Officially Bolivian

We thought we would take a moment and share the process of verifying Lydia's citizenship over the past week.  Because Lydia was born on Bolivian soil she will always have duel citizenship.  However, the process of officializing a new born baby in Bolivian is not exactly a simple, smooth, seamless process.

It is important to mention that we wanted to expedite this process as much as possible.  Most parents would not try to do all this in one week, but we did.  The political situation in Bolivia is always changing and we wanted to be sure that if things suddenly took a turn for the worse we could leave the country and legally take Lydia with us!!  So, we embarked on the following process to legalize Lydia as our child.

Lydia was born on Jan 10, 2011 at 1:53am.  When we prepared to leave the hospital the medical workers gave us a certificate of live birth that we could then use to receive her official birth certificate.  Unlike the USA where you assign a name to your child and call it a day, Bolivia insists on having your child take on the last names of their parents.  After explaining and verifying her name over and over we finally got a certificate of live birth that said Lydia Belén Warden Mach.  (they had problems understanding that in the US when a women gets married they often drop their last name and accept the name of their new spouse.)  The folks at hospital insisted that Lydia would be called Lydia Belén Warden Warden.  After all Jennie was Jennie Warden right?  That is what her documents say.  So wouldn't Lydia take on the name of her mother???  Yeah, not easy to explain the cultural differences in Spanish.  

After we left the hospital we called our friend and lawyer at the church and asked him to help us navigate the citizenship process.  He mentioned the first step in the process would be to get the official birth certificate.  In order to do that we would need the signature of the OBGYN who delivered Lydia on the certificate of live birth form.  We went to the office of the OBGYN, got the signature and were all set.  

Step 1:  Birth Certificate
- In order to get a birth certificate you have to have copies of every document you can imagine as well as copies of the certificate of live birth.  Any errors or missing paperwork and you are not eligible for the birth certificate.  After making all the copies we needed and setting up a time to meet Grover (our lawyer) John sat down to review one last time that we had everything.  To his shock he realized that the certificate of live birth had Lydia being born on Jan 10, 2010.  Yes, that would make her a year old!

- Back to the hospital to talk to the doctors about a new certificate of live birth.  After 30 minutes of waiting we got a doctor to copy the information down on a new certificate with the proper dates etc.

- After the certificate was completed and signed by the doctor a special pharmaceutical seal was needed.  To the pharmacy for the special seal.

- After the seal, the OBGYN signature was needed.  Into a taxi and to the doctors office.  Wait in line again, for the second time.  Got the signature.

- Once the documents were prepared (a second time) we scheduled a time for Grover to take us to the government office.  After waiting 20 minutes we got to the desk and the lady asked for copies of our marriage certificate.   Well, we had every document but our marriage certificate.  (Grover never told us we needed our marriage certificate)  Off to make copies.

- Copies made and now ready to restart certificate process.  After 20 more minutes and another explanation of the last name issue we were issued a birth certificate and on our way.  Oh, wait we needed to run and make 5 more copies of something else while we waited for the certificates to be printed.  1 hour, birth certificate in hand.

Step 2: Identification card, "carnit."   (Can't get a passport without it.)

- Grover warned us, make sure you come with lots of patience for this part of the process.  Luckily we thought ahead and scheduled a babysitter for Ella.  (Ingenious move!!)  Grover picked us up and off we went to the government office.  8:30am the next day.

- We arrived and to our dismay there was a line of probably 100 Bolivians standing outside the office.  Grover talked to a few people and we went ahead inside.  Once inside there were probably 400 to 500 Bolivians herded in groups pushing, shoving and barking orders at the "police" who were "organizing" the crowds.  (This is inside some small court yard that is probably 30 yards by 30 yards wide.)

Grovers quote, "This isn't bad at all.  We are lucky the lines are short.  Normally there are twice as many people here."  Huh?  What lines are you talking about?  I see no lines.  All I see is a mass of indigenous people pushing and shoving shouting numbers at some security cops.  Well, good thing we choose the right day to come....  

- Grover, cut to the front of a "line" pulled John along with him and started bartering with some security cop.  5 minutes later he had some number and we moved along to the next "line."  The crowds were so dense that Jennie was actually being bumped and plowed into so we removed her from the "line" and she waited with Lydia at a more "tranquil" area of the court yard.

- Back in a new line.  Jennie (because she had a baby) was escorted inside another office area and was able to find a seat and wait for us.  Grover and John waited outside and jockyed for position in a new "line."  Every 3 or 4 minutes security cops would come and shout names out to the crowd and people would raise there hands and grab another ticket.  Keep in mind this is all happening with people jamming up to the entrance way to the office.  After all, the closer to the entrance you can get the quicker your number will be called......  (myth)  ..... and we learned that if you shout your name to the security cops maybe they will call your name quicker.... (another myth).  After an hour Lydia Belén Warden Mach was called.  We grabbed the number and went to another "line."

