Practice Area

Family law that works across borders.

Marrying a Brazilian, formalizing a stable union, protecting assets with a prenup, or unwinding a marriage that spans two countries — we handle the Brazilian side and coordinate with the other one.

See packages & prices

Family law is where foreign clients meet the cartório system head-on. Marrying in Brazil means a habilitação process at the civil registry with apostilled, sworn-translated documents proving you're free to marry; formalizing a união estável (stable union — Brazil's robust common-law partnership) means a declaration that carries real property consequences; and both interact with immigration, inheritance, and tax in ways worth understanding before signing.

The decision most couples skip is the property regime. Brazilian marriage defaults to partial community of property (comunhão parcial) — everything acquired during the marriage belongs to both, regardless of whose name is on it. If you want something different — separate property, or protections for pre-marital assets and businesses — that's a pacto antenupcial, signed at a notary before the wedding. After the wedding, changing regimes requires a court process.

On the dissolution side, we handle consensual divorces (which in Brazil can be done at a notary, fast and without court, when there are no minor children and terms are agreed), litigated divorces, recognition of foreign divorces in Brazil, and the custody and support arrangements that follow families across borders — including Hague Convention questions when children move between countries.

Transparent pricing

Fixed-fee packages for marriage & family.

Every price is itemized like an honest receipt — our flat fee, plus each government, registry and translation charge, estimated high so the number only ever moves down. Add a package to your cart and pay online, or request a quote for anything bespoke. Only value-based taxes are billed at cost; the final fee is confirmed in your engagement letter.

Marriage in Brazil (Habilitação)
from≈ $2,300
R$ 12.000 · all-in estimate · per couple

Civil-registry habilitação, document apostilles and sworn translations, consular paperwork for the foreign spouse.

What this price is made of
  • Our workFlat legal fee — marriage habilitação, end to end≈ $1,750
  • GovernmentCivil-registry habilitação, edital & certidão≈ $200
  • GovernmentApostille of documents (cartório)≈ $140
  • Third partySworn translation — core documents≈ $170
  • HandlingInternational courier & secure handling≈ $70
All-in estimate≈ $2,300
Of that, the government's cut is ≈ $340.
Learn moregetting married in Brazil
União Estável Declaration
≈ $1,500
R$ 7.810 · all-in estimate · per couple

Declaring, documenting, or proving a stable union — built to support family-reunion residence.

What this price is made of
  • Our workFlat legal fee — união estável declaration≈ $1,350
  • GovernmentUnião estável public deed (cartório)≈ $150
  • HandlingSecure file setup & document delivery≈ $10
All-in estimate≈ $1,500
Of that, the government's cut is ≈ $150.
Learn morestable union & family residence
Prenup (Pacto Antenupcial)
from≈ $1,600
R$ 8.260 · all-in estimate · per couple

Property-regime selection and pacto antenupcial drafting, coordinated with home-country advice.

What this price is made of
  • Our workFlat legal fee — pacto antenupcial drafting≈ $1,450
  • GovernmentPacto antenupcial deed & registry≈ $120
  • HandlingSecure file setup & document delivery≈ $10
All-in estimate≈ $1,600
Of that, the government's cut is ≈ $120.
Learn moreproperty regimes & prenups
Consensual Divorce (Notary)
from≈ $2,350
R$ 12.050 · all-in estimate · per case

Fast notary divorce when terms are agreed and there are no minor children. Litigated cases quoted per case.

What this price is made of
  • Our workFlat legal fee — consensual notary divorce≈ $2,150
  • GovernmentDivorce deed (escritura) emolumentos≈ $140
  • HandlingInternational courier & secure handling≈ $70
All-in estimate≈ $2,350
Of that, the government's cut is ≈ $140.
Learn morenotary (extrajudicial) divorce

All-in estimates for English-speaking service to foreigners, with every fee we can foresee rounded up. Two cases with the same label can differ in scope — your engagement letter sets the final, written fee, and lines marked “at cost” (value-based taxes like ITBI and ITCMD) are passed through with receipts. Contested or litigated matters are quoted individually, never sold off a price list.

What we handle

Inside this practice area.

01 Marriage in Brazil Habilitação at the civil registry, document apostilles and translations, consular paperwork for the foreign spouse.
02 União estável Declaring, documenting, or proving a stable union — and converting it to marriage when wanted.
03 Prenuptial agreements Property regime selection and pacto antenupcial drafting, coordinated with home-country advice.
04 Divorce — consensual & litigated Notary divorces in amicable cases; full representation when it isn't amicable.
05 Foreign judgment recognition Getting foreign marriages, divorces, and custody orders recognized by Brazilian authorities (STJ homologation).
06 Custody & support Cross-border custody arrangements, child support, and relocation cases.
Process

How a typical engagement runs.

1

Situation & regime analysis

What you want, what regime or instrument achieves it, and what it means for property, immigration, and inheritance.

First consult
2

Documents

Apostilles, sworn translations, and consular certificates — sequenced so nothing expires.

2-6 weeks
3

Execution

Registry filings, notary acts, or court process — with you present or represented.

Varies by act
4

Registration & follow-on

The marriage or union registered, and the downstream updates: immigration status, property records, wills.

Closeout
Common questions

Marriage & Family questions we hear most.

What documents do I need to marry in Brazil as a foreigner?
Core list: birth certificate and proof you're free to marry (single-status declaration or divorce/death certificate), apostilled in your home country and sworn-translated in Brazil, plus passport and the registry's local forms. Exact requirements vary slightly by cartório — we confirm with yours before anything is couriered.
Is união estável as good as marriage for immigration?
A properly documented stable union supports family-reunion residence much like marriage. The documentation standard is higher precisely because there's no marriage certificate — joint accounts, cohabitation evidence, a notarized declaration. We build files that pass.
We married under separate property abroad. Does Brazil respect that?
Generally the regime of the country of the couple's first domicile governs — but how that plays out with Brazilian property and inheritance rules deserves specific analysis, especially if you're buying real estate here. Bring the certificate; we'll map it.
Next step

Get the family side handled.

Add a package above to start online, or describe your situation and a lawyer replies within one business day — no obligation, no hourly meter.