Updated April 2026

How to Get a CPF in Belo Horizonte: Step-by-Step Guide for Foreigners

Q: I work in the mining industry. Is there anything different about getting a CPF in Belo Horizonte?

The process is the same for everyone, but Belo Horizonte is the mining capital of Brazil with Anglo American, ArcelorMittal, and Usiminas all headquartered here. Many mining professionals need a CPF for employment contracts, banking, and tax registration. Your company's HR department may have a preferred Correios branch. If not, Correios Savassi or the Receita Federal CAC in Santo Agostinho are the most reliable options.

Belo Horizonte is the capital of Minas Gerais, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the gateway to Brazil's mining heartland. It is home to San Pedro Valley (900+ startups, Brazil's second-largest tech ecosystem), Oscar Niemeyer's Pampulha complex, and more bars per capita than any other city in Brazil. Whether you are here for tech, mining, the food, or the famously warm mineiro hospitality, a CPF will unlock everything. Here is exactly where to go, what to bring, and what makes getting a CPF in Belo Horizonte different from other cities.

Best places to get a CPF in Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte has one Receita Federal CAC location (free) and several Correios branches that process CPF applications. The Receita Federal office is the only CAC in the city, so if you want to avoid the R$7 Correios fee, that is your only free option.

Receita Federal CAC (free, appointment required)

The only free option in Belo Horizonte. Located in the Santo Agostinho neighbourhood, a corporate and medical district. Requires prior scheduling through the Receita Federal website. Accessible by bus and metro (Estacao Lagoinha, Orange Line).

✓ Address: Av. Olegario Maciel, 2360, Santo Agostinho, CEP 30180-165
✓ Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00
✓ Phone: (31) 3546-9001
✓ Appointment required via the Receita Federal scheduling system
✓ Cost: Free

Correios Savassi (recommended for walk-in)

In the heart of BH's most international neighbourhood. Staff see foreign passports regularly. Short waits on weekday mornings. Walking distance to restaurants, coworking spaces, and the best of BH's bar scene.

✓ Address: Rua Pernambuco, 1322, Savassi, CEP 30130-976
✓ Hours: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00
✓ Phone: (31) 3431-1500
✓ Walk-in, no appointment needed
✓ Cost: R$7 (~$1.50 USD)

Other Correios branches

✓ Correios Centro (Rua Rio de Janeiro, 234, Centro). Phone: (31) 3213-4305. The main downtown branch near Praca Sete. Busier but always fully staffed.
✓ Correios Funcionarios (Av. Getulio Vargas, 631A, Funcionarios). Phone: (31) 3003-0100. Large, well-organised branch in a quiet residential area.

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What to bring

✓ Passport (original, valid, with entry stamp or visa)
✓ Proof of address (utility bill, rental contract, or host declaration letter)
✓ If staying in an Airbnb or hotel: host declaration letter from whoever you are staying with. GET CPF generates this for you.
✓ R$7 in cash (Correios only. Receita Federal CAC is free.)
✓ A photocopy of your passport (ID page + visa stamp). Bring one just in case.

Where foreigners stay in Belo Horizonte

Savassi is the default neighbourhood for foreigners. The cultural and nightlife heart of BH, packed with bars, restaurants, and cafes. Young professionals and tech workers gravitate here. WeWork has a location in Savassi. Walking distance to Correios Savassi, which makes it the easiest place to get your CPF from.

Lourdes is the most upscale neighbourhood. Elegant apartment buildings, high-end restaurants, and a quieter atmosphere. Popular with corporate executives and expat families. Close to both Savassi and the Receita Federal CAC in Santo Agostinho.

Funcionarios offers residential tranquility. Tree-lined streets, good schools nearby, and a calm pace of life. Has its own Correios branch on Av. Getulio Vargas. A good choice for families or anyone who wants quiet without being far from the centre.

Santo Agostinho is where the Receita Federal CAC is located. A corporate and medical district with a professional atmosphere. If you are scheduling your CPF at the free Receita Federal office, this is the neighbourhood you will visit.

Pampulha is further out, near the lake and Oscar Niemeyer's architectural complex (Igrejinha, Casa do Baile, the Pampulha Art Museum). More residential and spacious. A good choice if you want to be near the lake and do not mind being further from the city centre.

Belo Horizonte-specific tips

Limited English at government offices

Belo Horizonte sees fewer international tourists than coastal cities like Rio or Salvador. English is less commonly spoken at Correios and Receita Federal offices here. Basic Portuguese phrases are essential. GET CPF includes a Portuguese cheat sheet with the exact phrases you need at the counter. Mineiros are famously warm and patient, so do not worry about making mistakes. They will try to help you.

The bar capital of Brazil

Belo Horizonte has 178 bars per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest ratio in Brazil. Boteco culture (neighbourhood bars with petiscos and cold beer) is sacred here. The annual Comida di Buteco festival turns the whole city into a food competition between botecos. With a CPF, you can use Pix at virtually every bar in the city. Cash is increasingly optional.

