# Funcionarios



## leedsutdgem (Jun 3, 2010)

Someone sent me this video from youtube. Couldnt stop laughing at it.

Its so true. Heres the link.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Am I missing the point here? Something I'm not getting? Let me in on the secret pleeeaaase!!


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## leedsutdgem (Jun 3, 2010)

jimenato said:


> Am I missing the point here? Something I'm not getting? Let me in on the secret pleeeaaase!!


You obviously havent had many dealings with the dreaded "funcionario" LOL


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

leedsutdgem said:


> You obviously havent had many dealings with the dreaded "funcionario" LOL


Well I have but what I meant is that this video has been posted here 7 times now and twice today.


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## leedsutdgem (Jun 3, 2010)

LOL where? I havent read other posts. Just came on quickly to post it.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Is it the same video?????? I know that Xabiachica deleted one, but I thought it was a different one

Jo xxx


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

hahahah!!

Yes, it's the same video - it's brilliant but after a couple of viewings...


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I've gotta be honest, I didnt watch the others (didnt have time) But yes! That sums it up perfectly - thats exactly it! We should make it a "stickie"!!


Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> I've gotta be honest, I didnt watch the others (didnt have time) But yes! That sums it up perfectly - thats exactly it! We should make it a "stickie"!!
> 
> 
> Jo xxx


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!


Dont you like it???? :eyebrows:

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Dont you like it???? :eyebrows:
> 
> Jo xxx


I did the first time - & maybe the second


but it's getting to be old news now


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> I did the first time - & maybe the second
> 
> 
> but it's getting to be old news now



Useful to show how Spanish officialdom really is 

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> Useful to show how Spanish officialdom really is
> 
> Jo xxx


Except it doesn´t! It´s just another stereotype!

I´ve had one experience like this, and about twenty more that were absolutely fine.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Except it doesn´t! It´s just another stereotype!
> 
> I´ve had one experience like this, and about twenty more that were absolutely fine.



Its how the spanish see their bureaucrats, its how I've found my most of experiences and its just a bit of humour - stereotypical humour!!!! These are the people who have ·jobs for life" contracts, so can act how they want

Jo xxx


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

My version of this got deleted yesterday and this one stays. I'm going to drown my sorrows in a large whisky. We have just experienced somehting a bit like this when we discovered that we were not registered at the clinic we registered at some weeks ago. We live in Frigiliana but in the campo so we have to have a PO Box number. The Correos in Friggers was full so we had to get one in Nerja. BAD NEWS!! The clinic, having registered us, have now decided that we can't live in Frigiliana and have a PO Box in Nerja so we had to re-register today with two duplicate copies of all the forms, passports NIE etc AND stapled!!!!!!! hahahahaha The wife just couldn't believe it. But they did let us use their stapler although they refused to do the stapling themselves. Doncha just luv it??


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thrax said:


> My version of this got deleted yesterday and this one stays. I'm going to drown my sorrows in a large whisky. We have just experienced somehting a bit like this when we discovered that we were not registered at the clinic we registered at some weeks ago. We live in Frigiliana but in the campo so we have to have a PO Box number. The Correos in Friggers was full so we had to get one in Nerja. BAD NEWS!! The clinic, having registered us, have now decided that we can't live in Frigiliana and have a PO Box in Nerja so we had to re-register today with two duplicate copies of all the forms, passports NIE etc AND stapled!!!!!!! hahahahaha The wife just couldn't believe it. But they did let us use their stapler although they refused to do the stapling themselves. Doncha just luv it??


I'd have delted it if I'd seen it first

have a large one for me - I'm about to do battle with the school - my dd has been ill & stillis - just because we now know what is wrong doesn't mean she is magically better & no longer too knackered (the main symptom that drove us tothe docs) to manage a whole day there

I need to get them to agree on a shorter timetable for her for a few weeks, so that they aren't constantly ringing me to say come get her - we live 200m from the school ffs & she's 15 - surely if I say she can come home they can let her out?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I am assuming a Spanish school and not International? If it's Spanish then it feels just like home because the same thing happened to me with my youngest daughter (now 22 and looking for voluntary work in Thailand - how they grow!!) - the schoold admin (not the teachers) just couldn't deal with a simple situation. Bit different in UK though coz if they had let her out before home time they would have been liable to all kinds of problems and I don't think that happens here. Our boy is just one year old so we don't have to face those issues just yet...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jojo said:


> Its how the spanish see their bureaucrats, its how I've found my most of experiences and its just a bit of humour - stereotypical humour!!!! These are the people who have ·jobs for life" contracts, so can act how they want
> 
> Jo xxx


That's another myth. There have been a lot of redundancies as part of the austerity measures, and they have all had their pay cut by 5%.

