Getting anything done in Brazil takes time. A lot of time. You need documents, and more documents, and even more documents. But delays in Brazil aren’t the only roadblocks you’ll face if you’re an American wanting to do business there. Believe it or not, the US may actually be your achilles heel.

In past articles, we’ve highlighted the need for original documents that have been notarized and apostilled in the US for use in Brazil. But in some US states, getting documents apostilled is taking forever because of Covid. A process that often takes just days can now take weeks or even months.

Delaware, for example, is months behind schedule. But at least there you can pay to expedite your order and speed things up a bit. Pennsylvania, on the other hand, is delayed by four to six weeks and there’s no way to expedite the service by mail.

Hence, you need to plan ahead if you’re short on time. Most processes, like getting married or opening a company, can’t even begin until you have your apostilled documents in hand. And expect to experience delays in Brazil as well. Processing times for notary acts and government registrations are all longer than normal.

While you wait, start your tax structuring, IP registrations or market research. Talk to your lawyer or your accountant and get their advice. Or maybe you can use the time to find office space to rent. Using this time to start planning ahead will ultimately benefit you down the road.