Originally Posted by estebangc

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 fotogra*fía y firma.----Interviene en su propio nombre y derecho; tiene, a mi juicio, la capacidad legal necesaria para formali*zar 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 repre*sen*ta*ción y única y exclusivamente en relación con el vehículo anteriormente descrito, pueda ejercitar las siguien*tes-------------------------------
----------------------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 coinci*dentes 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.