Livingston assistant coach Allan Preston admits red tape is set to prevent the club signing Brazilian trialist Bruno Carvalho.
The South American had impressed new Livi head coach Marcio Maximo but after applying for a work permit, Preston concedes the outlook is bleak.
He told Livi's official website: "The feedback at the moment is we're not going to get one."
Meanwhile, Brian Kerr, who joined the Lions on loan from Newcastle last week, has been included in the latest Scotland squad for the friendly against Norway.
Berti Vogts has named a 24-man squad for the Oslo game next Wednesday — an international friendly ahead of the Euro 2004 double-header against the Faroe Islands and Germany in September.
Kerr, 21, is uncapped at full international level.