Brasil's Limbo Feels Lonely

[dotinthesky]

I lost my Brasilian citizenship; or, more precisely, I've been thrown into Brasilian legal limbo.

This is what happened: although I was born in South Africa, my parents registered me in the Brasilian embassy (which included an official birth certificate.) Later, when we moved to Brasil, I was given an I.D. card and passport. For all intents and purposes, I was a Brasilian. My family lived in Hong Kong when I turned 18. Every male in Brasil is required to enlist with the military when they reach that age, which I did at Brasil's consulate in Hong Kong. I was given a document which I should give to the military as soon as I moved to Brasil. I also became eligible to vote. What they should have told me was that I needed to, as an adult, choose the Brasilian citizenship. Nothing was said, my passport was re-newed for ten years (which they shouldn't have done) and I went my merry way. When I lived in Brasil for one year, in 2000, the military gave me a letter saying that I was exempt from the army as long as I opted for dual citizenship. As soon as I gave up my British citizenship, my status with the army would change. Regardless of what I did, I was still a Brasilian.

My passport expired last year and the consulate in London explained to me that my status is fucked up: they can't give me a new passport because I failed to opt for citizenship when I turned 18; I'm now a non-brasilian eventhough I still have an I.D. card, birth certificate, can still vote, amongst other things. One consequence of being non-brasilian is that if something were to happen to my mom and brother, I wouldn't be able to inherit our property in Brasil; I also can't buy property or do a number of other things. Yes, that's Brasil's bureacracy for you.

The people at London's consulate agree with me that this is a ridiculous situation (I took this afternoon off to speak to them) and would gladly give me a new passport if they could. I've had to hire a lawyer in Brasil who will begin the process of sorting my legal status; but, as with all lawyers, it's going to cost me more than I can afford. Additionally, she says I can only fix my situation if I become a Brasilian resident again, which means going back to Brasil for a long period of time -- probably in July/August. It means quitting my job, it means the possibility of temp-hell when I return to London (if I return here...); it means all the best laid plans thrown up in the air.

Comments

[sparklielizard.livejournal.com]

Oh no. What a bureaucratic mess! You're totally Brasilian through and through, and yet a poxy piece of paper says you're not and you have to jump through hoops for it, ruining your life in the process?

Best of luck. This is a seriously sucky discovery :-(

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Very sucky. :-/

[sbeth76.livejournal.com]

That's fuc'd. I'm sorry. I hope it gets sorted out soon!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[izzybees]

Oh no!! What a mess! It's terrible that the government's mistake is going to cost you so much - how unfair!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly. I want to tract down the idiot in Hong Kong who did this to me and have him held accountable for it. He really messed up things.

[greenteablack.livejournal.com]

Oh man Ollie that's a shit situation. I hope that this thing can be resolved without relocation. How long would you have to live in Brasil?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

How long would you have to live in Brasil?

I'm waiting to hear from the lawyer. I thought it might be possible for me to go for a month holiday, get things going and then leave (though the people at the consulate said the process is long and that I would need to appear in person at the military.)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

That's going to decidedly mess up the plans you two had for Canada, isn't it?
Yes it will, though we were already planning for Kevin to move back before me. I might just fly straight from Brasil to Canada after I've sorted everything out.

In terms of flying in with a passport, Brasilians get waved in by just showing their passports' photo; customs officers are more concerned with those Brasilians trying to get out. With a British passport, I'm given three months automatically without any fuss. Britain and Brasil have a very good diplomatic relationship and Brits are not required to get Visas before flying in.

The consulate staff were completely mistified, but also aware they couldn't do anything without putting their asses in the firing line.

[shewasminetoo.livejournal.com]

woah that's crazy, i hope something gets sorted out for you

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Cheers.

[stormecho.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear that. No carnival for you - pretty fucked up. :(

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Live and learn, etc. I'm sure things will turn out OK, but I'm just pissed off I'm paying for someone else's mistake.

[kirstenlj.livejournal.com]

What a mess. I am going to be/am in a similar(ish) situation soon too. We'll miss you though. How long would you have to go for? Would Kevin go with you?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I don't know how long it will take. The people at the consulate say it's a long process and that I would need to be there for my interview with the military. I'm awaiting a reply from my lawyer to let me know, more or less, how long I'd need to stay there. Kevin wouldn't come with me; he'd probably stay here or move to Canada and await me there.

