Hi everyone,

A few weeks ago SenorBoludo PMed me regarding a POA for a motorcycle he was going to buy in Uruguay. He has searched on line and had found nothing. I tried myself and got nothing either, so I decided I would draft the POA (Poder Notarial, Carta Poder, depending on the countries) myself to give him a hand.

We both have agreed that this document may be useful for others, since it covers most of the possibilities a "buyer" of the bike may encounter in those cases where the seller remains the official owner.

I'm a native speaker with a legal background and know a bit of POAs -and am biker too -, so even though I have never travelled by bike in South America with a POA, I'm pretty sure this document would be valid for other travellers in most situations -and for border officials- so it would make life easier for any traveller who has to go to a notary / escribano to sign the POA in order to sale his bike.

I copy-paste the content of the POA and the explanations I sent to SenorBoludo since I don't know where to upload the Word documents.

If anyone has any amendment to make, comment, suggestion, criticism... whatever, please feel free to correct me so that we draft together the best possible POA for future travellers. I cannot guarantee that I'll reply to all comments, since I recently became a father, so you know...

If moderators think this post should rather appear in South America section, please feel free to move it to the appropriate section.

Just my two cents, but I'd be very happy if it helped other travellers to avoid the hassle and enjoy their experience in SA the most.

Happy travels,

Esteban





NÚMERO XXXXX (DE PROTOCOLO NOTARIAL)
En la ciudad de Montevideo (¿?), Uruguay, a 20 de diciembre del año dos mil trece.-----------------------
Ante mí, XXXXXXX , Notario / Escribano público, en el ejercicio de funciones notariales,---------------------
-----------------------COMPARECE: --------------------
DON XXXXXXXX, mayor de edad, soltero/casado/divorciado, de nacionalidad XXXXXX, con domicilio en XXXXXXXXXX y provisto de pasaporte número XXXXXXXXXX.---------------
Identifico al compareciente mediante el documento reseñado en el que aparecen su fotogra­fía y firma.----Interviene en su propio nombre y derecho; tiene, a mi juicio, la capacidad legal necesaria para formali­zar la presente escritura de PODER GENERAL PARA VENTA, DISPOSICIÓN, ADMINISTRACIÓN Y USO DE VEHÍCULO y---------------------
------------------------DECLARA: ----------------------
Que es propietario de una motocicleta marca YAMAHA, modelo XT 600 E, con número de chasis XXXXXXXXXXXX y placas/matrículas uruguayas (¿?) XXXXX-XXX, la cual manifiesta se encuentra libre de todo tipo de cargas y/o gravámenes, según manifiesta, y--------------------
------------------------OTORGA: -----------------------
Que confiere poder, tan amplio y bastante como en derecho se requiera y fuera necesario, a favor de DON XXXXXXX, mayor de edad, soltero/casado/divorciado, de nacionalidad XXXXXX, con domicilio en XXXXXXXXXX y titular de pasaporte número XXXXXXXXXX, para que, en su nombre y repre­sen­ta­ción y única y exclusivamente en relación con el vehículo anteriormente descrito, pueda ejercitar las siguien­tes-------------------------------
----------------------FACULTADES: ---------------------
Vender, permutar, donar, arrendar o de cualquier otro modo enajenar el vehículo, pura o condicionalmente, con precio confesado, aplazado o pagado al contado. Gravarlo con las garantías que estime convenientes. Contratar pólizas de seguros que cubran al vehículo y/o sus pasajeros, cambiar la titularidad de las mismas y cancelar las existentes como si del mismo titular se tratara; reclamar y cobrar los devengos de dichos seguros, ya sea como indemnización o por los períodos no disfrutados. Comparecer ante cualesquiera Administraciones Públicas, Autoridades Judiciales, Policía, Dirección General de Tráfico u otras agencias internacionales, nacionales, regionales o locales análogas para cualquier tipo de trámites, en particular para gestiones de matriculación, cambio de titularidad y registro del mencionado vehículo. Realizar las revisiones, reparaciones y cualesquiera otras operaciones necesarias para su correcto mantenimiento. Especialmente faculta al apoderado para conducir el vehículo y utilizarlo con los mismos derechos y prerrogativas del propietario, sin limitación ni menoscabo alguno, autorizándolo a cruzar fronteras y salir del país de origen del vehículo por cualquier medio terrestre, marítimo, fluvial o aéreo. Tramitar la importación y exportación del mismo, contratar fletes y otros transportes, comparecer y retirar conocimientos de embarque (bill of lading, B/L) y cartas de porte aéreo (airway bill, AWB), retirar mercancías, comparecer ante las Aduanas y organismos de inspección, pagar aranceles, tasas portuarias, servicios de estiba, y realizar cualesquiera otros trámites inherentes a dichas operaciones. Y para ello otorgar cuantos documentos públicos y/o privados fueran necesarios a los fines expresados en el presente poder.--------------------------------------
Sustituir en todo o en parte este poder, revocar las sustituciones y otorgar otras cuantas veces fuera oportuno, con o sin reservas de su ejercicio.----------
Las facultades reseñadas se confieren aunque en el ejercicio de las mismas incurriera el apoderado en alguna de las figuras jurídicas de autocontratación, múltiple representación o existieran intereses coinci­dentes o contrapuestos.-------------------------------
Todo lo dicho es enunciativo y no limitativo, por lo cual deberá ser siempre amplísimamente interpretado, afirmándose la vigencia y validez a nivel internacional del presente apoderamiento, sin limitación temporal alguna, tanto en el país de su otorgamiento, como en otros Estados en los que fuera presentado.------------------------------------------
El compareciente queda informado y acepta la incorporación de sus datos –y la fotocopia del documento de identidad, en los casos previstos en la Ley- al protocolo notarial y a los ficheros de esta Notaría. Se conservarán con carácter confidencial y amparados por el secreto del protocolo, sin perjuicio de las comunicaciones a las Administraciones Públicas que estipula la Ley.---------------------------------
Hechas las advertencias y reservas legales, DON XXXXXXXXXXXX lee esta escritura, redactada conforme a MINUTA, por su opción. Manifiesta no conocer la lengua española pero disponer de una traducción (de calidad suficiente) escrita en su propio idioma del contenido de esta escritura, a lo que se añaden mis explicaciones verbales; la halla conforme a su voluntad y firma conmigo, el Notario autorizante, que doy fe del total contenido de este instrumento público, extendido en XX folios de papel timbrado con mi firma y sello.------------------------------------
Están en la matriz la firma del compareciente y la del Notario autorizante.‑ Hay un sello de tinta de esta Notaría.‑‑--------------------------------------------
Lo transcrito concuerda fiel y exactamente con su original, que obra en el Protocolo de instrumentos públicos de esta Oficina Consular con el número inserto al principio de este documento, y a requerimiento del compareciente, yo, Notario, expido DOS copias autorizadas, que consta de XX folios de papel timbrado empleado en los actos notariales, con mi firma y sello de esta Notaría, en Montevideo, Uruguay (¿?), el mismo día de su otorgamiento.- Doy fe.--------------------------------------------------


