Brazil Post issues demand in passport tussle with US Embassy

Brazil Post has called for US embassies and consulates in Brazil to use its express services for the delivery of passports and visas, following a court win. The national postal operator received a ruling from the Federal District Court in Sao Paulo at the end of last month, confirming that under Brazilian law, only Brazil Post is allowed to deliver passports within Brazil.

Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), the company contracted by the US State Department to provide information services for the US embassies in Brazil, has contracts to use DHL Brazil to deliver passports back to Brazilians seeking visas to travel to the United States.

The US Embassy in Brazil has said deliveries have had to be suspended as a result of the verdict, and has warned visa applicants and passport holders that the return of documents face delays.

The US embassy and consulates receive on average 4,000 applications each day in Brazil.

“We are working together with the companies involved to resolve the issue and to find alternatives and resume deliveries,” said the US Embassy in a statement.

Brazil Post (Correios) said this week that CSC has not yet agreed to begin using its delivery services.

The state-owned company issued a demand to the company on Friday, in which it said it has set up a new system to run document exchange operations between CSC and the US Embassy, along with the collection and delivery of passports.

“Although Correios is fully prepared and ready for the start of this operation in the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco and Brasilia, so far there has not been a move by CSC to pass the passports to the post office,” the company complained.

“We ask that the company move so that Brazil Post can effectively begin operations and execute the delivery of passport to the homes of their owners, as determined by the judicial ruling.”