I spent alot of my work day today trying to figure out where to start with my first blog post. Was I going to talk about a food or a favorite city of mine? Maybe I could talk about some of the stark contrasts between the two countries and cultures. But, after much thought I figured I should just write about what I am doing RIGHT NOW. And what I'm doing right now is applying for my permanent visa for Brazil. For the sake of explanation, lets just compare it to a green card.
The permanent visa will allow me to enter and leave the country as much as I want as well as earn an income there. The motivation of getting this taken care of now is so we have less to worry about when the big move comes closer and also so I dont have to sit around and play "house wife" once we arrive in Brazil. I will have the green light to seek and start employment.
There is a check list of documents I have to get to send in to the Brasilian Consulate to obtain my visa. These include the following:
- My Passport
- Fill out and print the "permanent visa" request form online
- Delivery Receipt. (Printed and used to claim visa)
- Photograph (to specs.) for visa
- Photocopy of drivers license
- Non-Criminal Record (more on this later)
- Carteira de Identidade (Wife's official Brasilian identification)
- Compromisso de Manutencao form (Wife's official letter saying she wants to bring me)
- Brasilian Marriage Certificate
- $340 application fee
All of the above is due by August 25th. This is because I already filled out the request form and you have to turn it all in within 30 days.
Now lets talk about government! I dont care what country you are from, government is difficult, unorganized, and too big! They require many different things...........but never the same things. For example, the Brasilian consulate website in Chicago says that you need to obtain a "non-criminal record" from your LOCAL police department. Now, the Brasilian consulate website in Washington D.C. says that you have to obtain a "non-criminal record" from the F.B.I.. By the way, the F.B.I. requires fingerprints, weeks of waiting, and a $36 fee. When I emailed the consulate to ask for more details on this document they emailed me back pretty much saying word for word what the website said. They DIDNT directly answer ANY of my questions. This happened twice!
Caralho!!!!!! (a cuss word expressing unhappiness in Portuguese) hehehe
Lets continue on to another discrepancy in government websites. We will be taking our cat (Zoey) and turtle (Shelly) with us to Brazil.
One website says:
According to the Brazilian Decree # 6,946, of August 21, 2009, it’s no longer necessary the legalization of the International Health Certificate for Pets, issued by local veterinarian and certified by the US Department of Agriculture.
And another says:
International Health Certificate for Pets (dogs and cats only) issued by veterinarians must be certified by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The International Health Certificate must show that the pet identified was examined by a veterinarian in the ten days prior to shipment, not showing any clinical sign of disease
COME ON!!!!!
Now do you understand my frustration? It is things like this that will make the whole journey a little more difficult but in the end, totally worth it.
I anticipate many bumps along the way. Especially since we still have to acquire material items here that we want to take, finish all of my legalization paperwork, finish my wifes PhD by next spring/summer, get her a job (and then me afterwards), find a place to live, and arrange for shipping our belongings to Brazil. Its A LOT to do but not impossible. We arent trying to move to the moon......just Brazil.
Some people ask me why I want to do this. Wont you miss your family? Why would you want to leave the U.S. for Brazil? Are you stupid?! Well, yes I will miss my family. Yes, I will miss some of the things here in the U.S.. But, I love my wife. I love the home she is from. This offers a sense of adventure. Something I never saw coming in my life. No, the grass is not greener on the other side, but its definitely different. Im ready for different! Im sure there will be some time where I'm scared out of my mind and WANNA GO HOME! But, I know this will pass. Home is where you make it. Next to my wife I know we can make a good comfortable home where ever we may be. I look forward to making that home and bring my family there one day to share it with them. I want them to see what I see. Enjoy what I enjoy. And in the end be happy for us even though we will be a few miles away....hehehe.
So here I go. Starting the long journey. And its starting with this paperwork. Oh, and the wedding was a step as well, but we are starting the BLOG journey from here!
Brandon
