The Brazilian lawyer for foreign clients who handles your matter end to end
Buying property, receiving an inheritance, applying for residency, marrying a Brazilian, dealing with Brazilian taxes — if your life touches Brazil, you need counsel that works in your language and understands both sides of the border. Carvalho Barros serves international clients entirely remotely, in English.
Five fronts for the foreigner whose life touches Brazil
Non-Resident Taxation
Rent from a Brazilian property, capital gains on a sale, dividends from Brazilian companies — Brazil taxes non-residents under rules of its own, and much of what is published about them in English is outdated. We calculate, plan and run the routine, including the new 10% dividend withholding in force since 2026.
Understand non-resident tax
Real Estate for Foreigners
Yes, foreigners can own property in Brazil — and the whole transaction can happen while you stay abroad. Due diligence at the registries, a properly documented currency exchange and a closing conducted by counsel who answers to you: that is what separates a good purchase from an expensive lesson.
See how a remote purchase works
Inheritance & Probate
Assets left in Brazil must pass through a Brazilian estate proceeding — no matter where the heirs live. We conduct the entire process for families abroad: powers of attorney, the proceeding, the state inheritance tax, and getting the assets legally out of Brazil at the end.
See the path for foreign heirs
Investor Visa & Residency
Brazil grants residence permits through real estate and business investment. Most providers will file the application; very few will tell you what Brazilian tax residency does to your worldwide income before you trigger it. We do both — because tax is where this firm comes from.
Compare the residency routes
International Family Law
Marrying a Brazilian, a prenuptial agreement across two legal systems, a foreign divorce that needs to count in Brazil, a foreign judgment that needs enforcement before Brazilian courts — the matters where a document that is perfect in one country is worthless in the other until the right steps are taken.
See the cross-border family practiceA firm built for clients who are not in Brazil
Luiz Barros is a published author in The Florida Bar's International Law Deskbook 2.0, a contributor to the International Law Quarterly, and holds certifications from the World Trade Organization — more than 20 years dedicated to the law that connects Brazil to the world.
Your property purchase, your visa and your Brazilian tax exposure are one problem, not three. The firm plans transactions, immigration and family matters with their Brazilian tax consequences in view — so no one hands you a surprise later.
Engagements are fully remote — WhatsApp, e-mail and video calls, with documents exchanged digitally and legalized internationally when needed. No process requires you to fly to Brazil unless the law strictly demands it.
Written communication is conducted in English; for meetings, the firm provides an interpreter at no additional cost. And every step is explained in plain language — serious lawyering does not need to be cryptic.
The attorney behind the firm
Attorney Luiz Alberto de Carvalho Barros Filho has spent his career on the law Brazil built with the rest of the world. With more than 20 years in private international law and tax, he advises clients whose assets, families and plans cross the Brazilian border — from property transactions and estates to residency and tax compliance. He is a published author with The Florida Bar and holds an active license with the Brazilian Bar Association, conducting every engagement personally.
- OAB/AL 7.530 — Brazilian Bar Association, active license
- Published author, International Law Deskbook 2.0 (The Florida Bar)
- Contributor, International Law Quarterly (The Florida Bar)
- Certifications from the World Trade Organization (WTO)
- 200+ clients advised in 30+ countries
What clients say
Verified reviews published directly on Google by clients in different countries. Most are written in Portuguese — the star ratings speak every language.
Whatever connects you to Brazil, it has a legal path
A property you want to buy or sell, an inheritance waiting on a proceeding, a move you are planning, a document that needs to work across borders — tell us your situation in English and we will tell you the path, in English.
Talk to Luiz Barros