Brazil (BR)
South America's largest country, combining major work hubs, world-famous culture, beaches, Amazon biodiversity, strong digital payments, and complex but navigable bureaucracy for expats.
Consumer Rights
Right of withdrawal, contracts and debt collection in Brazil.
Brazil has one of Latin America's strongest consumer protection frameworks under the Código de Defesa do Consumidor (CDC — Lei n° 8.078/1990). Key rights: 7-day arrependimento (withdrawal) for distance purchases; 30-day right to demand repair of defective goods (90 days for durable goods) before seeking refund; 2-year warranty (garantia legal) for all products, running alongside any commercial warranty. National enforcement: SENACON (Secretaria Nacional do Consumidor) — senacon.mj.gov.br. State enforcement: PROCONs (Programa de Proteção e Defesa do Consumidor) — one per state. Fast online resolution: consumidor.gov.br — free mediation platform resolving ~81% of complaints for 4,000+ registered companies. Keep nota fiscal, protocolo de atendimento, screenshots, and WhatsApp chat records for all significant purchases.
Right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht)
CDC Art. 49 provides a 7-day arrependimento (right of regret/withdrawal) for purchases made outside a physical store — online, by telephone, or at home. The 7-day period runs from the day goods are received or the service contract is signed, whichever is later. No reason is required. The seller must refund the full amount, including any delivery fees paid. Send your withdrawal notice by email (with delivery confirmation) or certified letter (carta registrada) within 7 days. The seller must refund within 7 days of receiving the withdrawal notice. Exceptions: perishable goods, personalised goods. For defective goods (vício do produto): you have 30 days for non-durable goods or 90 days for durable goods (electronics, appliances, vehicles) to demand repair — if not repaired within 30 days, you can demand replacement, price reduction, or full refund (CDC Arts. 26, 18).
Contract cancellation
Telecom and internet (Vivo, Claro, Tim, Oi/V.tal, Algar): regulated by ANATEL (anatel.gov.br) — all providers must offer cancellation by telephone, app, and website (Lei Geral de Telecomunicações). Request a protocolo de cancelamento (cancellation number) — keep it. Fidelidade (loyalty period): if you cancel before the fidelidade period ends, early termination fees apply (multa contratual) — typically proportional to remaining months. Health insurance plans (planos de saúde): governed by ANS (ans.gov.br); plan holders can cancel at any time by phone or written notice; providers cannot deny cancellation due to pending claims. Gym memberships: cancellable with 30 days notice; abusive penalty clauses are void under CDC Art. 51. Streaming services: cancel via the platform app — any charge after confirmed cancellation is subject to chargeback or consumidor.gov.br complaint.
Auto-renewal (renovação automática) clauses are permitted under Brazilian law but must be clearly disclosed in the contract. SENACON requires that digital services offered in Brazil provide a "Botão de Cancelamento" (cancellation button) on their platform — prominent and accessible. If you dispute an unnotified auto-renewal, file at consumidor.gov.br or local PROCON. Fidelidade (loyalty) contracts: after the minimum period, telecoms must notify you in writing/digitally before rolling over to a new fidelidade term. Gym and health plans: annual auto-renewal without clear notice is challengeable under CDC Art. 51 (abusive clause).
Debt collection — response deadlines
Informal reminders: Brazilian creditors typically progress through: informal calls, WhatsApp messages, and emails → boleto/bank collection → formal notice (notificação extrajudicial, often by notary/cartório) → Serasa/SPC credit bureau (cadastro de inadimplentes) reporting → judicial collection (cobrança judicial) or small claims court. Verify any debt demand is legitimate: check the creditor CNPJ, invoice reference, and exact amount. Fake debt collection scams (falsas cobranças) are common — never pay a WhatsApp demand without verifying directly with the creditor's official channels.
Court order: Formal debt recovery: Juizado Especial Cível (JEC — small claims, no lawyer required up to 20 minimum wages; lawyer required from 20–40 minimum wages; jurisdiction capped at 40 minimum wages, currently ~BRL 52,800). For larger claims: Comarca Civil Court. Process: creditor files claim → judicial summons (citação) issued → defendant must respond within 15 days in JEC → if no response: default judgment → enforcement via penhora (asset seizure: bank accounts, wages, vehicles, real estate). Wage garnishment: typically up to 30% of salary for debts under court order.
Response deadline: JEC summons: 15 days to respond (contestar). Regular civil court summons: varies (typically 15–30 days depending on the court and procedure). Notary demand (notificação extrajudicial): respond within the stated period (typically 5–10 business days). Ignoring a court summons results in a revelia (default judgment) that presumes all facts alleged by the creditor are true — very difficult to overturn. Seek an advogado immediately on receiving formal court documents.
Consumer protection authority
SENACON (Secretaria Nacional do Consumidor — senacon.mj.gov.br): national consumer protection authority under the Ministry of Justice; sets consumer law policy and coordinates state PROCONs. Consumidor.gov.br: free national online platform for direct mediation with 4,000+ participating companies — resolves ~81% of registered complaints. State PROCONs: e.g., PROCON-SP (procon.sp.gov.br), PROCON-RJ (procon.rj.gov.br), PROCON-PR, etc. — file in person or online for goods/services complaints. Sector regulators: ANATEL (anatel.gov.br) for telecoms; ANS (ans.gov.br) for health insurance plans; SUSEP (susep.gov.br) for general insurance; Banco Central do Brasil — BCB (bcb.gov.br) for banking and payments (complaint portal registrar.bcb.gov.br); ANEEL (aneel.gov.br) for electricity; ANTT for road transport. Consumer courts: Juizado Especial Cível (free for claims up to 20 minimum wages; lawyer needed for 20–40 minimum wages).
First step: consumidor.gov.br — free national platform; most major companies resolve complaints within 10 business days. State PROCON: if company is unregistered on consumidor.gov.br or for local/physical businesses; search "PROCON [your state]". Telecoms/internet: ANATEL (anatel.gov.br or 1331 hotline). Health plans: ANS (ans.gov.br or 0800 701 9656 free). Banking/credit card disputes: Banco Central (bcb.gov.br — registrar.bcb.gov.br for online complaints or 0800 979 2345 free). Electricity: ANEEL (aneel.gov.br or 167 hotline). Food safety: ANVISA (anvisa.gov.br). Fraud/scams: Delegacia de Crimes pela Internet (Polícia Civil — file at delaciavirtual.ssp.[state].sp.gov.br or equivalent in your state). Serasa dispute: serasa.com.br for credit bureau corrections. Juizado Especial Cível: no fee for claims up to 20 minimum wages; locate at tjsp.jus.br (SP), tjrj.jus.br (RJ), etc.