THE tickets for Jamie and the kids to return to England were booked. But we still didn´t have a passport for Kobra. We were taking a risk and, given all our experiences with Brazilian beurocracy, trusting in a system we didn`t fully trust. Madness!
But a few days before collection - and departure - an email confirmed the passport was ready. Good news at last, we thought. So the day before flying, we headed to Ilheus and booked ourselves into a hotel by the airport. We then went to the centre to get the passport, thinking it would be straightforward. Mistake!
The upshot is that while it´s been hard for us to stay in Brazil legally, it´s also been desperately hard to get out.
Here´s a breakdown of events.
12.40pm: Arrived at Police Federal and were told they were closed for lunch and we should return at 2pm.
1.30pm: We found our hotel near the airport.
2pm: Arrived at Police Federal and signed for Kobra´s passport. Then we checked one vital piece of information a friend (and no-one in authority at any point) had warned us of. ¨Do we need authorization for one parent to leave Brazil with a Brazilian child?¨ The policeman said, ¨Yes¨and then asked when Jamie was flying. Learning it was the next day, he shook his head. ¨You need to go to the Forum [about 3km away]. ¨You can´t go in shorts,¨he added, pointing to me. I made a mad dash to the market to buy some long bottoms and then we quickly jumped in a taxi to the Forum.
3pm: Arrived at the Forum and got bounced from one department to the other, despite going precisely where the Federal Police told us to. Cutting a long story short, we were told I needed a CPF (Brazilian national insurance number) in order to enter their computer system and the paperwork to be processed. Also, we were told we must have Police Federal complete the form we were handed for international authorization.
4pm: Back at Police Federal to explain our circumstances. Police Federal were adamant we didn´t require a CPF or the form we were given to complete. ¨Tell them they are wrong,¨said the police officer, who promptly typed out a declaration and told me to take it to the Forum to have it stamped. He added his phone number if there were any queries. ¨Be quick,¨he added. ¨The Forum closes soon.¨
4.15pm: Zenchai tells the taxi driver, ¨Rapido!¨ We´re back at the Forum. They wouldn´t accept Police Federal´s letter. Forum and PF engage in a phone call. The result: Forum tell us I must have a CPF. Need to go to Receita Federal (across the road). Only problem: Receita Federal is closed. It opens at 8am and the Forum opens at 12pm. Jamie, almost in tears, says: ¨They´re playing with us´.
5pm: We head off for some food.
Next day. 8.15am: Arrive at Receita Federal and successfully obtain a CPF in 15 minutes. First smooth transaction with the Brazilian authorities.
12pm: Arrive at the Forum (as requested)
12.20pm: No-one there.
12.25pm: Consider sending Jamie and the kids to the airport to check in with me to follow after - when I have the authorization.
12.30pm: Finally someone shows up.
12.35pm: Jamie goes with kids to get a taxi.
12.40pm: Paperwork finished. CPF accepted. I rush to the taxi outside.
1pm: Arrive at hotel and load luggage in taxi.
1.15pm: Arrive at airport. Check in successfully.
2.20pm: Say goodbyes.
After some spilled tears, I headed through security with the kids. Zenchai was feeling rather emotional and Kobra started to cry (very unusual for her). I began to feel uneasy as I kept seeing television monitors stating that there were departure taxes to be paid and the fee was much more dosh than I had on me.
Luckily, there were no fees and Kobra and Zenchai settled. We boarded our airplane for Salvador. The flight was quick and smooth.
Now, I had to gather all our luggage, recheck it and face passport and security control one more time.
Upon checking-in the airline asked for my declaration for Kobra. He glanced at it with approval. In my head I felt huge victory.
With our bags rechecked, I headed to passport control and security - that's where it got hairy. I was ushered into a special line because I was travelling as a single parent with a Brazilian child. I was asked once again for the declaration. Holding Kobra, a carry-on bag, some falafel sandwiches (there's an excellent Arabic restaurant in the food court) for the flight and a rucksack on my back, I couldn't believe it when the passport control officer, clearly unimpressed by my lack of Portuguese, took a personal telephone call whilst checking my papers and showed no urgency. It was about 10-15 minutes before he ended his chat and then threw back at me my papers with a snarl and waved me through. Struggling with the weight of the bags and feeling totally unassisted, I felt livid and helpless.
Fortunately, our gate was the other side and we made it just in time to board the flight. That was my last taste of Brazil.
Abramsfamilyworldtravel tip: if travelling alone with a Brazilian child, make sure you get your declaration well in advance and be warned it is valid only for one trip.
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