Dear Gringoes,

Has anyone had any experience with anyone (a gringo) that has set up a brazilian based NGO? Can it be streamlined and does it differ from the normal investment visa?

I'm keen if SEBRAE or other organisations can streamline the bureaucracy of it all. It is ONE option I am looking into with my investment visa as it is a personal passion.

Another thing I am interested in is: if starting an NGO as a gringo the organisation would be tax benefits (that could help the invested money go that little further)?

Taking a quick look at Article 3 of the current revision to the investment visa law...

Art.3    The National Immigration Council may grant the concession of a permanent visa to a
foreign entrepreneur that intends to settle in Brazil in order to invest in productive activities even if the amount of the investment is inferior to the provisions set in the head of art. 2 of this Normative resolution.
§1 The evaluation of the request will concentrate on the verification of the social relevance of the investment according to the following criteria... (and the law continues)

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with what could be a "inferior" amount? As a kinda idea of which I'm heading towards would be a small organisation that it soley paying for outgoings at a break-even profit. (Sorry, I'm not really divulging to much at this time just because I'm running with this new thought in it's infancy).

This forum with it's great info and replies with darn right blatant realisms of starting a new business (which are all true and I'm aware of) so other than this, please critisise and comment! All help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers!
Dan.

PS I searched NGO in the forums to see if it had been asked or not (if so then sorry). Is the search boolean friendly? with all the info in these forums it would be a great tool! nudge nudge
PPS- tags: NGO, Non-Profit Organisation/Organization, Not-for-profit



Edited by danielmarkhobbs - 14 April 2010 at 18:29

Creating an NGO would mean donating funds into a foundation you create. I doubt this would create grounds for an investment visa, unless a relevant number of jobs are created.

I would be very, very surprised if NGO would count as an investor visa. But your mileage may vary if you have local protectors who could assist.

But I am also very very interested in exchanging more info about NGO formation and work in Brazil, or, what the issues might be for a US charitable foundation to operate in Brazil.


Edited by Squiddie - 27 July 2012 at 22:00

But, if you want to build an NGO in Brazil and get a business visa, here is a thing I would consider: move your investment into a business first, buy land from it, get a visa. The land you buy might already have to do with your NGO activities. Then you start the Brazilian charitable corporation (I have no idea about taxation and how this is done in Brazil, but it likely exists as a construct.) Then after the probation period for the company is up, you would dissolve the company and donate everything to the foundation.

This plan would need to be checked with an accountant, lawyer, and by self-study of the Brazilian laws.

Yes, social relavance has noting to do with an NGO. But someone setting up a small factory in the Sertão for example might benefit from this.

Chief of an NGO would get a visa based on this resolution:
http://portal.mte.gov.br/data/files/FF8080812BA5F4B7012BAC6D0C6841AD/rn_20060509_70.pdf