Birth in Brazil: why Russian families take the long route
Brazil's place-of-birth principle makes children born there citizens in principle. For the parents this opens up residence options – but not automatic naturalisation.
A birth thousands of kilometres from home is not an ordinary travel decision. Nevertheless, according to research by Deutsche Welle, Russian women are increasingly choosing Brazil as a place to give birth. At the centre of this is a legal advantage: Brazil grants citizenship in principle according to place of birth. The child thus receives a Brazilian passport and, in the long term, additional travel options. For the parents, a route to residence may open up.
The narrative of the «passport through birth» falls short, however. It conflates the rights of the child with those of the parents and leaves out medical, administrative and financial risks. How large the phenomenon actually is cannot be reliably determined from individual reports and the offerings of intermediary agencies. What is documented above all is the legal incentive.
The child is Brazilian – the parents are not automatically
Article 12 of the Brazilian constitution stipulates that children born in Brazil are in principle Brazilian nationals from birth. The exception concerns children of foreign parents who serve their state, such as diplomats. This place-of-birth principle applies regardless of whether the parents live permanently in Brazil.
It does not follow that the mother and father immediately become Brazilian citizens. However, the Ministry of Justice cites family reunification as a basis for a residence permit: anyone who has a Brazilian child can apply for such a permit. This requires a procedure with the federal police and documents on identity, descent and criminal record. Later naturalisation remains a separate legal act with additional requirements.
Why Brazil appears attractive
For Russian families, a second passport has become a form of security since the war of aggression against Ukraine and the sanctions that followed. Restrictions on international travel and payments, political uncertainty and worries about children's future reinforce the desire for an additional legal option. A Brazilian passport can later make it easier for the child to access further countries and regional rights in South America.
There is also a service industry that bundles flights, accommodation, translations, doctors' appointments and visits to authorities. Such packages lower practical hurdles but create an information imbalance. Anyone who depends on what an intermediary says can hardly verify costs, medical standards or the scope of legal services. The risk of false promises grows when residence rights and citizenship are sold as one and the same thing.
Brazil does not treat entry for the purpose of giving birth as a criminal offence in principle. Travellers must nevertheless state the actual purpose of their entry correctly and comply with the visa and residence rules in force. False statements or forged documents can have criminal and immigration-law consequences.
A medical journey with little room for manoeuvre
Pregnancy in the final trimester makes any long-haul journey demanding. Beyond a certain point in pregnancy, airlines often require medical certificates and can refuse carriage shortly before the due date. The rules differ from airline to airline. Added to this are individual risks such as premature birth, thrombosis or pregnancy complications; these must be assessed by the treating doctor.
Care on the ground should also be clarified before departure: who takes on antenatal care, the birth and possible intensive care? Which services does an insurer cover, and do waiting periods or exclusions apply for a pre-existing pregnancy? A private birth without complications and a medical emergency involve completely different costs. Brazil's public health system provides care, but access, language and procedures cannot be planned automatically by people who have recently entered the country.
After the birth come registration, Brazilian documents and, where applicable, registration with the authorities of the country of origin. Because the child is Brazilian, special consent rules may apply to its later departure. Brazilian missions abroad point out that dual nationals can also be subject to Brazilian rules on minors travelling.
Not a simple shortcut
The Brazilian model gives the child a strong right from the first day. At the same time it is not a free pass for the whole family. Residence, naturalisation, health insurance and departure remain separate procedures. It is precisely this separation that advertising for so-called birth packages often blurs.
For families, Brazil can be a long-term option. The decision only becomes defensible when medical safety and independent legal advice carry more weight than the promise of an additional passport.
Sources
- Deutsche Welle: Why Russian women travel to Brazil to give birth
- Brazilian Constitution, Article 12
- Brazil's Ministry of Justice: residence permit and family reunification
- Brazilian government services: applying for a residence permit
- Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: travel authorisation for minors