This Power of Attorney (POA) is drafted following a Spanish (aka from Spain) pattern, but the contents should not differ much in South America, based on what I have read on line. “Facultades” is the most important part for you, the real content, as well as identifying the people and the vehicle. Some parts, especially the beginning and ending, may be adapted to the local customs in notary documents, no reason to distrust.

I explain the POA a little bit.

1st paragraph: Place, date and name of the notary before whom the POA is signed.

COMPARECE: The person authorising through the POA (=aka the current owner of the bike who is “selling” it) with his personal details and the type of POA (sell, manage and use a vehicle).

DECLARA: declares that owns a vehicle that it is then described (make, model, chassis nr and plates). The Notary may add more details such as colour, engine nr, etc. As long as it is described sufficiently, good to go. The owner affirms that there are no debts regarding the vehicle.

OTORGA: the person who is authorised through the POA (=the guy who “buys” the bike and want to keep on travelling) with his personal details. He will act on behalf of the owner, but solely regarding the vehicle described.

FACULTADES: (I won’t try to translate it into legal English, which is a hard task, but will try to explain it roughly) The “buyer” is authorised to: sell, swap/exchange, donate, rent or by any other means transfer the ownership, accepting different ways of payments. Use it as a guarantee for a credit. Buy insurances for the vehicle and/or passengers; change the holder of the existing insurances; cancel the insurances; get any compensation from insurances. Act before the Administration, Tribunals, Police and Automobile agencies at local, regional, national and international level, especially for any procedures regarding plates, ownership and registry of the vehicle. Proceed with maintenance, repairs and any other necessary actions for the correct functioning of the vehicle. Drive it and use it with the very same rights as the owner himself, with no limitations, cross borders and take the vehicle out of the country by any means (road, sea, air). Manage import and export, pay fleets and other transports, use Bill of lading and Airway bill, get the goods, act before customs and inspection boards, pay import, harbour and stow fees and carry out any other procedures. Sign all private and public necessary documents. [Sustituir… this one is more delicate, but in principle quite necessary: based on this POA, the authorised person may give other POAs with this very same faculties to a 3rd person (the next “buyer”). This makes things easier for future “owners” (=actually, not owners, but possessors, since the property title was not changed) to continue the “chain” of bikers using that bike based on the first POA].