I agree the country is over-bureaucratic, but don't blame the staff for that! Things are changing, at least round here.


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> That's another myth. There have been a lot of redundancies as part of the austerity measures, and they have all had their pay cut by 5%.
> 
> I agree the country is over-bureaucratic, but don't blame the staff for that! Things are changing, at least round here.


Alcalaina glad you said that. I know on here when I said my funcionario SIL after many years had been made redundant in Madrid several here doubted it 

Sadly all this paro is causing a problem for me. In Asturias we only have three bedrooms but end of July - early August we normally only need two bedrooms: us and Abuelita (grandma) and my niece. Then SIL was made redundant so the third bedroom went. Then DIL was made redundant so a sofa bed is on order. But now another niece and her little boy want to come as she is jobless as well  

Spare flat/house in Asturias anyone???


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thrax said:


> I am assuming a Spanish school and not International? If it's Spanish then it feels just like home because the same thing happened to me with my youngest daughter (now 22 and looking for voluntary work in Thailand - how they grow!!) - the schoold admin (not the teachers) just couldn't deal with a simple situation. Bit different in UK though coz if they had let her out before home time they would have been liable to all kinds of problems and I don't think that happens here. Our boy is just one year old so we don't have to face those issues just yet...


yep - Spanish school


sorted - not totally to my satisfaction & not totally to theirs - but a reasonable compromise I suppose

it doesn't help that the only diagnosis we have is pretty much a non-diagnosis

it's a case of 'it looks like _this_, so we'll try _this_ for a couple of months then do more tests, and if it's no better then we'll try_ this_'

in the meantime she still feels like crap & the interim diagnosis is something a lot of people have & they can't quite accept that she feels as ill as she does

ah well, only another week & a half til the Easter break




in the meantime I feel for you - how's the teething going


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

He's got 6 teeth and two more pushing through. Loads of fun this part plus he's decided that for him nappy changing is to be a thing of the past. He won't let us do it so we both have to work at it with me holding him down. If I don't do that, you can, I'm sure, imagine the mess....


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thrax said:


> He's got 6 teeth and two more pushing through. Loads of fun this part plus he's decided that for him nappy changing is to be a thing of the past. He won't let us do it so we both have to work at it with me holding him down. If I don't do that, you can, I'm sure, imagine the mess....


from funcionarios to functions:clap2:

I remember those days.............glad I only had girls


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

LOL... my first two were girls, now 22 and 25, so I had a bit of a gap between them and him...
Amazing how things change though. When the girls were born the advice was only ever put them on their fronts never their backs in the cot. Toady quite the reverse. You must never put them on their tummies in bed only on their backs. Only thing is, the boy refuses to go to sleep on his back, only on his tummy!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thrax said:


> LOL... my first two were girls, now 22 and 25, so I had a bit of a gap between them and him...
> Amazing how things change though. When the girls were born the advice was only ever put them on their fronts never their backs in the cot. Toady quite the reverse. You must never put them on their tummies in bed only on their backs. Only thing is, the boy refuses to go to sleep on his back, only on his tummy!!


my 15 year old was born just as the advice was changing - she insisted on sleeping on her tummy then, & still does!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Except it doesn´t! It´s just another stereotype!
> 
> I´ve had one experience like this, and about twenty more that were absolutely fine.


While I'm glad the service is improving and that you've been well attended, I can assure you Alcalaina that this is not a stereotype, this is real life for many,many people, myself included. Every year I have to register and deregister as autónoma, just like the woman in the clip. However, as I have said on other threads that the last few times it has got better, no doubt about it. 
My friend who has a 70% disabilility and has to go to soc. sec. every so often to prove that she's still around will tell you how she has to wait for hours while the woman attending is shouting at a Moroccan for not bringing paper B, because of course a bit of humiliation always goes down well, doesn't it?
And my husband, who every 2 years has to travel over 60 kms to give the same papers in, to the same person, standing behind the same window to be told, but you haven't got PAPER XXX, while my husband will tell them, as he does every time, 'cos paper XXX hasn't been needed SINCE 1994!!!

