Brazil Consulate Information

@roddiesho

I am surprised they said 60 days - I thought they were only valid for 90 days. But yes - they are time-limited.

I went too monumentvisa.com

quicker  and cheaper apostilled

dont get rip off for 100-500 dollar per apostilled

Apostilles likely a better route.  It when I doubt: email the consulate, the Brazilian consulate staff tends to be super helpful and kind (my experience in the Atlanta office, at least).

@dedecadaver I second Monument Visa. I used them to have my FBI background check apostilized and had a great experience. Fast,  affordable,  communicative, easy to use website.

@duzzimenino FYI...Just to clarify, the challenge is not with the apostle, but with the fact that my awful lawyers dragged their feet from when I first got the Background Check and Fingerprints in March of 2032 until now, so it has been about 10 months and I have to go back to America and do it again to comply with the Brazilian Consulates 60 days.

@dedecadaver  FYI...Just to clarify, the challenge is not with the apostle, but with the fact that my awful lawyers dragged their feet from when I first got the Background Check and Fingerprints in March of 2032 until now, so it has been about 10 months and I have to go back to America and do it again to comply with the Brazilian Consulates 60 days.

01/15/24  @roddiesho.  Which Consulate will you be going to -- DC or a different one?  Each Consulate does things a little bit different.  You can get  a FBI Background Check through an Approved Channeler anywhere, you don't need to go to Miami just to do that.

My suggestion would be to have two sets of brand new documents, except for your US marriage certificate, which will only be of interest to the Consulate, so you should only need it there.  Have one set without apostilles for the Consulate to get your Visa, and one set with apostilles and Sworn Translations to hold in reserve when you go the Polícia Federal to request your CRNM, but only hand those documents over if requested.

@abthree Yes, I have to go to the Brazilian Consulate in Washington, D.C. and Yes, i figured that out too, but it's still a great idea thanks. So there is one location  in Providence, R.I. I can go to while I am getting my Birth Certificate and storage. So far the trip is not as challenging as I had thought, but i will need a travel guide for so many stops.

Thanx!

Roddie in Retirement

@abthree Thanx, as always. My wife as you know can be extremely helpful, however she also can be touchy. She has spoken about having an interpreter with us, mostly because she doesn't want to be embarrassed by me. She is on "hiatus" , but I think she is talking more about the Federal Police, then the Brazilian Consulate. I am sure she will be at both since they heavily involve the marriage, but how might we arrange it with the three of us there?

Just to let you know, the biggest problem is that I am very used to asking follow-up / probing questions and she is not. This tends to result in "ok, so what if..." questions going unanswered because they are never asked until we leave the meeting.

Roddie in Retirement

01/16/24    @abthree Thanx, as always. My wife as you know can be extremely helpful, however she also can be touchy. She has spoken about having an interpreter with us, mostly because she doesn't want to be embarrassed by me. She is on "hiatus" , but I think she is talking more about the Federal Police, then the Brazilian Consulate. I am sure she will be at both since they heavily involve the marriage, but how might we arrange it with the three of us there?
Just to let you know, the biggest problem is that I am very used to asking follow-up / probing questions and she is not. This tends to result in "ok, so what if..." questions going unanswered because they are never asked until we leave the meeting.

Roddie in Retirement-@roddiesho

You're not going to need an interpreter at the Consulate.  A candidate for the Brazilian Foreign Service is required to speak at least English and one other language fluently in addition to Portuguese in order to be hired, and everyone you deal with at the Consulate will speak excellent English and Portuguese both.  Walking in with an extra person will just raise questions, and you don't want to raise any more questions.

If your documents are correct, the only possible hiccup I can think of is if your Marriage Certificate is from a state that is not in the same Consular Region as the Consulate, and doesn't have an apostille.  Even in that case, however, if it has a raised seal from the state or county that issued it or even if it's just obviously original you'll probably be ok, especially since you've been married for so long.   You may be asked to name a "distribuição de bens" for the Certidão Consular as well, so be prepared with your answer.

One good question to ask after your marriage is registered and your visa application has been accepted would be what to expect when you arrive in Brazil and go in to register with the Federal Police.  The Consular Officer may have some useful advice for that step.

@abthree Thanx, the more I think of it, the more she was referring to our appointment with the Federal Police.  Whatever she decides I will go with. I may write some questions, such as the one you mentioned, ahead of time just to cover us.

Sometimes I forget the main reason she returned to Brazil from the US late in our marriage was because she had a tumor in her head. She is fine now, but I would love to get to the point where we are living a stress-free life.  She believes i am asking too much of her (which is true), but there is so much to do. I am just looking forward to this being over. My younger brother made the incredibly unwise decision to send our only child airplane tickets from MD. to San Francisco during one of the worst recent storms, with flights grounded, canceled and people in serious harm across the USA. I did not know about it until late last night while watching the NFL Tampa Bay vs. Eagles game when she texted me with "Dad I love You", "The turbulence is really bad"..."I'm in a snowstorm on a plane" texts. It was the first I heard of the trip and my wife came over (separate houses) and we tried to keep pace with her as the flight was diverted etc. She is Ok, but my wife is going through a lot of stress now.

Roddie in Retirement

01/16/24 @roddiesho.  A flight in a snowstorm?  Just exactly what you didn't need right now!  So glad that your daughter is ok.

Don't underestimate the toll that the stress about your status has taken on both of you over the past year.  Once you finally get back from the US and have that squared away, it should all be smooth sailing.  You've earned it.