海角乱伦

@Droplover

When does his residence card expire? I had a friend in a similar situation, and apparently it required either him or his employer to inform that the employment had ceased in order for the card to be invalid. Until then the card was (in effect) still valid, although the reason for it had stopped. He has also kept his bank account to this day!

Not a great situation to be in, so I would advise you to get tourist e-visas ASAP, as they last for 10 years...

@Droplover
When does his residence card expire? I had a friend in a similar situation, and apparently it required either him or his employer to inform that the employment had ceased in order for the card to be invalid. Until then the card was (in effect) still valid, although the reason for it had stopped. He has also kept his bank account to this day!
Not a great situation to be in, so I would advise you to get tourist e-visas ASAP, as they last for 10 years... - @Peter Itamaraca

Isn't there a Brazilian government website to check the current status of residency?

@Droplover

From what you describe, it sounds like there鈥檚 been a bit of mix-up. The resident ID card (CRNM) and the underlying residency status are two different things, just like having a passport is different from having citizenship. You can hold residency without holding a valid card, and equally, a card on its own doesn鈥檛 create the residency.

It sounds like there may have been some confusion with the advice given by your husband鈥檚 employer. In Brazil, a Carteira de Registro Nacional Migrat贸rio (CRNM, formerly called RNE) that shows 鈥淰alidade: Indeterminado鈥� is normally granted to permanent residents, including those over 60 years old. This status is not tied to employment once it has been granted.

That said, permanent residency isn鈥檛 literally permanent in every circumstance. If someone spends more than two years outside Brazil without returning, the residency can automatically laps.

@Fentium

... lapses ...

09/25/25 @Droplover.聽 It's so nice to hear from you again!聽 I hope that reacclimating to the US is going well for you and your husband.

I don't recall -- and I went back and looked at all your old posts and am still unclear -- did your husband originally come to Brazil on a Retirement Visa or an Employment Visa?聽 If it was a Retirement Visa, he should be in the clear:聽 he's still retired, and his card is certainly still valid.聽

If it was an Employment Visa he should still be ok, but it's just possible that there's a notification from his former employer floating around in the system that could pop up at the most inopportune time, like at Immigration when he lands.聽 He might want to do as @Peter Itamaraca suggests and just get a Tourist eVisa; alternatively, he could contact the Brazilian Consulate responsible for your state and tell them that he has a valid CRNM, but has been in the US for X months, so will he need a visa to go back to Brazil as well?聽 If the Consulate says that he doesn't and he's questioned at Immigration, he can tell them that.

Best of luck to both of you.

Thanks all for your replies.聽 We are settling back in to life in the US and it's great being close to family and old time friends again.聽 My husband had an employment visa since he was not 60 yet when we arrived in Brazil. So initially our resident cards had expiration dates but became indeterminado once we were both over 60.

We will persue the tourist visa just to be sure per your advice.聽 We did scan the bar code and the resident card still shows valid but that doesn't mean it will still be in 6 weeks.聽 聽A former american collegue of my husband did not get his tourist visa in time to go to a meeting two weeks ago in Piracicaba.聽 The first time it got denied because he was smiling on his photo and the second time it stated the photo was not clear enough.聽 Is this a common occurence recently due to political stuation or just a coincidence?聽 聽Hopefully my husband will get the visa in time.