In order to access public social assistance programs available in Brazil, refugees should register at the “Cadastro Único para Programas Sociais (CadÚnico)”. To find a registration station, check at the prefecture or social services department for the city where you live. Through the “Cadastro Único”, the refugee can apply for programs such as "Bolsa Família", "Minha Casa", "Minha Vida", "Benefício de Prestação Continuada", "Aluguel Social", "Projovem" and "Tarifa Social de Energia Elétrica," among others.

Brazilian law guarantees that anyone who is not financially able to contract the services of a lawyer and pay for legal proceedings is entitled to free legal aid.

In Brazil, the "Defensoria Pública" (Public Defender’s Office) is responsible for providing legal advice and guidance to less well-off persons who are not able to afford such costs. Asylum seekers and refugees are also entitled to help from the Public Defender’s Office. The Public Defender’s Office is present in all Brazilian states and in most large cities; it is subdivided into the State Public Defender’s Office (“Defensoria Pública do Estado”) and the Federal Public Defender’s Office (“Defensoria Pública da União”).

Depending on your problem or your needs, please contact:
a) “Defensoria Pública da União” (Federal Public Defender’s Office): for any questions or dissatisfaction concerning your claim for refugee status, documentation, retirement, rights of foreigners in Brazil or access to social welfare benefits, or if you are a defendant in criminal proceedings before a Federal Court involving, for example, forged passports or identification documents, or in extradition and deportation proceedings.

b) “Defensoria Pública do Estado" (The State Public Defender’s Office): for any questions or dissatisfaction concerning housing, rent, divorce, alimony and maintenance, custody of children and adolescents, post-mortem estate inventory, questions of paternity or compensation or if you are a defendant in criminal proceedings before a State Court such as homicide, theft, robbery, fraud or embezzlement, rape etc.

If you have any doubts or further questions, visit the Public Defender’s Office or call one of the offices on the telephone numbers listed in the “How to find us” section.

Brasília
• Defensoria Pública do Distrito Federal
Praça Municipal, Lot 01 Palácio da Justiça – TJDFT Block B, 2nd Floor, Building 2
Telephone: (21964412) 21964413- 21964426
For more addresses: http://www.defensoria.df.gov.br

Manaus
• Pronto Atendimento ao Cidadão - PAC
Federal, state and municipal-level agencies, as well as private companies, are available at this one-stop-shop to offer assistance. They include banks, registry offices, post offices, DETRAN (State Department of Transport), “Juizado da Infância e Juventude” (Children's and Juvenile Court), Procon, and the Civil Police, among others. Addresses:

Alvorada: Avenida Desembargador João Machado, 4922 - Planalto
Compensa: Avenida Brasil, nº 1325 - Compensa
Educandos: Avenida Beira Rio, s/n - Educandos
Porto: Rua Marquês de Santa Cruz, Armazém 10 do Porto de Manaus

• CREAS
This is a state public body responsible for providing social assistance to individuals and families whose rights have been infringed, by offering advice and specialized support through a multidisciplinary group of professionals from areas such as Law, Psychology, Social Work and Speech Therapy. It also offers services and support to persons with disabilities, the elderly, the LGBT community and indigenous people.

Nossa Senhora Das Graças: Rua Libertador n. 535 (telephone: 3232-7886)
Cidade Nova: Rua Curió n.28 (telephone: 3214-6514)
http://semasdh.manaus.am.gov.br

Rio de Janeiro
• Rio Poupa Tempo (Defensoria Pública)
Rio Poupa Tempo provides legal advice and assistance in several areas (family, childhood, youth, civil and consumer) with regard to: alimony; separation; divorce; marriage; paternity; registration of a birth; custody; guardianship; consumer issues; ownership issues; compensation claims; contractual obligations; property regularization; applications for exemption from having to pay the fee for the issuing of public documents.

RIO POUPA TEMPO – Zona Oeste
Rua Fonseca, 240 – 2º pavimento - Bangu - Rio de Janeiro (Bangu Shopping).

RIO POUPA TEMPO – Baixada Fluminense
Estrada Municipal de São João de Meriti, nº 111 - 1º Pavimento/ Prédio Deck Parking - Baixada Fluminense - São João de Meriti - Rio de Janeiro (Shopping Grande Rio).

RIO POUPA TEMPO – Central do Brasil
Praça Cristiano Ottoni, s/n° Edifício D. Pedro II - subsolo Central do Brasil, Centro- Rio de Janeiro.

RIO POUPA TEMPO - São Gonçalo
Avenida São Gonçalo, nº 100 - Estacionamento G3 do São Gonçalo Shopping - Boa Vista or Rua Dr. Francisco Portela, nº 2421 - Parada 40 - São Gonçalo

São Paulo
• Assessoria Jurídica da Universidade de São Paulo
Praça Dr. João Mendes, 62, 17º andar - São Paulo – SP
Telephone: (11) 3113-3220 E-mail: diretoria@djxideagosto.org

• Defensoria Pública do Estado de São Paulo - Headquarters
Avenida Liberdade, 32 - CEP: 01502-000 - São Paulo
Telephone: (11) 3105-5799 Fax: (11) 3105-2003
Website: www.defensoria.sp.gov.br