Friday, March 11, 2011

Bonding with the Brazilian Bureaucracy


Recently I waded a little further into the pool. I have officially submitted my signature into the public record. Now everyone can confirm it was really me who signed whatever document I signed.

We spent about an hour at the cartório (the notary’s office) down the street from us to register my signature. Upon entering we took a number. I was 862, they were serving 853. Not bad. There were lots of chairs and thankfully the television was off.

I’m getting close to some major elective surgery (more about that in a later post) and I needed to sign a release form. Not only sign the form, but have the cartório affix a stamp to the document assuring it was in fact my signature. So I had to go register with the cartório.

Once I got to the window the clerk took my Carteira de Trabalho (work book) for identification purposes and had me fill out a form and sign it twice. There was a meddling secretary who kept insisting I could not register with them because I was not born in Brazil. Luckily she was out ranked by the clerk (and both of their boss, who was consulted for clarification) and I was made a member of the club.

The clerk took a HUGE hard bound book from an enormous set of shelves storing scores of similar books (some appeared to be 75 years old) and had me print and sign my name in the next available space. Stamp. Stamp. R$18,00. Done.

Once again… I’m official.

4 comments:

shelle said...

Oh, I LOVE those books! I remember when we went to get our RNE's, and they pulled out a book. Both my husband and I almost burst out laughing when we saw it--here we waited for EVER, and it was to sign in a book. Ah, Brasil!

The Reader said...

How have you lived here this long and not had to do that before now??? Wow.

Be careful if you ever vary your signature even the tiniest bit. They will make you redo it at the cartorieo.

Once while signing an official document, one of the children bumped me. Had a little wiggle in the last letter of my first name. Ooops. No big deal; still very much my signature.

Except when we took it to be confirmed, no deal. Didn't match well enough. I had to do a whole new card and re-sign the form. Crazy.

Anyway, congrats on one more level of officialness.

Jim said...

Reader - yeah, you're right. It has taken me a while to be fully mainstreamed. Basically, since we owned our apartment before we moved here (Luiz owns it) and we have not bought a car - there just hasn't been the need. Early business was done by Luiz while I waited for my residency visa.

I live a simple life...

Chris said...

Congrats! One day it will be my turn...

Side note... I'm alive and well. Thanks for the email to check up on me. I got so behind on even emails that I missed yours until just recently.

Take care!
Chris
www.floridaguyinbrazil.com