All faculties are valid even in the case of “autocontrato” (a specific clause/faculty needed when the authorised person benefits from the actions undertaken based on the POA; for example, when he sells the bike to himself, a necessary condition to change ownership; autocontrato means “contract with himself”, since his signature will appear as seller –based on the POA- and as buyer –he buys the bike-, a pretty interesting thing).

All the faculties must be interpreted in the largest possible way, with no limitations, with no time limit, being valid internationally, both in the country where it is signed and in the rest of the universe! Sorry, in other countries (then should have The Hague Apostille stamp, but better to mention it anyway, since border officials will understand it easily; READ THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT THE END).

REST: Your personal data will be collected. You choose to read the POA, which has been drafted based upon a model/template you brought. Even if you don’t understand Spanish, you affirm to have a correct translation in your own language, so you are aware about the content of the POA you are signing. You ask for TWO true copies of the original (which remains with the notary; better to have 2, just in case you loose/get stolen one).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

INTERNATIONAL VALIDITY: For the POA to be valid in other countries, the true copy (“copia auténtica”) you get from the notary should get the “Apostilla de la Haya” stamp on it (as long as the country where the POA is signed is part of “The Hague Apostille Convention”). Ask the Notary from where you could obtain the stamp (Administration, Tribunals, Notary association/bar, etc it depends on regions/countries). Even though the POA says at the very end that it should be valid internationally, it is not the case without the Apostille stamp, but it may help (“look, it’s written here, it is valid worldwide!”).

Remember that the less developed the country, the more stamps will appear in official documents, so I would go for the POA, legalised photocopies of everyone’s passport, the Apostille, etc.

WHO SHOULD SIGN THE POA? Usually, the POA should be signed by the bike “owner” alone (if real owner, no problem; if only “possessor”, the POA would need the “sustitucion” mentioned before, so that faculties may be transferred on behalf of the original owner). It is not necessary that the “buyer” (=the biker who keeps on travelling with the) signs as well; example: your uncle living in Australia may sign there a POA authorising you to sell his old home in Manchester and just send it to you, of course you do not need to be both together! However, during the research I’ve seen some POA –in Costa Rica- which look more like a “mandato” (=mandate?) where both were together. Actually, the POA authorises only, so the faculties may never be used and the person authorised may not even know that the POA was actually signed; the –“mandato” is a contract, it obliges. Anyway, if the Notary asks you both to sign, I would just do it, he knows how things work in his country.

Cheers to you! That took time to put together, but will certainly prove valuable. Thanks for posting it here. Look forward to reviews...

__________________
motojeros.blogspot.com - 2 up on an ´89 Transalp through the Americas

Senorboludo,

You should be getting your bike this month of December. Please, post your experience with the Power of Attorney to tell how/if it worked.

Buen viaje!

Esteban

Thank you so much for taking the time to write that up and explain it in English too. Really appreciate it!

Thanks for your comment.

If you plan to use it, print a copy of the Spanis version and give to the Notario / Escribano and ask him to use it as a sample model (minuta) to draft the POA you need to sign (well, the "seller").

Some feed-back about your experience crossing borders/re-"selling"/dealing with bureaucracy or police would be really appreciated (no news from mr boludo).

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...examples-72256

As long as the documents have to show the name of the owner in Peru a power of authority will not help but to print some bike papers only takes a few minutes in any internet cafe.This worked fine in my case:

http://motorradtouren-suedamerika.de/?report=en_peru

Ummm... if someone asks how much does it cost a Carnet for a brand new BMW 1200 and I tell him "don't bother, 100 USD on eBay, looks the same, I used it", that I would call it "plan b answer". I don't fake ownership documents at home, so I see as a plan b abroad. Truth to be said, I don't feel proud of faking documents.

Carnet available on ebay. Never heard of such a thing.

Not ebay but 100 dollars is true
People are not allways at home when buying used bikes in forreighn countrys. For your bike at home you dont need a powee of authority document...

Below is a response to a private message received from X who was asking about the possibility of using a "poder" as described here to sell/purchase a foreign registered bike (entered into Argentina on a TVIP) in Argentina:


X, this is getting interesting. I just read a thread on the hubb - others also posted regarding a "poder" As I see it - if the U S registered bike was entered into Argentina on a TVIP 3-8 month temporary vehicle import permit, no matter what the "power" says, it would still be illegal for the seller - who entered the foreign registered bike into Argentina to sell it in Argentina. All one has to do is read the regulations regarding the TVIP and you would learn that a TVIP entered vehicle cannot be sold in Argentina - unless it is first "nationalized" as I described in my previous response to you.