- In "line" again, we waited to pay around $2 for something.  From there we were shown another "line."

- In "line" again, we waited to have our ticket stamped.  From there we were shown another "line."

- In "line" again, we waited to get a new document signed and stamped that said we could enter into the office.  (Same office where Jennie was sitting and the crowd was gathered outside.)

- Once in the office we joined the other 75 Bolivians who were called before us.  We found a corner and waited for our new number to be called.  (Grover waited in "line" for our number this time.)  Yes, you wait in a "line" for your number to be called.....

- Once into the final office we sat at a desk and began the identification card process.  Finally after 20 minutes of spelling and respelling out Lydia's name we got to the picture taking part.  Well, according to Bolivian law the person must have their eyes open for the picture.  Well, great, but it isn't easy to get a newborn (4 days old at this point) to open their eyes for a picture.  Here are some suggestions from the Bolivian police.  "If we throw some cold water on her face she will probably wake up and open her eyes."  "Maybe if we snap 20 pictures in a row and the flash goes off she will wake up and we will get our picture."  Or perhaps, maybe if 20 Bolivian security cops all gather around and confirm that her eyes are in fact closed that, that will somehow open her eyes.  After 20 minutes and 50 snapped photos the eyes finally opened and Lydia got her picture.  Signed a few more papers, made some more photo copies, received another ticket and we were done.   We left the office and were told to come back the next morning to pick up the carnit.

-  John arrived the next morning waited in another "line," and finally got the carnit in hand.  DONE!  Next step Bolivian Passport.

Step 3: Bolivian Passport.
- The next day Grover picked us up and we headed to the immigration office.  (different office)  Upon arriving we found a much more tranquil atmosphere.  We waited in line to talk to a security cop about our documents.  Again, John was all prepared and had made copies of everything we needed.

- Once our turn came we sat down with the security cop and he asked for special copies of our birth certificate.  Well, we didn't have those, so off we went to the photocopy place.  Copies made, returned to the office.

- Back to the desk, sat down again, and the cop asked to see our passports.   No problems, but he decided that the office would like a copy of our visa stamps inside of passports for their records.  Off to the photo copy place again.

- Back to the office, sat down and finish up paper work.  Once completed the security cop said, "OK, now you need to go to the bank to pay for the passport and then return back here to this office to complete the documentation."  Well, great.  It was 4:30 and the banks were closed.  So, we went home for the night.  Grovers quote, "The bank is easy.  Just go tomorrow over lunch, you won't have to wait in any lines and you should be able to go right up to the front and pay without hassle."

- Next day John ran to the bank to pay for passport.  Upon arrival there was a "line" of 30 people outside waiting to enter.  John talked to the security cop and he said,  "NO.  YUU MOOST WHEAT N LINE."  Back outside in line.

- Upon entering the bank, 20 minutes later, John was given a number to wait.  There were probably 75 people waiting in the bank.  John was #473.  On the screen was #423.  Yes, there were 50 people waiting in front of John to talk to the tellers!  Luckily the lines went pretty quick.  40 minutes later John paid for the passport, received 8 receipts (no kidding) and headed off to meet the girls for another trip to the immigration office.  

- Back to the immigration office.  After waiting a few minutes, we got to the desk, fill out more papers, and the security cop said "Go to that lady over there.  She will take Lydia's picture......."

- Over to the new desk we go.  "According to Bolivian law, your eyes have to be open on all official government documentation."  Yes, we know......  20 minutes, 30 pictures, 2 Ella meltdowns, and a phone call to the boss to verify that eyes have to be completely open on the passport, we FINALLY got a picture with Lydia's eyes open.  Signed a few more papers, explained a few more last name differences, and we were done. "Come back Friday and pick up the passport," the security cop said.    Whew!

That brings us to today.  We do not have the passport in hand yet (tomorrow is Friday) but hopefully in less than 24 hours Lydia will be able to leave the country (if need be) legally.

It was quite a ride, and surely we will have stories to tell in the future, but Lydia is officially Bolivian!

Sorry this has been such a long blog, but there is nothing short about working with the Bolivian government.  Now, we just need to go through the process of making her American.  That will probably be another blog for the future.

FYI, now that we are done with this whole process, we have had time to update Ella and Lydia's blog with some new pictures of the sisters.  Take a moment to check them out.