Rights and Dutiesres no Brasil
As soon as you arrive, get informed about your rights and look to fulfill your duties. From that moment on, the life of the immigrant/refugee will be easier in Brazil.
Refuge applicant rights in Brazil
- They cannot be expelled from Brazil (International Principle of non-refoulement);
- They cannot be penalized if they arrived in the country in a irregular way (not subject to deportation);
- Obtaining the Individual Taxpayer Registration (Cadastro de Pessoa Física - CPF);;
- Obtaining a Work Permit (Carteira de Trabalho e Previdência Social - CTPS);
- Opening a bank account;
- Access to education and public health system;
- Access to the Social Assistance Reference Center (Centro de Referência da Assistência Social - CRAS);
- Access to Social Welfare, as long as you are a contributor;
- Right to free roam in Brazilian territory. (MIGRAMUNDO, 2022).
Refuge applicant duties in Brazil
In regards to the duties, the refugee applicant has to renew their documentation annually (the expiring date from both the DPRNM and the Refugee Protocol/Protocolo de Refúgio are annual. The renewal order may be done 6 months before the expiring date ends).
In case those documents are not renewed, the refugee process will be deemed extinct and the migrant will become an irregular in Brazil; It is recommended that the applicant visit the site of SICONARE at least once a month to check the updates of their process and maintain their data up-to-date (primarily their phone number and address).
In case the applicant has to travel abroad during the period in which the process is going on, it is important that the person informs CONARE while traveling using the e-mail: viagem.conare@mj.gov.br.
If they want to travel to their home country or any other countries in the span of more than 12 months, or when they use their original passport, the refugees will have to make a solicitation together with CONARE, seeing that if they do not do it, they will be subject to losing their condition of refugee.
The non-compliance with those duties may result in the archiving of the refugee process. (MIGRAMUNDO, 2022).
Remember that the Brazilian law provides assistance to immigrants, even those in an irregular situation, until it is known how they got in that situation and the case is evaluated to arrive at a conclusion.
If you do not have enough income to maintain yourself, your family has the right to receive initial governmental help, called Bolsa Família. For that, you must get the Cadastro Único of the Federal Government (CadÚnico)
After that, look for social assistance in the city hall to know what are the next steps. The government will analyze if you and your family are fit to receive that benefit.
A) LOCATIONS TO CHECK YOUR RIGHTS IN REGARDS TO SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
The social assistance in João Pessoa's City Hall is linked to the Secretaria de Direitos Humanos e Cidadania (SEDHUC), part of the access to the Cadastro Único dos Programas Sociais is in this address: Rua Dom Pedro I, n. 849, Centro.
The other part of the social assistance services, responsible for the management of the Sistema Único de Assistência Social (SUAS) is in theJá Centro Administrativo Municipal in the Água Fria neighborhood, and the Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (CRAS) are available throughout the city’s neighborhoods.
Next, the CRAS Units List:
| Name of the CRAS |
Address |
Forms of contact |
| CRAS – Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Alto do Mateus) |
Rua Luiz Pimentel de França Batista, s/n. Alto do Mateus |
Fone: 83 3214-6641 98874-6470.
E-mail: crasaltodomateus.sedes@gmail.com |
| CRAS – Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Cristo) |
Rua Universitário Rogério Benevides, s/n. Cristo Redentor |
Fone: 83 3214-4912 98805-5394.
E-mail: crascristorangel@outlook.com |
| CRAS – Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Cruz das Armas) |
Rua Juiz Domingues Porto, s/n. Cruz das Armas |
Fone: 83 3214-5494 98801-6561.
E-mail: crascruzdasarmasjp@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Gervásio Maia) |
Rua Venâncio Gonçalves de Oliveira, s/n. Gervásio Maia |
Fone: 83 98712-5562 98897-6720.
E-mail: crasgervasiomaiajp20@hotmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Gramame) |
Rua Telegrafista Geraldo Fagundes de Araújo, s/n. Gramame |
Fone: 83 3220-1210 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98628-2742.
E-mail: crasgramamepb@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Grotão) |
Rua Francisco Gomes de Oliveira, s/n, Funcionários II-CRC (próximo à Praça Bela). Grotão |
Fone: 83 3214-3441 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98864-5945.
E-mail: crasgrotaojp2019@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Ilha Bispo) |
Travessa Lopo Garro, s/n. Ilha do Bispo |
Fone: 83 3214-5479 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98842-1051.
E-mail: ilhadobispocras@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Mandacaru) |
Rua Professor Alfredo de Ataíde, s/n. Mandacaru |
Fone: 83 3218-7814 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98890-2810.
E-mail: crasmandacarujp@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Mangabeira) |
Rua Comerciante Alfredo Ferreira da Rocha, n. 1188. Mangabeira |
Fone: 83 3239-1677 ou celular/whatsapp 83 98823-7063.
E-mail: crasmangabeirajp@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Padre Zé) |
Rua Prefeito José Carvalho, n. 116. Treze de Maio |
Fone: 83 3214-2850 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98876-3559.
E-mail: craspadreze.roger@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (São José) |
Travessa São Gonçalo, n. 15 – Chatuba. Bairro São José |
Fone: 83 3214-8588 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98841-6032.
E-mail: cras.saojose.pmjp@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Roger-volante) |
Rua Professor Cizenando Costa, n. 57 (ao lado da Bica). Roger |
Fone: 83 3214-1709 99980-2975.
E-mail: craspadreze.roger@gmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Vale das Palmeiras) |
Av. Vale das Palmeiras, s/n. Vale das Palmeiras |
Fone: 83 32185220 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 987939416.
