International collections
Collect a Debt from a Company in Brazil
Updated 2026-10-24
To collect from a Brazilian company, start with a Portuguese-speaking partner in Brazil who verifies the debtor's CNPJ, sends a formal extrajudicial notice and negotiates with the owners or finance team. This amicable stage resolves most collectible accounts. A U.S. judgment must be recognized by Brazil's Superior Court of Justice before it can be enforced, so legal steps should be planned with Brazilian counsel.
| Language | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Currency | Brazilian real (BRL); cross-border payments go through foreign exchange contracts with banks |
| Legal system | Civil law, federal system |
| Enforcing a U.S. judgment | Requires recognition (homologation) by the Superior Court of Justice before local enforcement |
| Company ID | CNPJ (national registry of legal entities) |
| Typical amicable timeline | Often 60 to 120 days |
Why Brazil needs a local partner
Brazilian business is conducted in Portuguese, and debtors respond far better to a call or notice in their own language from someone who understands local practice. Brazil also has its own toolkit for unpaid debts, including formal extrajudicial notices and the protest of unpaid commercial instruments at a notary office, which can affect a company's credit standing. A partner in Brazil knows when these tools are available and appropriate.
The starting point is the CNPJ, the national registration number for legal entities. It confirms the debtor's legal name, status and registered address, and it lets our partner check for judicial recovery (recuperacao judicial) or bankruptcy proceedings that would change how the claim is handled.
We also look at who the company's partners and administrators are. In smaller Brazilian businesses, the owners are often the people who decide whether a foreign supplier gets paid, and reaching them directly, politely and in Portuguese tends to move a stalled account faster than repeated emails to a general inbox.
How we work Brazilian accounts
- Verify the CNPJ, legal name, registered address and partners
- Check for judicial recovery, bankruptcy and existing lawsuits where records allow
- Send a formal notice in Portuguese through an in-country partner
- Follow up by phone, email and messaging apps commonly used in Brazil
- Negotiate payment or an installment plan, including how currency exchange will be handled
- Prepare a legal recommendation with costs if the debtor will not pay
Legal options and U.S. judgments
If negotiation fails, Brazilian counsel can bring a claim in the courts where the debtor is located. If the debt is backed by an instrument that Brazilian law treats as an extrajudicial enforceable title, such as certain signed contracts or credit instruments, a faster enforcement proceeding may be available. Otherwise, the creditor generally brings a collection or monitory action.
A U.S. judgment has no direct effect in Brazil. It must first be recognized by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) in a homologation proceeding. The court checks formal requirements such as jurisdiction, proper service on the defendant, finality and compliance with Brazilian public policy, and the judgment must be translated by a sworn translator and properly authenticated, usually by apostille. After recognition, enforcement takes place in a federal court. The process can be lengthy, so it is mainly worth pursuing when the debtor has meaningful assets in Brazil.
Documents to gather
- Signed contract, purchase order or accepted quotation naming the Brazilian entity
- Commercial invoices and export documents
- Bills of lading, airway bills or other proof of delivery
- Emails or messages acknowledging the debt
- Any guarantee or credit instrument signed by the debtor
- Sworn Portuguese translations if litigation is likely
Getting paid from Brazil
Payments abroad from Brazil are made through a foreign exchange contract with an authorized bank, and the bank will want to see supporting documents. A settlement should name the invoices being paid, the amount in U.S. dollars or reais and the receiving bank details. If the debtor proposes installments, the plan should be written in Portuguese and English, with a clear consequence for missed payments.
Brazil is one to two hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time for most of the year, which makes live calls and coordination easy compared with most overseas markets.
Frequently asked questions
Can a U.S. judgment be enforced in Brazil?
Only after the Superior Court of Justice recognizes it through homologation. The court reviews jurisdiction, service, finality and public policy, and sworn translations are required. Ask Brazilian counsel whether this route is worth the time and cost for your claim.
What is protest of a debt in Brazil?
Protest is a formal registration of an unpaid instrument or debt at a notary office. It can affect the debtor's credit standing and often prompts payment. Whether it is available depends on the documents you hold, so our partner confirms first.
What if the Brazilian company is in judicial recovery?
Judicial recovery is a court-supervised restructuring. Pre-existing debts are usually handled through the recovery plan, and individual enforcement is limited for a period. Our partner checks for these proceedings first, and a Brazilian lawyer can help you file and track your claim in the case.
What does collection in Brazil cost?
Amicable work is billed on contingency, so you pay a percentage of what is recovered and nothing otherwise. Legal costs, translations and court fees are quoted in advance for your approval.