Before I came to Brazil I had heard that one of the
country’s biggest problems was its maze of bureaucracy, paperwork and hoop
jumping that many simple tasks require.
Both Loni and I dealt with a bit of the bureaucratic nightmare right at
the beginning of our grant when we had to register as foreigners at the Federal
Police. We had a window of 30 days
to do this and we barely made it as time and time again we were denied because
of nit-picky details (pictures are too small/big, not the right/enough signatures
or stamps, lack of certain documents etc.). Other times we went there the Federal Police was on strike
or they were busy with particular emergencies. After about 6 tries, we both were finally able to register
and crossed our fingers that we would never have to deal with such an
experience again.
Unfortunately, I knew that this would not be the case for me
because of an initial error on my original visa. Last year, when I applied for a 12-month visa to Brazil, the
Chicago consulate inexplicably gave me (and several other grantees) a visa for
only 9 months. While I was able to
enter the country without any problem, I wouldn’t be able to legally stay for
the entire length of my grant.
Knowing that an extension would involve a similar amount of paperwork
and bureaucracy, I started the process in September since it had to be
completed by October 18 (30 days before my visa expired on November 18).
About every week Sean and I have been going to the Federal
Police trying to get my visa extension and, like before, each time I have been
denied for various similar reasons.
Finally, I was able to obtain a comprehensive list of what I would need
and set to work on getting an absurd amount of notarized paperwork. Fortunately, I received a lot of help
from the Fulbright commission, some university student mentors and the
department chair, all of whom gave much time and energy to helping me extend my
visa (a problem which shouldn’t have occurred and wasn’t even my fault in the
first place). I attempted to repay
them by baking and frosting cupcakes but they definitely deserve more than that
for the hassles they went through for my sake.
Last week I went back to the Federal Police for my last
chance to get my extension. I had
low expectations and at this point was already planning on having to come home
early on November 17 when my original visa ran out. I carried a heavy amount of documentation (translated
resume, forms, pictures, statement of support and insurance from Fulbright, my
airline ticket, copies of my diplomas, a letter from UESC, proof that I haven’t
had any problems with the law in Brazil, proof that UESC is in need of foreign
English teachers and proof that I am a qualified English teacher, proof that
the head of department is who he says he is and is qualified to supervise my
activities at UESC . . . it went on and on.) After about two and a half hours of waiting, I was granted a
temporary permission slip to stay in the country. The truth is that the actual visa extension process takes
place in the country’s capitol and probably won’t even be started by the time I
leave Brazil (December 10).
When I explain all of this to my students here they just
laugh because they are all too familiar with the many challenges of getting
things done. “Bem vindo ao Brasil”
they say knowingly. “Welcome to
Brasil.”
I learned the hard way that my Brazilian visa extension was NOT valid to leave & re-enter the country - only to stay. Obtaining the visa was shockingly a piece of cake, but I should have known that it was too good to be true! Getting turned away at the border in the middle of the night halfway into a 24-hour bus trip was no fun at all.
That is a lot of bureaucratic BS!