learn moreOngoing legal counsel in English
Beyond formation: commercial contracts, employment, tax planning, trademark registration, data protection (LGPD), import/export licences and dispute prevention. Your company is served by a full-service law firm, not a formation agent. See legal services
A Brazilian law firm, not a company-formation platform
Brazil Company Setup is the international desk of ABDO Advogados. Your Brazilian operation is handled by lawyers who understand both the legal requirements and the practical challenges faced by foreign investors, and who continue to advise you after the company is open.
Brazilian law firm
A sociedade de advogados registered with the Brazilian Bar Association, not an online formation agent.
Since 1983
Four decades advising Brazilian and international clients through every economic cycle.
English-speaking assistance
Calls, documents and updates in English, with Portuguese and Spanish also available.
Corporate and immigration under one team
Company, capital, banking, accounting coordination and residence handled together.
From incorporation to ongoing operations
Representation, contracts, tax, employment and compliance after the company is open.
From first call to operating company in five steps
A typical remote incorporation takes four to eight weeks from receipt of documents. You will know the timeline, the fees and the responsibilities of each party before you commit.
Structuring call
We understand your business, recommend the entity type, tax regime and ownership structure, and issue a fixed-fee proposal.
Day 1–3Documents & powers
We draft the articles and power of attorney in English and Portuguese. You notarise and apostille abroad; we handle sworn translation.
Week 1–2Tax IDs & incorporation
CPF/CNPJ for the foreign owners, registration at the Board of Trade, company CNPJ, state and municipal enrolments and licences.
Week 2–5Capital & banking
Central Bank registration of your investment, corporate bank account, first capital remittance and digital certificates.
Week 4–8Operate
Monthly accounting, payroll and tax compliance, legal support and, if applicable, your investor residence permit.
OngoingThree ways to enter Brazil
Transparent, fixed-fee scopes. Government fees, notary and translation costs are itemised separately so there are no surprises.
Incorporate
For founders who need a compliant Brazilian entity, ready to contract and invoice.
- Entity structuring and articles of association
- CPF/CNPJ for foreign partners
- Board of Trade and Federal Revenue registration
- Digital certificate and municipal enrolment
- Optional: registered tax address and resident legal representative
Incorporate & Operate
For companies that want a fully operational subsidiary with banking and compliance in place.
- Everything in Incorporate, plus:
- Registered tax address and resident legal representative
- Central Bank foreign capital registration
- Corporate bank account opening
- Tax regime planning and enrolments
- Monthly accounting, payroll and tax filings
- Quarterly legal compliance review
Invest & Reside
For investors who want a company, an investor residence permit and a long-term presence in Brazil.
- Everything in Incorporate & Operate, plus:
- Investment plan for the immigration authority
- Investor residence permit application
- Family dependants' permits
- Personal tax residency planning
- Dedicated partner-level counsel
Need a Brazilian company faster?
For clients who need to begin operations quickly, acquiring an existing, debt-free company from our portfolio may significantly reduce the initial set-up time, subject to legal due diligence, corporate changes, banking requirements and regulatory approvals.
Ask about available companiesInvest in a Brazilian company. Qualify for residence.
Foreign investors may qualify for Brazilian residence by investing in a Brazilian company: R$ 500,000 under the standard route, or from R$ 150,000 for certain qualifying innovation, scientific or technology projects, subject to the criteria of the immigration regulations. Our lawyers structure the company, the investment and the immigration process as one integrated project.
Investor visa overviewFour decades of Brazilian law, delivered to an international clientele
Brazil Company Setup is not another accounting website. It is the international corporate services arm of ABDO Advogados, a full-service Brazilian law firm founded in 1983.
Every engagement is supervised by licensed Brazilian attorneys. Your documents are drafted, not templated. Your representative is a lawyer bound by professional duties, not an anonymous nominee. And every recommendation, from entity type to tax regime, is legal advice you can rely on.
Meet ABDO AdvogadosQuestions foreign founders ask us first
Straight answers on the points that matter most before you commit. The full list covers structure, tax, banking and immigration.
Read all questionsCan a foreigner own 100% of a Brazilian company?
Yes. Foreign individuals and foreign companies may own up to 100% of a Brazilian limited company or corporation in almost every sector. A small number of activities (for example, certain media, nuclear and rural-land holdings) carry restrictions, which we assess during structuring.
Do I need to travel to Brazil?
No. Incorporation, tax registration, Central Bank registration and, in most cases, bank account opening are completed remotely through a power of attorney to our resident representative. Documents signed abroad are notarised and apostilled in your country.
How long does it take?
Typically four to eight weeks from receipt of your apostilled documents to an operating company with CNPJ and bank account. In many cases a ready-made company can become operational within approximately ten business days, depending on the transaction, authorities, banking requirements and documentation. Investor visas add roughly one to three months for the immigration authority's decision.
Why do I need a resident legal representative?
Brazilian law requires non-resident partners to appoint an attorney-in-fact domiciled in Brazil with powers to receive service of process and, for corporate matters, to represent them before the registries. Our representatives are licensed attorneys, bound by professional duties and the Bar's ethics code.
What does it cost?
We work on fixed fees per scope, with government, notary and translation costs itemised separately. After a short structuring call we issue a written proposal within 24 hours. There are no hidden monthly charges.
Tell us about your plans. We'll tell you exactly how to make them legal in Brazil.
A 30-minute structuring call with a Brazilian attorney, followed by a written fixed-fee proposal within one business day.