Brazil Clarifies Biometric Registration Deadlines for Welfare Recipients

_{Photo credit: Arkadij Schell / Shutterstock.com}

Brazil has extended the deadline for Bolsa Família recipients to register their biometric information, giving low-income families more time to comply with new requirements linked to the introduction of the country’s new national ID system.

Under Joint Ordinance No. 23, published on April 30, people eligible for Bolsa Família and registered in CadÚnico, the federal social programs registry, have until December 31, 2026, to complete biometric registration. The requirement applies to the granting, maintenance, and renewal of the benefit.

The same deadline is valid for citizens applying for other benefits, including maternity pay, disability allowance, death pensions, unemployment benefits, and wage supplements.

This extends the previous transition period by eight months, from April 30, 2026, to December 31, 2026. According to a Bolsa Família notice, the extension is designed to ensure vulnerable families are not left without support while the new biometric requirement is introduced.

Social welfare beneficiaries who have not yet registered their biometric information must obtain Brazil’s new Carteira de Identidade Nacional (CIN) by December 31, 2027, so their biometrics can be collected and access to benefits maintained. Those who already receive benefits and have biometric records through the Superior Electoral Court, driver’s licence system, or passport process will only need the CIN from January 2028.

The measure is part of Brazil’s move to consolidate identity verification around the CIN. The new card uses Brazil’s CPF tax number as a single national identifier, reducing reliance on multiple document numbers across public services. 

Biometric Update reports that more than 52 million CIN cards have already been issued, while the government plans to make the document mandatory for all citizens by 2032. There is also a digital version of the CIN, available via the Gov.br app.

National Secretary for Citizenship Income Eliane Aquino Custodio said: 

This is a significant improvement to the system, which is constantly being made stronger. Biometrics make it possible to further increase the reliability of data, reduce the risk of inconsistencies, and more effectively prevent fraud, without leaving anyone unprotected.