Living in the United States does not cancel your rights—nor your obligations—as a Brazilian citizen. One of the most important is keeping your voter registration up to date. Whether it's for voting in presidential elections, renewing your passport, or taking public service exams, an active voter registration card makes all the difference.
In this guide, we have compiled the most frequently asked questions in groups of Brazilians in the diaspora and answered each one based on the current rules of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).
1. Do Brazilians living in the US need to have a voter registration card?
Yes. Voter registration is mandatory for all Brazilian citizens over the age of 18, regardless of where they reside. Living outside of Brazil does not exempt a citizen from having a voter registration card.
The only valid exceptions to registration are specific situations provided for by law, such as absolute civil incapacity, declared illiteracy, or being under 18 years of age. Residing abroad is not among them.
Anyone who has turned 18 and has never registered for military service is in an irregular situation. This can result in fines and prevent the issuance or renewal of documents such as a passport.
2. How to obtain a voter registration card while living in the USA
There are two main options. The first is through the TSE portal (tse.jus.br): access the electoral self-service area, choose the registration option, and follow the process entirely online. The second is to go in person to the Brazilian consulate closest to your city, with a prior appointment.
For registration, you will need a valid and registered CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID), a Brazilian identity document (RG or passport), proof of address, and contact information such as email and phone number.
After registering online, the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) may require you to appear at a consulate or electoral office to validate your biometrics. Keep an eye on the email address you registered with.
3. Are Brazilians in the US required to vote?
Yes, but only in presidential elections — both the first and second rounds. Abroad, there is no voting for governor, senator, federal or state representative, mayor, or city council member.
The obligation applies to voters between 18 and 70 years old who have transferred their electoral domicile to a polling station abroad. Those who maintain their domicile in a Brazilian electoral office and are physically in the USA on election day can justify their absence through official channels.
4. How to transfer your voter registration to vote in the USA
To vote in the U.S., you need to transfer your voter registration to the polling station linked to the consulate responsible for your city of residence. Without this transfer, you will not be eligible to vote abroad—even if you have an active voter registration card in Brazil.
The transfer can be done through the website tse.jus.br or in person at the nearest Brazilian consulate. The deadline is up to 151 days before the election. Outside of this period, the request will not be processed in time.
5. Where to vote in the United States
Voting for Brazilians in the US takes place at polling stations located in consulates. Each consulate covers a set of American states, and you vote at the consulate corresponding to your residential address. The main consulates are in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Boston, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
Before transferring your electoral domicile, check the TSE website or the specific consulate's website to confirm which states it serves.
6. What happens if I don't vote?
Failure to appear at the polls without a valid justification has some consequences. The first is a fine — the amount is symbolic, usually R$ 3,51 per election, but it must be paid to regularize the voter registration. After three consecutive absences without justification, the registration is canceled.
With a canceled voter registration, the voter is prevented from renewing their passport, taking office in public service positions, opening an account in a public bank, and enrolling in federal educational institutions.
Those who are unable to attend can justify their absence through the e-Título app or the TSE portal, within 60 days after each round.
7. Can I cancel or suspend my membership while living in the US?
There is no option to simply cancel or suspend your voter registration by choice while living abroad. The TSE (Superior Electoral Court) can cancel your registration due to repeated unjustified absences, but this has the negative consequences described above.
The legal alternative for those who no longer wish to maintain ties with Brazilian citizenship is to initiate the process of voluntary renunciation of nationality, which is a formal and irreversible procedure. It is worth noting that acquiring American citizenship through voluntary naturalization may, in theory, imply the loss of Brazilian nationality according to Brazilian law, but there are important exceptions. Consult a specialized lawyer before making any decision in this regard.
8. What documents are needed?
The required documents vary depending on the type of service. For first-time registration, you need a CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID), RG (Brazilian national ID) or passport, and proof of birth or Brazilian naturalization. For a change of address, you need your current voter registration card, proof of residence in the USA, and a passport. Payment of fines and issuance of a duplicate voter registration card can be done entirely online through the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) portal or the e-Título app. For biometric registration, you must be physically present at the consulate with your passport and CPF.
9. Important deadlines for the 2026 elections
The next general elections in Brazil will take place in October 2026. The deadline for voter registration and change of address ends approximately in May 2026 — more precisely, 151 days before the first round. Those who do not complete the change by then will not be able to vote abroad in that election.
After each round of voting, there is a 60-day period to justify any absences. Always confirm the exact dates on the tse.jus.br website, as they are set by the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) and may be subject to minor changes.
10. How to regularize an irregular title while in the USA
If your voter registration has outstanding fines or has been canceled due to absences, it's possible to resolve the situation without leaving the United States. Access the website tse.jus.br or download the e-Título app, enter your CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) to check your status, and if there are any outstanding fines, pay them via a payment slip generated by the system—payment can be made from a Brazilian bank account. For canceled registrations, check if it's possible to reactivate them online; in some cases, you may need to visit the consulate.
The e-Title also allows you to issue an electoral clearance certificate, justify absences, and use the digital voter registration card as an identification document for voting.
