ACR FO'S PASSPORT WAS SUPPOSEDLY 'LOST' AFTER HAVING HANDED IT OVER TO A PASSPORT CTL OFFICER IN SAO PAULO ARPT WHO WAS EMPLOYED BY THEIR IMMIGRATION DEPT. SUBJECT OFFICER DENIED RECEIVING IT. FLC RAISED OBJECTIONS TO THE LEVEL WHERE SUDDENLY; THE PASSPORT WAS 'FOUND;' ON THE 'ACFT.'

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LOCATION: SAO PAULO IMMIGRATIONS. AS A FOLLOW-UP TO MY PREVIOUS RPT CONCERNING A PROB AT SAO PAULO; I BELIEVE THAT I INDICATED THAT IT WAS A BRAZILIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIAL WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY AN IMMIGRATIONS OFFICIAL. TO REVIEW: THIS IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL WAS HANDED A PASSPORT AND A BRAZILIAN ENTRY FORM BY THE FO. HE RETURNED THE FO COPY OF THE BRAZILIAN ENTRY FORM BUT NOT THE PASSPORT. WHEN THE FO ASKED FOR HIS PASSPORT THE MAN SAID HE DID NOT HAVE IT WHEN THE FO SAID THAT HE HAD GIVEN IT TO HIM. EVERYONE IN THE IMMIGRATIONS ROOM WAS OBSERVING THE EXCHANGE; SO I INSISTED THAT HE LEAVE AND GO FIND HELP FROM OUR AIRLINE'S STATION PERSONNEL. WE WENT UP TO OUR FLT OPS AND ASKED FOR HELP. THE AGENT SAID THAT THE SUPVR ON DUTY WAS COMING. NO ONE CAME; SO WE WENT BACK DOWN BY IMMIGRATIONS. A CARGO AGENT MADE 2 TELEPHONE CALLS TO FIND A SUPVR BUT NOBODY CAME. WE SAW THE BRAZILIAN OFFICIAL RETURN TO THE CREW CHK-IN BOOTH 2 TIMES AND LEAVE. FINALLY WE OBSERVED ANOTHER OFFICIAL GO INTO THE BOOTH AND COME OUT HOLDING A PASSPORT. THE FO WENT OVER AND FOUND THAT IT WAS INDEED HIS PASSPORT. THE OFFICIAL GAVE IT TO HIM AFTER A THOROUGH CHK OF HIS IDENT. HE SAID THAT IT WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE. ANYWAY WE GOT THE PASSPORT BACK. I LEFT A NOTE ASKING THE STATION MGR TO FIND THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO FOUND THE PASSPORT; WHICH ACFT IT WAS ON; AND WHAT GATE IT WAS AT. THE NOTE APPARENTLY DID NOT GET FORWARDED TO THE STATION MGR. WE ASKED FOR HELP 3 TIMES AND GOT NO RESPONSE FROM A SUPVR. WE GOT THE PASSPORT BACK BY STAYING IN THE ARPT FOR AN EXTRA HR ON OUR OWN. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO HELP US. THE LACK OF FOLLOW-UP ON THE PART OF STATION PERSONNEL WAS ALSO TROUBLING. IF ONE OF OUR PAX HAS A PROB AT SAO PAULO; WILL STATION PEOPLE BE TRAINED TO HELP THEM?