Does anyone here work for the Brazilian Consulate?

[Chicklet]

Oh my god.

The most horrible thing happened.

I got all my things ready for my visa application; got photos taken, got all my papers filled out, got a money-order for $167 dollars, got my envelope all addressed and ready, had my passport waiting to be slipped inside. Then, I slipped everything into the envelope and mailed it away. Well, almost everything.

They called me Friday night at six to tell me that they have my application, but they don't have my passport!

So this is how it has to go. I couldn't send my passport yesterday or today cause of the weekend. Monday I have to get up and send it as early as possible, overnight shipping if that's the fastest I can get. It needs to arrive Tuesday morning at the latest.

They have all day wednesday to process my application, they need to send it by Thursday Morning for me to get it back before I leave for Brazil.

Or else I don't get to go.

Has anyone ever heard of visa applications taking less than three days? Please tell me...

Chicklet <crossing her fingers>

 

[ffreak]

There is a way, but it probably costs more money. There are services that are used primarily by corporations that need to send someone into another country at the drop of a hat - and they can get visa's overnight.

But that could take too much time to find the proper connections in your area (check with the corporate rep for a travel agent - they should know - tell them its on business to get past the front desk).

You may also want to include an SASE overnight envelope with your passport so that it comes back the fastest possible way.

(I can't believe they want your physical passport to be sent through the mail considering the Homeland security paranoia.)

 

[ffreak]

Oh, hey, I forgot - you can go to Fed Ex directly or one of those UPS Mail Box type places and overnight it today. That way it will be on their desk on Monday (saving a day).

 

[Chicklet]

no good because according to fedex.com they don't ship on sunday, and none of the stores in my area shipped on saturday either (even if i'd known yesterday)

does fedex go faster than the postal service? should i look into it tomorrow or just send it regular overnight?

 

[Jenny _S]

Oh, hey, I forgot - you can go to Fed Ex directly or one of those UPS Mail Box type places and overnight it today. That way it will be on their desk on Monday (saving a day).

That's true, Chicklet. And send them a returrn Fed Ex envelope prepaid for the return.

Hope it works out for you Fortunately it only has to go to San Francisco. Worse comes to worst you can drive to the Consulate in about 9 hours.

Also check out their website. (http://www.brazilsf.org) There is direct e-mail to them there.

 

[Chicklet]

That's true, Chicklet. And send them a returrn Fed Ex envelope prepaid for the return.

Hope it works out for you Fortunately it only has to go to San Francisco. Worse comes to worst you can drive to the Consulate in about 9 hours.

very true

i considered doing that yesterday, but i had to work

 

[Chicklet]

re: email

i called them a few times

see, they called me and left numbers and names of people to talk to to tell them what was going on so i did and i'm so frustrated aaaah

 

[Guest]

Chicklet, DO NOT use the U.S. mail even priority overnight, esp. if sending anything to a governmental agency. At work I send things to D.C. all the time and it's the Feds that tell me NOT to use the US mail! Use FedEx only; they also have 'priority overnight' that gets it delivered first thing in the morning. Costs a bit more of course.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

Perd

 

[ffreak]

Wish you well.

 

[Chicklet]

Just so anyone sitting on the edge of their seat worrying about me knows, I sent my passport via UPS and called the people and they said they'll be able to have it back to me by the time I need to leave. WHEW!

 

[NYSubGrpplr]

Yea, it sucks that you need a Visa to go to Brasil. I'll be going to down Rio in January and am getting everything ready now. Luckily I can just drive to NYC and go to there embassy directly to file the paper work.

Where in Brasil are you going??? It's winter there now but it still like 80 degrees. lol

 

[Chicklet]

I'm going to Rio and my family member there says it's been "cold" - 70 degrees. You'll be down there in the middle of summer

 

[ffreak]

Update time. How is the process going Chicklet? Are you going to mugg the mailman in the morning?

 

[Chicklet]

mugging in process as we speak