Day Two of my Resident Permit Adventures

This morning I went to pick up the FELCN certificate from the office across town and lo and behold it was ready! Along the way I passed a procession of cars draped in blankets and covered with items. Some had silver items, others had stuffed animals. All were interesting.

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Back at the office, we took some photos to celebrate reaching 1000 likes on the Facebook page and then I took another look at the paper I got yesterday at the migration office. It had an entry for another certificate that was not mentioned in Steph’s document so I went back to the office to double check that I needed it and to find out where I need to go to get it. It turns out I do need it and I have to go to the law courts to get it.

Then I went to the bank to make my INTERPOL certificate payment. Today is officially the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe so there was a mass going on outside of the cathedral in the Plaza and the decorated cars were lined up for it too. The bank was relatively quiet.

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I stopped and got photocopies of the bank slip and the certificate I had picked up earlier. By the time I got back to the office, it was nearly lunchtime. I went home and ran into my landlord who had brought by a photocopy of his identity card as well as an electricity and water bills (all things I needed for INTERPOL). I showed him the letter I needed stamped by a lawyer and the rental contract I had typed up. He said he would meet me at 3 pm and we could go to his lawyer together. He also suggested I stop by the INTERPOL office and see if it was necessary to have the letter notarized or if it was possible to just have our signatures verified.

After I ate my lunch, I headed to the law courts to see what I could find out. I found out they are closed until 2:30 pm and there was a long line so I didn’t stick around. (I’ll try again tomorrow morning when they open at 8:30 am.) From there I headed back to BiblioWorks, stopping by the Interpol office (which is around the corner). They are also closed until 2:30 pm.

I went back to BiblioWorks packed up my computer, explained that it was unlikely I would make it back today and headed back to Interpol. The office was open and the woman said it wasn’t even necessary to have a proper rental contract a letter would do. Then I headed home to meet Javier (my landlord). He showed up shortly after 3 and we got in his ancient VW Beetle. Once we were in the car, he called his lawyer friend who said he would meet us at his office in 15 minutes. We drove there and stood outside waiting for him. I showed him the printed copies of the letter and contract and he said they need a few changes. Luckily I was clever enough to have put them on a USB drive so he was able to make the changes and then print copies for our signatures and his stamps.

Javier took me to buy a yellow folder and then he headed home while I went to try to find the office where I could get my application for INTERPOL. I couldn’t find the street Steph said it was on on Google maps but she gave the cross streets and one of them was only a few blocks long so I decided to take my chances. It was in the same neighbourhood near BiblioWorks where I had picked up yesterday’s form. I finally gave up looking for the mystery street and went to the office I had gone to yesterday. It turned out that was where I needed to be. I got the form from the same woman as yesterday and she still only wanted the original bank receipt not my photocopies but this time she didn’t take my photo.

I made it back to the INTERPOL office before they closed at 6 pm and the woman took all my documents, asked for more information as she filled out my certificate and then fingerprinted me. (She gave me two squares of scrap paper and a bottle of hand sanitizer to attempt to clean my finger off after  – I was unsuccessful.) She gave me a number to call in 5 days and took my mobile and said she would call me as well. Steph’s notes say it can take from 2 weeks to 2 months to get the INTERPOL certificate but I have my fingers crossed that it will closer to the 5 days…

In the meantime, I need to a background check from FELCC (?) and a criminal background check from REJAP (the law courts one) as well as a medical certificate which requires blood work. I need a copy of a work contract with BiblioWorks as well as a letter from them saying what I will be doing. I have to take 6 months worth of bank statements to a notary to get a letter saying I am able to support myself. 

All this running around is getting me quite familiar with Sucre (and Bolivian bureaucracy!).

 

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