Porto Alegre - Difficulties
24/02/11 23:01 Filed in: Brazil
This morning I began the paper work necessary to leave the boat and travel to England.
Firstly, one must obtain a declaration from the marina/club where ones boat is moored. This states that the boat is at the marina/club, without crew, and is out of use.
Then this declaration must be endorsed by the Capitania. I travelled into town to the Capitania and they did so in a couple of minutes. They did not consider it necessary to endorse my Declaracao de Entrada which is usually required.
Next stop was the Receita Federal but I was too late. They close between 11:30 and 13:30.
Returning after lunch it became obvious that very few foreign yachts call at Porto Alegre. Nobody had any idea what to do with me. Eventually I ended up in the office of a senior manager. He was puzzled as to what I wanted and wanted to merely extend my Declaracao Simplificada de Importacao. This would not be ideal as I would be required to leave Brazil when it expired always assuming an extension, which is at the discretion of the Receita, would be granted.
What I wanted to do was to request a Prorrogacao - Decreto Nº 4.543 de 2002/ Nº 5.887 de 2006. This has the effect of allowing the boat to remain in Brazil for two years while the owner is subject to normal immigration control. When the owner is not on board the boat must be put out of use.
I spent three hours with the Receita. They copied virtually every document in my possession including every page in my passport and were not prepared to issue a Prorrogacao. I had heard of this happening before where foreign boats call infrequently.
In the end I was told to provide proof that I was actually leaving Brazil and to return next monday. I later e-mailed copies of my flight confirmations.
Firstly, one must obtain a declaration from the marina/club where ones boat is moored. This states that the boat is at the marina/club, without crew, and is out of use.
Then this declaration must be endorsed by the Capitania. I travelled into town to the Capitania and they did so in a couple of minutes. They did not consider it necessary to endorse my Declaracao de Entrada which is usually required.
Next stop was the Receita Federal but I was too late. They close between 11:30 and 13:30.
Returning after lunch it became obvious that very few foreign yachts call at Porto Alegre. Nobody had any idea what to do with me. Eventually I ended up in the office of a senior manager. He was puzzled as to what I wanted and wanted to merely extend my Declaracao Simplificada de Importacao. This would not be ideal as I would be required to leave Brazil when it expired always assuming an extension, which is at the discretion of the Receita, would be granted.
What I wanted to do was to request a Prorrogacao - Decreto Nº 4.543 de 2002/ Nº 5.887 de 2006. This has the effect of allowing the boat to remain in Brazil for two years while the owner is subject to normal immigration control. When the owner is not on board the boat must be put out of use.
I spent three hours with the Receita. They copied virtually every document in my possession including every page in my passport and were not prepared to issue a Prorrogacao. I had heard of this happening before where foreign boats call infrequently.
In the end I was told to provide proof that I was actually leaving Brazil and to return next monday. I later e-mailed copies of my flight confirmations.