And although the recession has brought about changes for the funcionarios, for the great majority an indefinite contract is exactly that.

PS My husband is a funcionario!
But not on an indefinite contract, unfortunately


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> While I'm glad the service is improving and that you've been well attended, I can assure you Alcalaina that this is not a stereotype, this is real life for many,many people, myself included. Every year I have to register and deregister as autónoma, just like the woman in the clip. However, as I have said on other threads that the last few times it has got better, no doubt about it.
> My friend who has a 70% disabilility and has to go to soc. sec. every so often to prove that she's still around will tell you how she has to wait for hours while the woman attending is shouting at a Moroccan for not bringing paper B, because of course a bit of humiliation always goes down well, doesn't it?
> And my husband, who every 2 years has to travel over 60 kms to give the same papers in, to the same person, standing behind the same window to be told, but you haven't got PAPER XXX, while my husband will tell them, as he does every time, 'cos paper XXX hasn't been needed SINCE 1994!!!
> 
> ...


Oh dear ... Well, all I can say is that Cádiz must be a little bastion of civilisation in this ocean of inefficiency!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Oh dear ... Well, all I can say is that Cádiz must be a little bastion of civilisation in this ocean of inefficiency!



I'm sure the video wouldnt have been made or successful if it hadnt been a known representative stereotype - I'm also sure that chap works in my local SS office!

Jo xxx


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## Spanky McSpank (Aug 27, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Oh dear ... Well, all I can say is that Cádiz must be a little bastion of civilisation in this ocean of inefficiency!



You must have been very lucky. The unemployment office is hell on earth.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> yep - Spanish school
> 
> 
> sorted - not totally to my satisfaction & not totally to theirs - but a reasonable compromise I suppose
> ...


Sorry to hear that your daughter's not doing well xabia.

Hope she realises that her health is the most important, and doesn't get worried about missing school work. It's horrible to see your children ill, isn't it?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Spanky McSpank said:


> You must have been very lucky. The unemployment office is hell on earth.


I can well believe that, the unemployment rate here is 30 or 40%. 

Yes, I am lucky, I´ve only had to deal with buying a house, getting residencia and NIE, signing up for healthcare, getting a padron, registering a car on Spanish plates, changing my driving licence,sorting out a wrongly registered property for a friend, setting up standing orders with the Ayuntamiento, filing a denuncia with the consumer protection office ...

Lots of processes are ridiculously complex but on only one occasion have I ever encountered a functionario who was less than helpful.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> I can well believe that, the unemployment rate here is 30 or 40%.
> 
> Yes, I am lucky, I´ve only had to deal with buying a house, getting residencia and NIE, signing up for healthcare, getting a padron, registering a car on Spanish plates, changing my driving licence,sorting out a wrongly registered property for a friend, setting up standing orders with the Ayuntamiento, filing a denuncia with the consumer protection office ...
> 
> Lots of processes are ridiculously complex but on only one occasion have I ever encountered a functionario who was less than helpful.



I think my worst dealing was when I had to get my social security number and they refused to do it until I got a replacement NIE/residencia. A copy of the old one wasnt good enough - cos we'd moved house and the address was wrong, I had to take copies of my old rental agreement, my new rental agreement, copies of passport, inside leg measurement... But they wouldnt give me a replacement of my NIE/residencia because I'd mislaid the old one. So I had to use a copy that I luckily had and I could only use that once the police had signed it to say it was a copy of the original - and they wouldnt sign it until I reported that the old one had been stolen and to do that, I needed a time and date of the stealing................ well, the whole process took 3 weeks, masses of photocopies and bits of paper, miles of driving to different offices - When I finally had all the correct paperwork and photocopies with minutes to spare, the man in the social security office wouldnt do it cos I only had one photocopy of my passport - it was at that point I stood up and just shouted in English using every profanity I could think of and simply refused to leave until they issued it. The office closed at 2pm and at a minute past, he finally printed the social security number off - all he had to do was press print!! I'm sorry, but without exception, it was the smug, beliiergent attitude of those Funcionarios that made the whole process horrendous - a smile and some courteousness would have been nice, instead of the look of delight on their faces when "all was not in perfect order"!

