a cpf number enters a person, as well as their brazilian assets onto the taxpayers register, whilst also storing information about the taxpayer, and is a requirement for the buying of any property in brazil, as well as employment, opening bank accounts, and investing into any brazilian markets.

because a cpf is required by many stores when purchasing a major item, this number lets the government reconcile how much one declares with how much one spends.

not much can be bought without one, so just anyone traveling to, or living in brazil for an extended period needs a cpf.