The Difficulties of Obtaining a Small Piece of Plastic

No, I am not talking about a credit card, although completing a credit card application entirely in Spanish would have been much easier and less time consuming than my attempts at securing an identification card. Because the government only issued me a 90 day visa, which expires in December, it was necessary for me to obtain an identification card that allows me to take up temporary residence and continue my studies. You may think that this would be a simple process, but dealing with the government is never as simple as it seems.

At the end of September, all three of my roommates decided to accompany me to the police station to turn in my paperwork. It was the first day all four of us were in the apartment together, so we decided to make it a group outing. When we arrived, there was a line of people waiting outside of the police station. Not knowing what they were waiting for, we walked up to the door to find out what we needed to do. Despite the numerous signs saying that all foreigners needed a number in order to be helped, the officer at the door said that if I returned in the afternoon in October, a number would not be necessary. Figuring that they were undergoing a change in policy, I decided to return in October.

At the beginning of October, I returned to the police station, this time, alone. When I reached the door, the officer asked my purpose. I responded that I needed to obtain an identification card, and he asked what number I had. I replied that the week before I was told to return in October, and I wouldn't need a number. He looked slightly confused, but agreed to let me pass since there were very few people in line. To enter the police station, it is necessary to pass through a metal detector. The curious thing about this is that all bags are placed on a table next to the metal detector while the person walks through, and are never searched in any way. If they were trying to protect themselves from any sort of threat, they would check bags as well as people. When my bag and I had safely entered the station, I went to stand in line at window number eight, as directed. When it was finally my turn, I handed my paperwork to the woman behind the counter. She looked at it, and handed it back to me with another form and told me to come back with the form filled out and an photocopy of my visa. This was on a Thursday.

The following Monday afternoon I returned with the forms and the photocopy. This time, it was a different officer at the door, and when he asked for my purpose and number, I told him the same thing I had told the previous officer. This officer insisted that all foreigners needed a number. I asked him how I could get one, thinking that there was a machine that would spit out numbers and then I could get in line. He told me that the numbers were passed out every morning at 8:00. I was gearing myself up to return at 8:00 the following morning when he told me to go ahead and get in line at window number eight again, because there were only a few people in line. I went to window eight and after a few minutes, the same officer told me that I needed to wait at window seven instead. The line at window seven was significantly longer than the line at window eight, but I followed instructions. When there were no more people in line at window eight, they opened it up to those of us who were in line at window seven, and I ended up with the same woman who had previously helped me. This time, she took my paperwork and told me to come back between the 15th and the 30th of October, after 3:30 in the afternoon, so they could take my fingerprints. She returned one of the forms to me and wrote the instructions including that I didn't need a number. She told me that if the officers asked me about not having a number, to show them the paper and they would let me pass. In addition to all of this, she gave me another form, and I specifically asked what to do with it. She replied that I was to do nothing except bring it back the next time.

The next time I went to the police station, my friend Rachel came with me to help pass the time. Standing in line for more than 45 minutes by yourself does get a little boring, as I had discovered from my previous trips to the police station. I entered with no problem and stood in line. After about 45 minutes, it was finally my turn. This time there was a different woman behind the counter. I gave her the forms. She glanced at them and then told me she couldn't help me because I hadn't paid the fee. I had the money with me and attempted to pay her, but she wouldn't accept it. She told me to take the form that I had previously asked about to the bank and pay the money directly to the bank. Apparently government agencies do not accept money directly, as they do in the U.S.. Since the banks were already closed for the day, I would have to come back another day.

Because I have class every weekday except for Friday, I had to wait a full week before returning. I was a little worried about this, because if it wasn't settled that day, I would have to begin skipping class, because there were no more Fridays before the 30th. I paid the bank without any issues and returned to the police station at about 4:00pm this past Friday. Upon seeing a long line of people outside the police station, I walked up to the door and asked the officer if I was able to enter. She said to wait outside and they would get to me shortly. "Shortly," was about an hour and a half later. I walked into the building with my slight sunburn and waited for another 20 minutes. Finally I reached the counter, where they took my fingerprints and collect the remainder of my paperwork. They gave me a small piece of paper and told me to return after one month to pick up my card. Apparently I am not the only person who has had to return many times, as many of the people in line that were returning for their second or third time as well. If it is ever necessary to deal with the government, especially the government of a foreign country, expect it to take longer and be more complicated than originally expected.