Illegal Alien

Suzie Too - Western Caribbean
David & Suzanne Chappell
Thu 8 Apr 2010 00:30
Suzie Too has been sailing in Brazil for over 2 months with an illegal alien on board - Suzanne. When we arrived in Salvador da Bahia all passports were given a 90 day visa. This 90 day visa was on a card in the passport and also entered into the computer where there had to override the standard 30 day visa and enter 90 days - except in just one case - Suzanne's they left it at the default 30 days.
 
So when in Belem we all had to have a visa extension - Suzanne was in trouble because a Deportation Order had been issued for her arrest and immediate deportation from Brazil. This would preclude her from coming back into Brazil and put her on a international register of dodgy illegal aliens.
 
Of course the local boys could do nothing about it - the computer was correct she should have left by 12 January and the Deportation Order had already been issued, which they could not ignore. Nicholas said he had 2 sleepless nights - the worst of his 5 years with the RIDS trying to resolve the issue.
 
He had to go and meet the Head of the Police, not sure if it was the local Guardia, the Tourist, or the Military police, maybe all three - they then had to get in touch with the Head of Police in Salvador to amend the computer entry and cancel the Deportation Order - Oopps all a bit scary - and we knew nothing about it until Nicholas had solved the problem
 
But it would have meant Suzie Too pulling out of the RIDS and missing the Amazon section and probably made it very difficult for Suzanne to travel again to any country - so it's good to travel in a group that can speak the local language.