visto to Myanmar / Myanmar visa

Ontem fui pedir meu visto para Myanmar. Depois de pesquisar um montão na internet, cheguei a conclusãod e que o melhor negócio era ir prá embaixada de Myanmar, com o meu passaporte debaixo do braço, pedir um visto de turista.
Levei comigo o de sempre: umas fotos, uma graninha ( em dolar e em moeda local), o passaporte.
- Bom dia! Eu preciso de um visto de turista pra Myanmar.
- hmmm. Vai ler ali na parede os requerimentos.
Pregado num quadro de avisos, havia uma lista de exigências pré visto.
passaporte válido por 6 meses
fotos
carta convite de alguém em Myanmar
carta da sua empresa dizendo por que vc quer ir a Myanmar
comprovante de ticket and reserva em hotel.
- Olha, posso conseguir quase tudo mentira mas como eu não trabalho, não posso trazer a carta da minha empresa. Nem um convite de alguém em Myanmar.
- Como não trabalha?
- Sou dona de casa
- DONA DE CASA? Ok. Então eu preciso de uma caerta da empresa do seu marido, mais a certidao de casamento, mais uma carta dos eu marido, mais ...
- Mas eu estou em férias, não tenho acessoa a nada disso, não vai ter a menor chance. Você pode por favor me dar um visto de turista? Simples, só por uns poucos dias?
Depois de olhar, reolhar e treolhar nmeu passaporte, ela chegou a conclusão de que ela poderia sim, me dar um visto, em 4 dias úteis, se eu comprovasse que tinha passagem e hoteis reservados e pagos em Myanmar.
Tentei explicar que o investimento é alto e que eu não poderia correr o risco de gastar toda essa grana prá ter meu visto negado, mas não teve conversa. Ela não poderia me garantir o visto e nem iria aceitar meus documentos sem as reservas.
Minha única alternativa era sair dalí direto prá uma agencia de viagens. E voltar hoje pela manha, com toda a papelada, por que a embaixada só atende até o meio dia...

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Yesterday, I went to Myanmar embassy to request a visa. After searching a lot on the internet, I came to the conclusion it would be impossible to figure out what to do, without visiting them in person.
 It took me the usual stuff with me. Some photos, cash (in U.S. dollars and local currency), the passport.
- Good morning! I need a tourist visa for Myanmar.
- Hmmm. Go and have a look on that red paper on the wall.Those are the requirements.
Nailed to a bulletin board, there was a list of requirements to request a tourist visa for their country. I still don't know why the embassy oficial refused to tell me what they were.
* passport valid for 6 months
*photos
* invitation letter from someone in Myanmar
* letter from your company saying why you want to go to Myanmar
*proof of ticket booking and hotel.
- Look, I can get almost everything, but I do not work, so I can not bring a letter from my company. And I don't know anyone in Myanmar, so no invitation letter either.
- You do not work?
- I am a housewife
- HOUSEWIFE?
Ok So I need a letter from your husband company, plus marriage certificate,  a letter from your husband, and ...
- But I'm on vacation, I have no access to any of these things. Can you please give me a tourist visa? A simple entry, just for a few days?
After looking at passport for a long time, she decided she could give me a visa in 4 working days, if I could prove I had bought tickets and reserved hotels in Myanmar.
I tried to argue the investment is high and I can not ciommit to it, if I have no guarantees I will actually get the visa, but I felt i was talking to the wall, which i probably was.
She could not guarantee the visa approval and would not accept my documents without reservations. My only alternative was to leave the embassy and go straight to a travel agency, where I booked the tickets and reserved the hotels.
And this morning i went back, with all the paperwork, minus a fortune in my bank account and no guarantees i will get the bloody visa. i will only know on Monday.

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.

INSURANCE

Why do we pay insurance? To feel protected or just to feel less vulnerable?

Of course my car has full insurance and after the accident, I had to make a claim. The process, once again was very intelectual and fullfilling.

- Sit there. That agent will help you.

I sit and wait

- I think it was your fault.
- WHAAAT?
- I think you were the person at fault at the accident.
- But I did not even give you the documents. You have no idea what happened...
- True. But you look guilty

** I swallow my desire to beat the crap out of him and give him the paperwork**

- You are not covered by the policy
- WHAAAAT?
- Not covered. Your driver was drunk
- Look, I do not speak, read or write in arabic, but my driver was not drunk. the pedestrian, who jumpedin front of my car was drunk. And I don't know the guy, have no conection, have no clue who he is.
- In the report it says it was your driver whow as drunk
** I swallow my hunger for violence and call Mr X - the same one who gave me a hard time getting the report, the same one who bought me lunch. In minutes the case was solved. The insurance guy hung up the phone, told me everything was ok, the pedestrian was drunk and it was not my fault. he also reimbursed me for the costs for the report and police charges. **

I went home quite happy, and ALMOST feeling guilty for thinking horrible things about the creepy police officer. After all he was probably not a bad person.
But don't get too excited, my insurance saga is not over...

next morning I get a phone call, 7 am from the insurance people:

- Hello! Your claim was rejected.
- But you approved it yesterday, I have all the papers.
- Come here and I explain

I had chills going down my spine once again. All that come here, all over again?

I had no option, so off I went. My stomach hurt, I felt sick and really angry. On my way there I called some friends and managed to get the number for a couple of lawyers. if things did not work, i would just go bananas and sue everyone.
After a long wait and lots of stupid and futile chat, i understand what they were trying to say:

The court case was not finished yet, so I had to pay the excess ( 125 US$) and give back the money they gave me yesterday ( 32 US$).
- So the claim was approved?
- Yes.
- And my car will be fixed?
- Yes.
- And you will pay the bill?
- Yes.
- AND WHO WILL PAY FOR MY BYPASS when I have a heart atack with this stupid phone calls?