I don't get it... Do people really believe they can just avoid the law by creating a "poder" - a power of attorney that circumvents the law of Argentina that clearly states that a vehicle entered into Argentina on a TVIP cannot be sold in Argentina. This is beyond absurd.

You "might" be able to be listed as an authorized rider on the TVIP - this has nothing to do with a "poder" but you and the owner ( seller) go to that little office off of the Plaza de Mayo and have you included as an authorized rider of the bike. This of course would NOT permit you to buy the bike or sell the bike, but you would be able to legally ride the bike in Argentina - if you are included on the TVIP as an authorized rider. I doubt you could leave Argentina with the bike, but some people have ....
let me know when you will need parking - we stay full most of the time

xfiltrate: ps i will be flying to Bogota, Colombia from Madrid on 21oct and riding to Buenos Aires from there.... our two Hondas are stored south of Bogota keep in touch....

What are these people thinking???

I wrote this as requested by a HUBB member. I clearly stated that I have never travelled in SA with a POA. But I know a bit about POAs and I drafted it as ample as possible. Not that you will be able to do everything stated in every country, but better to include it in particular if you want to “impress” a border official, same as getting as much stamps as possible.

Obviously, you cannot ride a motorcycle FOREVER in a particular country just because you have a POA or “poder notarial”. Import duties do exist. Neither if you are the owner, I thought it was clear to anyone. Same as if you want to RESIDE in a country based on the fact that you had a 2 months tourist visa. Ask for a proper residence permit/visa. I do not enjoy arguments and won’t get into the issue of importing whatever.

However, you may enter many countries with a car/motorcycle which is not under your name if have a POA and leave the country respecting deadlines. I plan to do it soon in Morocco and it is 100% legal. And if not allowed in a particular country, do not worry; they may just refuse you on the border.

Properties can be sold based on POAs all around the world, as long as you comply with specific local regulations (maybe you have to legalize via a Consulate or the Hague Apostille or have an official translation or whatever).

I would strongly recommend buying the vehicle and getting proper ownership. This POA is only a plan B if that could not be done, as SenorBoludo asked me, but not something that I recommend. In case of any doubt, don't use it.

Estebangc......Thanks for your response. I understand you are just trying to help. I really wish I could be more positive about selling foreign registered bikes in Argentina, but as you have stated - regulations vary from country to country. I am sure your advice is accurate in other countries. My comments are related to Argentina.

Thanks for helping

xfiltrate

Xfiltrate, thanks to you for your comments and warnings about restrictions in Argentina. Hopefully it will help other bikers.

Please, point any amendment, addition or correction that you find necessary in the POA. Or limits that may be faced, as you said in Argentina. No doubt, proper ownership should be the way to go.

I was wondering if a lot of people have used a POA to drive a motorcycle around (South America specifically), and cross borders? I find examples of a POA on this forum but no reports if they work.

If I understand correctly: the 'seller' of the bike has to be present to draft the POA with the notary. There is no tvip in Brazil where I am now so, so I could just drive out with the bike if I have all the necessary documents stating I am the legal 'user' of the bike.

Any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated, the more I read about this the bigger my headache is becoming. The humidity isn't helping either

I found this on ADVrider:
It looks pretty detailed, anyone can confirm this is a working method?
Thank you!

Related to your question, I refer to an issue that may raise some confusion:

Through a POA you may authorise someone to buy, sell, donate, etc your properties (usual case, real estate). Or to accept and inheritance on your behalf or to accept a donation. In all cases, the consequences are for you since the person is only representing, you, so if "he sells", you sell and you get the money (if he keeps the money, it's your money!). It's your will to sell or to buy or to donate and it's your will to allow someone you trust to do it on your behalf since you may not be able to do it in person and there is a public notary giving faith of that fact that you were informed of all the details and you signed before him stating that it was your will.

So you can do many things through a POA of attorney, but not all: "I allow my friend to renew my passport". NO, he cannot, it's a personal procedure, your photo-your face, they want to see you, your finger prints, who's going to replace you? You renew your passport so that you look/evolve like the person in the picture. Please, do not tell me about countries starting new procedures which do not require actual presence, it's an example.

So, if for instance Argentina says that selling motorbikes has to be done in person and only by the owner, no matter what the POA says, you want be able to do it.

The POA drafted is very large so that, if the procedure is allowed to be done throuhg a POA by the local regulations, it should be included to avoid headaches. But if Paraguay states that only real owners of vehicles can enter and drive through Paraguay, you won't be able to do it no matter what the POA states. If the POA says that I authorise you to sell the Eiffel Tower: the notary says he won't sign such a stupid thing; or you won't be able to do it with your POA if the notary signed it.

All of this is theory, legal theory, so bullshit. The point would be to have real info about people travelling.