Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 8/6/2010

Question
Hi, I read all of your answers on similar matters like mine, I think you are very knowledgeable on the topic and thank God  people like me can get advice from people like you who know what they are talking about.I am from Malta and am planning to marry my Brazilian fiance.I made a lot of research and I know first I have to register the intention of marriage then after I get my marriage license I can register the marriage and ultimately marry then go to the PF Immigration.My question is if you would know roughly what is the fee for these 3 procedures (register, marry and applying for perm res permit).
Also I live in Cotia so does it have to be the PF of the state of Sao Paolo?
I also know that I have to translate all my documents,  (birth certificate, status certf etc) from English to Portuguese and have them certified and signed by a notary.Would you know of any translator or can my boyfriend translate himself?Or would the Cartorio reccomend one.
I was at the PF Immigration to renew my tourist Visa and I was there for 7 hours just to pick it up.Would you think it s better to get a lwayer to apply for the residence permit at the Immigration or do you think it s possible to be done alone as the lawyer asked me for BRA 3,500I thought it was too much but they told me if I dnt do it I ll never manage to get a chance at the PF coz of corruption and bureaucracy.So I dnt know what to do next.Also if you dnt register the marriage  at the Maltese Consulate of Sao paolo would it be a crime?
As I had a bad experience with them they were really reluctant to helo and kept sending me to other Consulates and Embassies in Europe to write them e mails but my problem was here.Also they havent even replied to my last 2 emails.So is there another way, maybe I can register it once home?or By post?
Thanks so much and sorry for the long question, hope you can help me I really like the way you try to give hope to everybody,You know it s not an easy path  to fall in love with a person form the other side of the universe.We ve been together for years and always had these Visa problems keeping us from being together, now we want to move a step further, but things seem long and impossible.
Thanks again
i ll b awaiting eagerly for yr answer
Have a good day

Answer
No, it is not good idea that your boyfriend translate it himself. That will never pass muster. You will have to get an official translator, recommended by the cartorio where you are going to have your marriage license. No it is not necesssary to get a lawyer. Big city immigration offices will be slow. Thats just how it is. Dont believe the lawyers. R$3,500 is a rip off. I paid nothing.

All you have to do is this...

1) If you are in Malta and she is in Brazil and you want to go to Brazil on a fiance visa, then you have to go to the Brazilian consulate and discuss how you get a fiance visa. They will tell you the steps you need to take as a citizens of Malta.

2) Once you get the fiance visa,you have around 9 monthss to marry.

3) if you dont get the fiance visa, you can go to Brazi on a tourist visa and get maried anyway.

4) Bring your marriage license to any cartorio. They will tell you all the documents you need.

5) Bring the marriage license once registered by the cartorio to the federal police nearest you. No appointment necesssary. They will immediately give you a right of stay, meaniung you have a temporary permanent visa. The real visa takes months to come in. You cannot leave the country until you get that visa, or if you do, you have to fill otu a temporary leave of nation form...and only the PF can tell you how that works. Im not up to date on the rules as I have left Brazil this year and am also leaving All Experts as a Brazil expert.

Good luck.