Civil Union (Rio de Janeiro)

hi all,
i will be arriving to Rio in a couple of months, expat for a period of two years. I just found out that my couple (we are a civil union, equivalent to civil marriage in spain) will need much more time than me to get a residence permit.
they said it would take around a year, after my permit is ready!

does anybody have similar experience'
is it really 12 months?
is it possible tfor her to be with me during that period, in Rio, or she would have to leave the country after 3 months, just like a "standard" tourist?

thanks in advance,