UruguayLiving.com

We now know how the immigration procedure works under the new system, at least until they change it again…

Last week the Copperhead had his immigration interview and today I had mine. I waited until we had both gone through it on different days with different people interviewing us so that I could write a bit more authoritatively.

First, Interpol/FBI. You go to the local interpol office where you fill out a form authorizing the FBI to do a criminal background check on you and release the information directly to Interpol Uruguay. Basically you sign your name about 6 times and get fingerprinted twice. The everything is placed into a prepaid mailing envelope with two conflicting addresses on it and it is sealed front and back with the Interpol stamp to prevent tampering.

(Non US Residents need a Police Good Conduct Letter that has been written by the National Police of your country of Residence and legalized by the Uruguayan Consulate in that country less than 90 days before your interview. I suggest you check with the immigration consultant on a country by country basis.)

Second, the paperwork. In addition to the sealed envelope you received from Interpol, you will need a certified copy of your birth certificate that has been legalized by the Uruguayan Consulate for the State, Province andor Country where it was issued. It also helps to have a local police letter similarly legalized by the Uruguayan Consulate for the place of the police department. You will also need a “carnet de salud” or health certificate. This is pretty easy, even I got one. You will also need documentation of income of at least U$S500 per month for your family. This does not need to be legalized at any Consulate and can be organized from here. The immigration consultants will work with you on getting the right documentation for your circumstances. Lastly, you will need you passport and the tourist visa you were given when you arrived. Make sure you are still legal and have not overstayed your 90 day visa. If it gets close, go to BA for the weekend and get a new 90 day visa when you come back.

Third, to Immigration. You go in, take a number, sit down and wait. There are no appointments as such. Usually there are three immigration inspectors. Two are wonderful and the third is the inspector from hell. Our consultant tells us that they always end up having to quibble with the infernal inspector about every piece of paper, but then everything is approved anyway. I can't comment on this as neither Copperhead not I were unlucky in the inspector lottery.

After your papers are reviewed and accepted, and they check the sealed Interpol envelope very carefully, your tourist Visa is taken away and you are giving a new visa while your residency is in processing. The great news is that, even if it takes a year for the FBI report to get back, the visa is good. The only downside is that the visa is good for two departures from the country and two returns. If you need more than that, you simply buy extra permissions from immigration at 70 pesos each. Armed with that, you can come and go as you please or as circumstances require.

That is what happened to the Copperhead.

I always end up doing things differently.

I keep threatening to write a book about the benefits of being handicapped, and today i found one more.

Lees than 5 minutes after we had taken the number to wait our turn more the Manager of the entire Immigration office came out and spoke to me and invited me to come back into their offices for special processing. I was ushered through a warren of boxes and files, (some of which undoubtedly documented the asylum requests from crew members of the Graff Spee in WWII) to an office where I was presented to a nice young lady immigration officer who would handle my case.

She took all the papers as before, noted my local police letter, carefully checked the FBI Envelope, and then asked if I would like to be approved for the Cedula now since special rules for the handicapped allowed her to issue that approval. Our immigration consultants jaw dropped, but we all quickly said “YES” and thank you kindly!

15 minutes later I had the certificate that will permit the police to issue a cedula to me. I also had the visa extension with the previously noted trip limitation and also the same ability to purchase additional arrivals and departures.

I am schedule to collect my cedula on Monday after which I can start referring to Copperhead as the gringo…

ONE LAST THING!!! You must FedEx or DHL or UPS the FBI/Interpol envelope to the FBI in West Virgina. Use the second address that has been added to it, not the address originally printed on it. Make sure you get a receipt and airbill number, Immigration may require it and you must produce it or risk starting all over again. As soon as it is delivered, print a copy of the delivery notice from the Internet and keep it in your files.

Sometimes the man on wheels moves even faster than without….

Posted by The Southron on Thursday, August 31st, 2006 at 17:38.