More than a week ago I went to the local government office of CGI/Quipux Afrique that administers all vehicle papers and driving licenses in the country. For the expedition I require to have an “permis international de conduire” (International Driving License) and for Eeyore an “certificat international pour automobiles” (International Vehicle Registration). Both are basically only translations of the national documents into other languages.

You have to submit lots of documents in copy and original to file the request. It is a very time consuming act. In front of their office, that is fortunately not far from our house, there is a man with a photocopier who, for a small fee, makes photocopies of all the documents for you. When you file the request they scan all photocopies as well as the originals into the computer system for processing. The lady who does this does however not do a quality check only if all documents are present. This fact will haunt me a little later.

Earlier this week I was able to already pick up my international driving license but at the time I was told that the international vehicle document was not yet ready due to ongoing “certification of documents”. Come back later this week I was told which I did yesterday.

Again yesterday I was told “No, it is still in the same status and not yet ready!” Only once asking a couple of questions I learned the actual reason for the delay. Some of the copies the guy made outside had copying defects and details of the documents could not be read. Probably due to finger prints on the glass plate of the copier. Fortunately I had brought the car papers (carte grise, road safety certificate and insurance) with me. New copies were made outside, this time verified with highest scrutiny and filed with them. I was told the document I had paid 25,000 cfa (38€) for will be ready that afternoon. This morning before I wanted to pick it up, I received a phone call from the office that they could not process the request because they are still missing a copy of an electricity or water bill in my name. Both connections here run on my wife’s name, so all I could offer was my “certificat de residence”. That is a residence document you receive from your local police office telling them where you live and paying 3€. After long consultations they accepted that document instead as that was the best I could offer to prove my residency as the owner of the vehicle.

Now I am sitting here in their office, having submitted the certificate of residence about an hour ago and waiting for what is to come.

Update: Whoo-hoo, one of the ladies came to me and waved with my gray booklet! Finally! Unfortunately I did not get back my original ‘certificat de residence’. That means I will need to go back to the police to obtain another one. But I will probably wait with that until after I have returned from the expedition.

Now I can scan both documents and make photocopies of them myself to take along for the expedition in case someone needs to have one. Happy days, the preparations continue!

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