Dot in the Sky (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dotinthesky) wrote2007-01-23 06:54 pm
dotinthesky) wrote2007-01-23 06:54 pm
Entry tags:
Brasil's Limbo Feels Lonely
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.
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.
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