UNESCO City of Gastronomy

BH is officially a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Comida mineira (Minas Gerais cuisine) is slow-cooked comfort food: feijao tropeiro, tutu de feijao, frango com quiabo. Pao de queijo (cheese bread) is from here. The coffee is strong and served everywhere. Cheese appears at every meal, including breakfast. The local Romeo and Juliet dessert (Queijo de Minas with goiabada, guava paste) is not optional.

Mercado Central

Operating since 1929 with over 400 stalls. This is where you try UNESCO-recognized Queijo de Minas (particularly Canastra cheese), cachaca, and every mineiro specialty. Most vendors accept Pix, so a CPF and a bank account make shopping here much easier. Go hungry.

Tech and mining hub

San Pedro Valley has over 900 startups and Google opened its first LATAM R&D centre here. The Mining Hub (the world's first globally for mining + tech) operates from BH. Anglo American, ArcelorMittal, and Usiminas are headquartered in the region. If you are relocating for work in tech or mining, a CPF is step one for employment contracts, payroll, and banking.

After your CPF in Belo Horizonte

With your CPF sorted, Belo Horizonte opens up:

✓ Mercado Central immediately: Walk straight from your CPF office to the Mercado Central. Try artisan Canastra cheese, cachaca flights, and pao de queijo. Most vendors take Pix.
✓ Find a neighbourhood boteco: Head to Savassi and pick any boteco. Order a chopp (draft beer) and a portion of tropeiro. This is peak mineiro culture. Pix accepted everywhere.
✓ iFood delivery: Order comida mineira delivered to your door. BH has excellent iFood coverage and delivery is fast and cheap. iFood requires a CPF to register.
✓ Phone plan: With your CPF, all carriers (Vivo, Claro, TIM) are available. Vivo generally has the best coverage in BH.
✓ Bank account: Open Nubank, Inter, or C6 Bank in 15 minutes via their apps. This unlocks Pix, which is used everywhere in BH. Inter was actually founded in BH.
✓ Coworking: WeWork Savassi and Impact Hub BH are the top options. Both require a CPF for membership billing.

Day trips from Belo Horizonte

Two of Brazil's most remarkable destinations are day-trip distance from BH:

✓ Ouro Preto (2 hours by bus or car). A UNESCO World Heritage city and one of the best-preserved colonial towns in the Americas. Baroque churches, cobblestone streets, and the history of Brazil's gold rush. Book buses on ClickBus with your CPF.
✓ Inhotim (1.5 hours by car). A world-class contemporary art museum set in 140 hectares of botanical gardens. One of the most extraordinary art spaces anywhere. A CPF makes buying tickets online and arranging transport much easier.

Getting around after your CPF office visit

If you get your CPF at Correios Savassi, you are already in the best part of the city. Walk to Praca da Savassi and pick a bar for lunch. If you go to the Receita Federal CAC in Santo Agostinho, you are a short walk from Lourdes and its high-end restaurants. Correios Centro puts you near Praca Sete, the Mercado Central, and the bus station for day trips. BH has a metro system (Orange and Green lines) and the MOVE bus rapid transit system. With a CPF, you can get a Bhbus card for cheaper fares instead of paying cash on every ride.

Frequently asked questions

I work in the mining industry. Is there anything different about getting a CPF in Belo Horizonte?

The process is the same for everyone, but BH is the mining capital of Brazil with Anglo American, ArcelorMittal, and Usiminas all headquartered here. Many mining professionals need a CPF for employment contracts, banking, and tax registration. Your company's HR department may have a preferred Correios branch. If not, Correios Savassi or the Receita Federal CAC in Santo Agostinho are the most reliable options.

Is the Correios in Savassi good for CPF applications?

Yes. Correios Savassi on Rua Pernambuco is the best Correios option for foreigners. It is in the heart of BH's most international neighbourhood, staff see foreign passports regularly, and the wait times are short on weekday mornings. The cost is R$7.

Is it true that Belo Horizonte is the cheese capital of Brazil?

Yes. Minas Gerais produces the most cheese in Brazil and BH is the centre of it. Queijo de Minas (particularly Canastra cheese) has UNESCO recognition. Cheese appears at every meal. The Mercado Central has over 400 stalls and is the best place to try it. With a CPF you can pay vendors via Pix.

I heard Belo Horizonte has a tech scene. Is that relevant for CPF?

San Pedro Valley is Brazil's second-largest startup ecosystem with over 900 startups. Google opened its first LATAM R&D centre here. If you are relocating for tech work, a CPF is essential for employment contracts, payroll, and opening a bank account. WeWork Savassi and Impact Hub BH are popular coworking spaces.

Can I do a day trip to Ouro Preto after getting my CPF?

Absolutely. Ouro Preto is a UNESCO World Heritage city about 2 hours from BH. Inhotim, a world-class contemporary art museum, is about 1.5 hours away. With a CPF, you can book buses on ClickBus, use Pix for local guides, and get an iFood delivery when you return to BH.

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