Getting my documents sorted

I left Brazil  12 years ago and just now I found out  my "legal"situation  is not as good as I thought.

An imaginary conversation would go like this ( and in Brazil everyone thinks they have the right to ask for your IRD card, your voter card. I mean EVERYONE - shops, convenience stores even your manicure may ask for it).

Voter registration?

Cancelled.

IRD  card?

Cancelled.

Driver's License?

Expired in 2006

ID card?

Yep - I have that! But the photo was taken when I was 17. Is it still valid?

Fabio, who is a decent guy, decided to help me fix my situation,  and off we went knocking doors in public stablishments. I don't have to say it was a nightmare.

 To get a new IRD card, one needs voter's card. And in Brazil it is COMPULSORY to vote. Mine had been canceled because I lost 20 electoral turns (of course I transferred my title to  NZ, but the Brazilian  embassy in New Zealand lost my request and have no records of the request ...

They canceled my title, I had to request another one, sign some paers, pay some fees.

Luckily the place was empty, the attendant wanted to go home earlier and did not create too many problems. I did not mention I live overseas, I apologised for not voting, I just pretended to be a lunatic, who "forgot"to vote for 13 consecutive years.

To get the IRD card, I had to go to the Federal building 3 times and no one even talked to me about my problem.

- We run out of numbered tickets.

- But it is 10 am and you close at 9 pm. There is no one in the waiting room...

- Yeah, no more tickets. Besides, you have to go online and see what the problem is. Then you come here.

I go home, access the Internet, who send me to the Federal building ...

I go back the next day - same darn story. No more tickets, you have to look on the internet before coming here. I explain that the internet does not tell me anything, the girl apologizes, says she can not do anything.

As far as I was concerned, I was done. I could not care less if I had an ID card or not. I never needed it in the last 12 years, why would I suddenly need it now? But Fabio, that decent guy I married, was on a mission. He wanted to get it sorted once and for all. I kicked, screamed and cried, but I went.

In our third try, we managed to get a numbered ticket, giving us a place in queue to see a "specialist".

Elmer meets me:

- Your IRD card is canceled.

- I know.

You have to check what the problem is, you can do it online, than you pay a fee or whatever you owe  in taxes ... the payment can be done at the bank. 

- I can not access anything on the Internet, today is my last day here, I have no time to go to the bank. 

- Wait. I'll see what the problem is. There is only one situation in which I can solve everything here. Let me see here ... uhmmmm ... your CIC is linked to a company that used it's number, and the company is irregular, so it is blocking it.

- I had a business, in my past life

- Did you close it?

- Nope 

I can only help if  your company has been closed by the government ...

... I hope ...

Ooops! It's your lucky day. The company has been closed by the government. But I can only help you if it was closed for a specific reason. Among all the reasons, the system will only allow me to solve it for you if it is for one reason.

... I hope ...

- Look there! It was closed for abandonment. You do not owe taxes.

- Well,  I know that.

- And your declarations are also in order

- Yep

- You did everything right. And got lucky. I will reactivate your IRD card.

The guy printed a statement saying I have no debts, and I left the place with a brand new IRD card.

The officer who assisted me was incredibly competent and helpful. My biggest problem was to cross the door to his office.

oter's and IRD cards in order, I went tothe Traffic Department renew my license. The easiest process, right?

First I went to a broker who booked a time for me. Then I stood in a huge line, until it was my turn:

- I can not renew it for you. Your license is full traffic points.

- It can not be. I moved overseas 12 years ago. At that time there were no points.

- Look, they are all here ... many, many. Your license is not only expired, it is blocked.

The guy sends me to another queue, where someone could check "my"points.

I explained the situation.

- Do you have a car in your name?

- No.

- You do not have a car with the number plate XXXX?

- No. But wait - tell me what brand is this car.

- Corsa.

- A black corsa. I sold it in 2006. (This car had no A / C and I was carrying Anita, so I sold the corsa and bought a Palio with air conditioning. I only left Brazil in 2009 - 3 years latter)

- It is still in your name

- ?????

- And now?

You have to find the guy and transfer it ...

It is a lot easier said than done huh?

I almost killed myself trying to remember what did I do with this car, then fabioI remembered the transaction was made so I could buy the Palio. I signed the papers at the car dealer, who would transfer the car to the new buyer.

I left in tears. No one seems able to help me. I found out the car is still registered to my name, there are lots of  car registrations due to be done and dozens of fines. All under my name.

I called a lawyer.

He asked for the sales receipt? Of course I  don't have it ... This sale was completed 15 years ago ...

I have an ID, IRD and voter's card.I also have a car, a debt of fines and automobile taxes. And I have no idea how to get out of this pickle.