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Sorry to hear that your daughter's not doing well xabia.
> 
> Hope she realises that her health is the most important, and doesn't get worried about missing school work. It's horrible to see your children ill, isn't it?


it is horrible - she realises that her health is most important, I do & the doctor does - unfortunately the school isn't quite looking at it that way - she isn't bed ridden (although she has a lot of trouble getting out of it) or in hospital, so they expect her there - if she doesn't recover a bit during the easter hols then I might have to get the doc involved on a more official level

she has almost totally 'lost' this past trimestre as far as her grades are concerned - which for a girl who has rarely failed anything is tough

we are confident that she can make it up - first trimestre was fine & as long as she does OK third trimestre she might not have to do any resits in september - but if she does, she has 12 weeks to prepare for them

that's just one thing I like about the spanish education system - it gives you the chance to put things right- but that's another thread


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> it is horrible - she realises that her health is most important, I do & the doctor does - unfortunately the school isn't quite looking at it that way - she isn't bed ridden (although she has a lot of trouble getting out of it) or in hospital, so they expect her there - if she doesn't recover a bit during the easter hols then I might have to get the doc involved on a more official level
> 
> she has almost totally 'lost' this past trimestre as far as her grades are concerned - which for a girl who has rarely failed anything is tough
> 
> ...


When my daughter left hospital after 2 weeks due to appendicitis/ peritonitis/ infection bla, bla, bla there was no way she could just go back to school full time complete with rucksack weighing an average of 8 kilos and stiches still in!! I asked the doctor for a note for the school to get a reduced timetable, and there was no problem. She was actually on "baja" for 6 weeks, which is tremendous for what was basically appendicitis.
Surely if the doctor recognises the problem, your daughter will get a "baja", which is what the school legally needs??
I was amazed that I actually had to ask the doctor for the "baja", she didn't offer it, which is the kind of thing I'm referring to in other threads when I say that you have to know the right questions to ask the doctor; they're not very good at volunteering info, but that's another thread too, isn't it


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> When my daughter left hospital after 2 weeks due to appendicitis/ peritonitis/ infection bla, bla, bla there was no way she could just go back to school full time complete with rucksack weighing an average of 8 kilos and stiches still in!! I asked the doctor for a note for the school to get a reduced timetable, and there was no problem. She was actually on "baja" for 6 weeks, which is tremendous for what was basically appendicitis.
> Surely if the doctor recognises the problem, your daughter will get a "baja", which is what the school legally needs??
> I was amazed that I actually had to ask the doctor for the "baja", she didn't offer it, which is the kind of thing I'm referring to in other threads when I say that you have to know the right questions to ask the doctor; they're not very good at volunteering info, but that's another thread too, isn't it


we weren't offered one either - and part of the problem for my dd is carrying the ridiculously heavy bag to & from - but also she is too wiped out to do a whole day & study at home too - she did just 3 days this week & fell asleep almost as soon as she got home yesterday - not just a nap - 3 hours!

I think I'll get her back there & ask for a baja - I stupidly thought that the school would believe me


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> we weren't offered one either - and part of the problem for my dd is carrying the ridiculously heavy bag to & from - but also she is too wiped out to do a whole day & study at home too - she did just 3 days this week & fell asleep almost as soon as she got home yesterday - not just a nap - 3 hours!
> 
> I think I'll get her back there & ask for a baja - I stupidly thought that the school would believe me


Xabia,
I _think_ this may be one of those UK/Spain things. I don't know if you have to get an offical sick note in the UK now, but here, with their love of paperwork I _think_ that's the legal requirement. Along with that goes the idea of "If you haven't got the paperwork then how do I know it's true?" Sometimes instead of justyifying an illness, what happens is the _absence_ of a doctors note becomes "suspicious". Certainly since my daughter's been in secondary I get a note justifying an absence for every doctors visit or illness. The episode I mentioned earlier was in the 1st year and I'm a quick learner!!
As I say, I think that's the thinking behind it, but am not sure


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Xabia,
> I _think_ this may be one of those UK/Spain things. I don't know if you have to get an offical sick note in the UK now, but here, with their love of paperwork I _think_ that's the legal requirement. Along with that goes the idea of "If you haven't got the paperwork then how do I know it's true?" Sometimes instead of justyifying an illness, what happens is the _absence_ of a doctors note becomes "suspicious". Certainly since my daughter's been in secondary I get a note justifying an absence for every doctors visit or illness. The episode I mentioned earlier was in the 1st year and I'm a quick learner!!
> As I say, I think that's the thinking behind it, but am not sure


iirc you do need a sick note in the UK - but the doctor just writes one out almost before you sit down in the surgery!!