MY CAR

Today I went to the police station to pick up my car ( the one involved in the acident)

- hello. I came to pick up my car.
- Why?
- Because it is mine...
- Why is it here?
- Because it was in an accident
- What kind?
- car accident
- but why did they bring it here? no insurance?
- I have insurance. i have no idea why the brought the car here...
- let me see

a while later...

- ah! Accident with injury.
- ok. Where do I get the car from?
this is your case number, go to that building over there...

at the new building...

- I came to pick up my car
- why?
- injury accident ( see? I learn...)
- only morning
- why?
- it is closed. Closed two hours ago
- but you are all here
- just chatting
- I really need the car. the police sent me here now

 he asked lots of questions, asked my watchman lots of questions, seemed not to understand a thing, and then told me:

- you come back tomorrow
- I can't. I have no car
- if I let you take car, you come back?
- what for?
- hum...um... for documents. I let you take car, but no insurance documents

he asked us to go to another room, where he kept staring at me and asking questions to my watchman, who was the driver at the time of the accident.

- You hurt?
- no.
- where you hurt?
- no hurt...

- where is hurt man?
- don't know
- who is he?
- don't know
- is he well?
- YES!! SURE!

- hurt man lives with you, madam?
- no
- watchman lives with you?
- no

- Can i take the car now?
- if I let you take, you come back tomorrow?
watchman: - I will come...
- No you. She comes. You not come. You come, madame?
- Yes, I will come.

After 2.5 hours I left with my darling damaged car and the obligation to come back tomorrow, so the gentleman can stare at me a little longer!

PAssports, visas and bureaucracy. WHAT A PAIN!

I only have a Brazilian passport. My grandma is Italian, but Italian women did not pass citizenship to her descendants until 1949. I am married to a Brazilian who is also Italian, however citizenship is not contagious and I can not get mine this way.

Twice I lived in New Zealand long enough to be entitled to a kiwi passport ( I am already a permanent resident), but I moved away while they were processing it, which made me lose my right. I have to "do my time again"

In short: all I have is a Brazilian passport.

One that makes it difficult for me to travel within the Gulf.

One that makes officials ask me several more questions when I am at their border.

One that makes my american visa request a pain.

One that creates problems when I travel alone to some countries. Brazilian? Alone? Sorry, no can do.

One that does not allow me to visit Iran (when all my French and Kiwi friends go without a hic up)

Now the bureaucrats in Bahrain decided not to renew my residence visa (2 year worth) because 'my visa will outlive my passport.

The Brazilian embassy can not give me a new passport because it still has one year to live, and there are enough pages available.

The American Embassy In Bahrain will not issue my tourist visa because I have no place of residence ( because the bureaucrats in Bahrain decided ...

And what should I do?

Sit on the floor and cry my eyes out?

Just yell until my lungs hurt and someone gives me a new passport or someone else just stamp the visas I need?

I am accepting advice.

Dubai - am I in ou out?

I got to Bahrain airport quite early, to avoid delays and because I am pretty excited to see friends I have not met in 5 years!

There were no queues. It was my lucky day. I only took a small suitcase, one of those cabin pieces, but I had lots of dangerous goods in it, so it had to be dispatched. After a couple of minutes standing in front of the check in operator, I asked:

- Is there a problem?

- Are you getting your visa on arrival?

- Yes, here is an e mail from Immigration pre approving it. and handed him the paperwork

- hummm... where is your husband?

- working. but in this paper I just gave you, you will see copies of all his documents. His visa, his residency permit, his passport, everything.

he made a call. another call. he stared at the computer and I felt my luck slipping through my fingers.

- wait a moment - he said. and went to a cubicle where the supervisor was.

I managed to wait for a little while, but then followed him.

- Is there a problem?

- You are not boarding. You don't have a visa, and you are not travelling with your husband.

- But if you check this paper in his hand, you will see I got a pre approval from immigration in Dubai.

- They are not going to let you in. Travelling alone, without a visa and with your residence coming up in less than 6 months. Just not going to happen.

I called S. that friend of mine who organized my trip, and sent me that e mail I was trying to show them, but her phone was out of area, then I panicked, and broke into tears. I cried, and cried and cried.

The check in operator took my luggage out of the carrousel and handed it back to me. Along with the letter he refused to read.

I felt humiliated. I cursed and I called Rose, who is also S's friend.. I have no clue how she managed to understand me, because I was unable to articulate any decent word,but she did and she assured me she was going to 'find S for me.

I could not stop sobbing. I called FAbio cried a lot, I almost drove him crazy.

A minute latter S called me, asked to speak with the supervisor (same I had dealt with) who immediately pointed me to a new check in booth - assuring me everything was sorted.

I am not sure what was sorted, but I knew my puffy eyes would take a long while to be back to normal.

S called me back and said it would be possible that I experienced more problems in Dubai, but she gave me a couple of numbers to use, if things were not smooth enough. The airport ground operations manager was one of them.

My stomach jumped and turned all flight. I was a wreck.

I got to Dubai, and before I reached the immigration booths, I was approached by a lady:

- Are you Inaie?

- Yep.

- We called your name in the aircraft and you did not identify yourself. We also called you on the airport's PA system - you also did not come to us.

I could only think. Oh, crap...what the hell now?

- Come with me, I will help you through immigration.

Phew!

She filled my paperwork, went somewhere, got a signature and in a second I was ready to go through immigration. The guy looked at my paperwork and asked:

- Where is your husband?

Oh dear, here we go!
The lady replied on my behalf:

Look at the paperwork, she has a signature from general X... (whoever this guy is)

The man checked the signature, stamped my passport and all I could hear was:

- Welcome to Dubai!!

In less than 10 minutes I was out the airport... S is was my guardian angel!