There's a word here in Mexico - tramite - that doesn't have a solid English translation. It roughly translates as "paperwork," but everyone who's ever done a tramite knows that it implies so, so much more than a mere stack of neatly filled out forms.
To offer a closer, truer definition, allow me to go over the most recent tramite we carried out here in Mexico. Ready? Here we go:
Our son was born on July 21, 2011. Because we live in Mexico, he needed to get a birth certificate from here. I'm going to note that we got Mexican birth certificates for our girls sin problema, but that was in a different part of the country.
Where we live now, they like tramites. Very very much.
Off Mike went to the official Registrar's office for our area to find out what we would need to carry out this tramite. He was told we first had to get my visa renewed before we could continue on to the next step.
We had started my visa renewal (another tramite) in May of this year. It was now July and we were still waiting to get it back from the Mexican government. It arrived in early September. Hurray! On to the next step...
Mike went again to the Registrar's office, where he was told we would need to get both of our birth certificates (Mike's and mine) signed by the Secretary of State in the state we were born in - this is called an apostille.
Mike made some phone calls and ordered our birth certificates with apostilles. Once they arrived to our home in Mexico, he took them in and was met with some scowls. Apparently, they did not like the fact that my last name is now "Hartman" and not my maiden name "Moldenhauer." (In Mexico women do not change their names when they get married, and children take on two last names: first the father's, and then the mother's.)
Since my birth certificate has my maiden name, and my passport has my married name, Mike was asked for a marriage license, which he happily showed. They wanted it okayed by the Secretary of State of the state we were married in, and also translated into Spanish.
All of this we did, at a cost of more than 200 dollars. When we had gathered all the needed documents, Mike and I took our son down to the Registrar's office, which is in an open air setting along a busy street. We sat among many other mothers with small babies, waiting our turn.
When we were called, we found out that they still didn't like the officially signed, translated marriage certificate that said my name had been changed.
Here's a better plan, we were told. Go down to the city hall with your birth certificate, a copy of your telephone bill in your husband's name, and marriage license. They will give you - for $4.50 - an official document saying your name is whatever you want it to be. In my case, my maiden name.
Hmm...we followed through with that plan, and then headed back to the Registrar's office once more. This time we were all clear, until they noticed that the immunization card I have for our son had not been officially stamped at the hospital. He had had all of the required shots, but apparently someone forgot to stamp it along the way.
Off we went in search of an official vaccination stamp. Mike spotted a hospital just two blocks from the Registrar's office, walked inside, went to the cash register and asked to have the card stamp.
Armed with a stamped immunization card, we went back - again - and this time, were granted the birth certificate.
The date: October 7.
The process had taken two and a half months; an average amount of time and work for a tramite.
One birth certificate down...now on to the other pending tramites for the rest of the family!
8 comments:
Nice story Rachel, you account made me laugh but I know it can be so frustrating at times! Glad they were able to finally 'help' you get what you needed!
I just felt like I was reading my life down here...trying to get my kids' dual nationality!!!! I even had all documents apostilled prior to coming down here and it still took us 2 months! We started in Xalapa and they told us we needed to do it in the city of residence where we came back to Poza Rica. (BTW, there was like a $100 difference in prices for the dual nationality between the the cities. :( ) Anyway, after getting translations of birth certificates and going back and forth a few times, when we finally recieved them, they had spelled my maiden name wrong and their birth certificates!!!! WE didn't notice this, but Charlie's school did...so off to the registrar's office we went again. FINALLY, they are done and correct. Now we are starting my FM3 request...I guess it's job assurance, right? :) You're soooo right when you say there's no correct translation. Good luck with the rest of your "tramites."
Glad it made you laugh Beth! We're glad it all worked out, but we also laughed over the fact that what we wanted seemed like such an easy document (birth certificate? Aren't babies born all the time? And doesn't the fact that I'm nursing him, even if I have a strange last name situation, seem like I am most likely the mom? :) )
And Rochelle, ah yes, sounds about right! I'm glad you were able to get the things you needed, and good luck with the visa. Mike says when you do tramites here, you usually get lots of customer service - only not in the way we might think of it, but rather the "you (Mike) are the customer and you will serve us, and do whatever we tell you, even if it doesn't make sense :) " Ahh, tramites...
Rachel,this brings back memories of 30+ years ago when Cris was born in Guadalajara while we were students in Mexico. I needed a notarized letter with an up-to-date picture of me signed by my parents stating that I was indeed their daughter, who was the person named on this birth certificate. The pastor who married us had neglected to sign our marriage certificate, so we had to mail it to him to sign. For the US certificate I had to show myself at the consulate pregnant, so they would know I was really the mother of the baby. We started before Cris was born, but were able to get her Mexican birth certificate, Mexican passport and US birth certificate in time to move to Puerto Rico one month after she was born.
Mom Hartman
I wonder if "tramite" comes from the same root word as trauma. Paperwork trauma might be a definition.:-)
Mom Hartman
Mom, I love that story! I didn't know you went through that for Chris's birth certificate. The things they ask for always amazes me....and yes, I think the same root word of trauma sounds pretty appropriate!
"Tramite" doesn't have a Portuguese cognate (that I know of) but the process describes almost exactly what we experienced in Brazil with a couple of our children. Your well-told story brought back many memories.
Guy,
Ah yes, I can imagine Brazil was similar! I find it so interesting that these experiences then become part of the family's memories. I know we'll be telling Hans when he gets bigger how we went all over town trying to get his birth certificate!
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