I've never been asked for one by the schools here in 7 years - & still haven't this time:confused2:

they have seen evidence of the tests she's had - & the bruises when she passed out & fell down the stairs the other week - they have even sent her home from school when she's been ill

yes - I think a note from the doctor might just get them off her back

thanks PW


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## Spanky McSpank (Aug 27, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> I can well believe that, the unemployment rate here is 30 or 40%.
> 
> Yes, I am lucky, I´ve only had to deal with buying a house, getting residencia and NIE, signing up for healthcare, getting a padron, registering a car on Spanish plates, changing my driving licence,sorting out a wrongly registered property for a friend, setting up standing orders with the Ayuntamiento, filing a denuncia with the consumer protection office ...
> 
> Lots of processes are ridiculously complex but on only one occasion have I ever encountered a func*t*ionario who was less than helpful.



I am pleased for you but many people have had different experiences. I know I have in the 25+ years I have been here.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica;495593
they have seen evidence of the tests she's had - &[COLOR=Blue said:


> the bruises when she passed out & fell down the stairs the other week[/COLOR] - they have even sent her home from school when she's been ill


Good Grief!! How awful for you all!

Well, last word on this 'cos it's off topic...

My advice to everybody is to ask for the doctors note as a matter of course because there's no argument if you have one. It's always useful just in case.

Uhmmm, there's no argument if you have Soc. Sec, doctor. Only they can give "real" sick notes, so if you are taking time off work for example you need one of those...

Lots of good wishes to Xabiachica and family!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Good Grief!! How awful for you all!
> 
> Well, last word on this 'cos it's off topic...
> 
> ...


well it's not _really_ off topic - aren't we talking about funcionarios


thanks PW - it _will _get sorted


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## Tency (Jun 9, 2010)

leedsutdgem said:


> Someone sent me this video from youtube. Couldnt stop laughing at it.
> 
> Its so true. Heres the link.
> 
> YouTube - Funcionarios


You made my day with this!!!! I have gone to Malaga already twice to get an NIE, once with my lawyer. The first time I went, they said I had to go to a different office since I am an american, and they only take European and Africans at the regular office. The second time, with my lawyer at the next office, the woman said that it was not sufficient to have a copy of the ID pages of my passport but copies of the whole thing, even empty pages. Now, I just need to remember to bring my stapler and a copy machine.
 Thanks again for letting me look at the light side of it. Salud! 10C


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Tency said:


> You made my day with this!!!! I have gone to Malaga already twice to get an NIE, once with my lawyer. The first time I went, they said I had to go to a different office since I am an american, and they only take European and Africans at the regular office. The second time, with my lawyer at the next office, the woman said that it was not sufficient to have a copy of the ID pages of my passport but copies of the whole thing, even empty pages. Now, I just need to remember to bring my stapler and a copy machine.
> Thanks again for letting me look at the light side of it. Salud! 10C


The US certainly isn't exempt from ridiculous bureaucracy though. One day I must tell you about my experience with US immigration at Miami airport - and I was only passing through on the way from London to Costa Rica! But not now, as it would just put me in a bad mood ...


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## Tency (Jun 9, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> The US certainly isn't exempt from ridiculous bureaucracy though. One day I must tell you about my experience with US immigration at Miami airport - and I was only passing through on the way from London to Costa Rica! But not now, as it would just put me in a bad mood ...


Are you kidding me...ours is the worst in the planet! I have had to deal with all sorts of red tape and redundant government processes my whole life. I also had huge complaints from people traveling to visit about the customs. Believe me, I know very well... If anything I think it is a world wide problem. Why we can't have standard processes with scales of efficiency in government in this day and age is a total mystery. For all the politics, we fail to just do it. In the U.S. they have a paper-reduction act, however, the mills of paper continue to be required for all sorts of processes. It is a total mess. However, I thought the Spanish You Tube was priceless! Thanks again. Best, 10C


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