But, wherever I go, you are all welcome to come and stay with me. :-)

[purplethings.livejournal.com]

the possibility of temp-hell when I return to London

But surely you've been so wonderful at your job that they would be glad to have you back when you return?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I'd like to believe so but, sadly, time goes on and they can't stop things and await my return. They'd find someone to do my job and I'd be left in the position of having to re-apply for work. :-/

[brokenhaze.livejournal.com]

That's awful, I can't believe that someone's incompetence is going to cost you so much personally to rectify. Do you think it's likely they will be able to solve the problem for you?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

The problem is definitely solvable. My brother, who was in a similar position, is also using the same lawyer and will have his papers sorted out soon. What sucks about this -- apart from the idiot who screwed me over in Hong Kong -- is that I need to be a resident in Brasil to get the citizenship; it means dropping my life here.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Brasilian legal limbo.

Is that a Mardi Gras tradition? "Now, time for the legal limbo... band, can we have a rhumba beat!"

Seriously though, good luck with becoming re-Brazillian.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

We call it Carnaval over there, I'll have you know.

Thanks for the wishes; I'll do a little samba in your honour when I'm finally sorted out. ;-)

[noondaydemon.livejournal.com]

That is just ridiculous! I hope you get contacted soon in order to be told that the whole thing was a "silly clerical error" and "it will never happen again":-)

I wonder whether talking to the press will help....

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

When I went to the consulate today, I was hoping they'd fish out a new passport and tell me they'd sorted it all out.

As for the press, my case is too "small potatoes" for that. What I need to do is contact the consulate in Hong Kong and shower them with expletives.

[idioticpoet.livejournal.com]

If at all possible, keep us informed of developments as they arise

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

You know me, I'll squeeze all the Drama out of this one. ;-)

wishes of well

[saint-narcissus.livejournal.com]

Ollie,
what an awful situation.
hope you a speedy rectification of this matter.
wishes of well for you my friend.
-David

Re: wishes of well

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Thanks dude. :-)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Can you fly to Hong Kong for the job?

[rag-and-bone.livejournal.com]

oh dear god. that's so sad. do you feel very displaced? i wonder what you will do. is there any way that you can go back to brasil later, after you're ready to move on from your job in london?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yes, one option would be to sort this out much later; but since I was already planning on moving to Canada this Summer, I could just make a small detour and sort it out. As for feeling displaced... that's something I've felt for years now. ;-)

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

How horrible and stressful. Can I go and live in Brazil instead of you and save you all the hassle?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

As long as I don't incur the wrath of your "missus", I'm fine with it.

[showwyourteeth.livejournal.com]

bad things always happen to good people
fuck the government
you could always become a hermit and move into the forest =p

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I'm still enjoying life too much to abandomn civilization.

A Man Without a Country...

[msanthropist.livejournal.com]

Somehow sounds very fitting, given your flare for living the ordinary life in an extraordinary way. But seriously I believe everything happens for a reason and this is going to be sorted out with a minimum of interruption of your "real" life. Good luck and keep us posted!!! (What does your mom say about all this?)

Re: A Man Without a Country...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

My mom was the one who sorted out the lawyer, so she's keeping an eye on it for me (also, she's helping my brother over there, who is also in the same position.) Like you, I also believe this will eventually be sorted out with any further hassles.

[tonight-we-fly.livejournal.com]

What a complete nightmare. I'm sorry to hear about this unwelcome and large trauma, it all sounds so utterly senseless.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Cheers.

[rasta-puppetman.livejournal.com]

Brasil doesn't deserve you. i hope things work out for the best. Don't wanna end up like Tom Hanks in The Terminal

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Nobody deserves to end up in a Spielberg movie!!

[kevyn-kronycles.livejournal.com]

That really sucks...I hope you get all that sorted soon without too much difficulty...I know from personal experience how annoying all that bureaucracy can be

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[fj.livejournal.com]

Is it worth it?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is: if something were to happen to my family in Brasil, I wouldn't be able to access their bank accounts, deal with our property, etc; I would have to first navigate the whole bureacratic system. Also, sorting this thing out now might save me the hassle in the future if I decide to live again in Brasil.

[thirstypixel.livejournal.com]

So much sympathy. How totally, utterly and completely screwed up :(

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Cheers

[live-life-like.livejournal.com]

mas que situaçao mais complicada, ollie.....
e é ainda mais complicado pra resolver.
omg...it sucks it really sucks!!!!!!

:(

like, se vc quiser a cidadania, vai ter que ficar morando aqui um tempo....é isso?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

like, se vc quiser a cidadania, vai ter que ficar morando aqui um tempo....é isso?

Me parece que sim, pelo oque minha advogada me disse. Estou agora esperando resposta dela para um e-mail onde perguntei porquanto tempo eu teria que ficar no Brasil.