E-mail: crasvaledaspalmeiras1@gmail.com ou camposismenia30@hotmail.com |
| CRAS - Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Valentina) |
Rua Francisco Alves Rodrigues, n. 28. Valentina Figueiredo |
Fone: 83 3237-4680 ou celular/WhatsApp 83 98825-9616.
E-mail: crasvalentina@hotmail.com.br |
Click here Centro de Referência de Assistência Social
Go to those places and check what you need to do to have access, for example, to Bolsa Família, which is a monthly aid provided by the government to families when they do not have any other forms of income to maintain themselves, because of unemployment or other factors.
In those locations, look to know what other public aids your family may also receive.
It is common to find big waiting queues in those spaces. So, it is recommended that you arrive early, get your token and be patient.
B) LOCATIONS TO LOOK FOR FREE HEALTH ASSISTANCE
The access to health assistance in Brazil may be private (paid), maybe with supplementary health insurance for those who can afford it, or as a free public service through SUS, for those who can’t afford to pay. Everyone has the right to those free health assistance services in Brazil.
For that, they must register on SUS. This may be done virtually or in person in the closest sanitary districts.
If that doesn’t solve the problem, it is recommended that you look for the head office, which is in antigo Lactário da Torre.
After getting your SUS Card, it is recommended that the citizen, as soon as they have gotten a new address (for example, if they have already rented a house to live), go to the closest Family Health Unity (Unidade de Saúde da Família - USF).
Those USFs are available in almost every neighborhood. It is advised that the USF is the first place the citizen goes to inform themselves about the health assistance they have the right to, to check their vaccination card and to look to know who will be their family health agent.
A Next, we present the main
USFs in João Pessoa
Map with the main Unidades de Saúde da Família in João Pessoa
In case there is a more serious illness which requires faster treatment, it is recommended that you look for the Emergency Care Units (Unidades de Pronto Atendimento - UPAs) or the hospitals who have emergency duty and serve by SUS.
Normally the UPAs are open 24/7, depending on the severity of the illness they forward the patient (sick person) to public hospitals.
It is important to highlight that those services are free, the demand is great and the environment is always crowded, so you must be patient to wait in queues and the appointments may be scheduled to distant dates.
But as it was said before, in the case of a serious illness, go straight to an UPA, they are open 24/7. Next, we present the main UPAS em João Pessoa e Bayeux
Map with the main UPAS in João Pessoa and Bayeux
In case the individual needs emergency aid for themselves or someone while on the street, in case of a traffic accident, dizziness, fainting or if something severe happened at home and they can’t go to the UPA, they can call the Emergency Mobile Aid Service (Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência) (SAMU), with the number 192 (free of charge).
But if it is a life-threatening issue, such as a fire, landslide or anything related, you may call the Fire Department, with the number 193 (free of charge).
If in your family there is a child or teenager with a disability and needs special care, you may look for the Centro de Referência Municipal de Inclusão para Pessoa com Deficiência (CRMIPD), they will guide you on how to have access to that right.
It is said in the website that this center, called CRMIPD, “provides assistance to children and teenagers up to 18 years, residents of João Pessoa, with a great variety of disabilities.
The services include multidisciplinary activities, focused in the early, habilitation or rehabilitation treatment for people with disabilities and/or behavior or learning disorders.
C) HOW TO REPORT VIOLENCE, CRIME, DISCRIMINATION, THEFT, THREATS etc.
In Brazil, acts of discrimination and xenophobia are considered crimes. Threatening, abusing or any other form of violence are also crimes. In case you have been a victim of abuse, threat or any other type of crime from someone else, do not be silent! Report it!
The sooner you make the report, the bigger are the chances of your problem being investigated and solved. For that, you can call the Military Police (the number is 190, free of charge), who are the ones responsible for acting in the street to prevent and suppress crimes, make arrests “on the spot” and other measures.
The Military Police does the primary call, and depending on the situation, sends the report to the Police Station to take the appropriate measures.
If the crime has already been committed and you did not call the Military Police when it happened, you still should look for the closest Police Station In addition, there are specialized Stations for specific cases (for women, tourists, children and teenagers etc.).
In the link above there are all the phone numbers, addresses and locations you can go to report a crime, the report is called “Boletim de Ocorrência”. After that the police will analyze and, if it is relevant, will open an inquiry, investigate and, if needed, report to the Judiciary.
If required, search for the closest police station, and go to it to write your Boletim de Ocorrência reporting the fact. That is also valid in cases where the person lost their documents, or their wallet with documents and money was stolen.
Only with the Boletim de Ocorrência is it possible to get a new copy of the documents.
The picture below shows some Police Station locations in João Pessoa.
Map with the main police stations in João Pessoa
If you prefer, you can also write your report online, through what is called an Online Police Station.
If you’re a woman or have any woman who was victim to any type of violence and needs care and help, it is recommended that you go to the Centro de Referência da Mulher Ednalva Bezerra, which is linked to the Extraordinary Office of Public Policies for Women (Secretaria Extraordinária de Políticas Públicas para as Mulheres - SEPPM).
It is situated in Avenida Otto Feio da Silveira, n. 161 – Pedro Gondim, from Mondays to Fridays, from 8h until 12h and from 13h until 17h.
In the website, it's written that this Center is “a space in which women are welcomed, guided and led to the Service Network through an intersectoral action with many policies.
We have a multi-professional team, composed of psychologists, social assistants, lawyers, educators and a holistic therapist.” The support is given in many areas: social, psychologic, legal, therapeutic, education, orientation and prevention.
If there were any violations of your rights, you can call 156 (free of charge), report what happened and be guided on how to proceed. You can also call 100 (free of charge) and make your report.
