CPF HOLDERS - TIME TO FILE YOUR EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE

[trilingual]

If any of our readers have obtained a Brazilian CPF (tax ID number, used in Brazil as I.D. in a way equivalent to a U.S. social security number) it's time to file your Declaração de Isento (tax exemption certificate). This must be done annually between August and November to avoid having the CPF number cancelled, which can lead to all kinds of headaches.

 

As long as you can read Portuguese, or have someone who does assist you, filing is a snap. It can be done on-line by going to the Receita Federal (Internal Revenue) site at http://www.receita.fazenda.gov.br and then clicking on (or searching for) Declaração Anual de Isento - DAI 2003. You just have to answer a few questions (have your CPF number handy, of course) and hit send. You receive a confirmation number you write down or print out, and then you're done until next year.