# Solicitud de carta de naturalizaci�n



## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

*Solicitud de carta de naturalización*

So I am completing this form. They ask - why do you want to be a Mexican citizen. My answer...

"Me encanta Mexico. Es nuestro hogar nuevo. Me gustan la gente, la clima, la comida, todo".

How's my Spanish ? Any other comments ?


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

lat19n said:


> So I am completing this form. They ask - why do you want to be a Mexican citizen. My answer...
> 
> "Me encanta Mexico. Es nuestro hogar nuevo. Me gustan la gente, la clima, la comida, todo".
> How's my Spanish ? Any other comments ?


Good start. But it's *el* clima (one of those nouns from greek that is masculine even though it ends in "a"). You might put something in about the culture, but mostly I'd say something about "feeling" Mexican. Think in terms of things you can better do as a Mexican _citizen_, because you can enjoy the weather, people, cuisine, and margaritas just fine as a tourist. Also talk about how citizenship will afford you better opportunities to more fully participate and contribute to Mexico.
I'm looking forward to starting the naturalization myself in a couple of months, so hopefully we can get a more expert opinion from someone that's already done it.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

perropedorro said:


> Good start. But it's *el* clima (one of those nouns from greek that is masculine even though it ends in "a"). You might put something in about the culture, but mostly I'd say something about "feeling" Mexican. Think in terms of things you can better do as a Mexican _citizen_, because you can enjoy the weather, people, cuisine, and margaritas just fine as a tourist. Also talk about how citizenship will afford you better opportunities to more fully participate and contribute to Mexico.
> I'm looking forward to starting the naturalization myself in a couple of months, so hopefully we can get a more expert opinion from someone that's already done it.


I think I mentioned that I wanted to be able to vote, but really, I don't think it affects your application at all.

I just looked at my application and I see that what I said was:
Me gusta México. Quiero vivir aqui permanente y votar y participar totalmente en la vida.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

(sarcastic) 

What about just putting: no mi presidente


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

eastwind said:


> (sarcastic)
> 
> What about just putting: no mi presidente


Good that it's sarcasm, because participating in or even opining regarding political issues is specifically prohibited, _until_ you're a Mexican citizen, and therefore a really bad idea to write on your naturalization solicitud.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> (sarcastic)
> 
> What about just putting: no mi presidente


Even meant as sarcasm, "no mi presidente" makes no sense in Spanish.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Isla Verde said:


> Even meant as sarcasm, "no mi presidente" makes no sense in Spanish.


Well that's Google translate for you, garbage in, garbage out. It wasn't a statement, even sarcastic, about Spanish politics or presidents. My point was to say the real reason for seeking Spanish citizenship for some (no idea about OP) is because of Trump.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> Well that's Google translate for you, garbage in, garbage out. It wasn't a statement, even sarcastic, about Spanish politics or presidents. My point was to say the real reason for seeking Spanish citizenship for some (no idea about OP) is because of Trump.


Google Translate - give me a break! I'd be happy to help you with any future English to Spanish translations you want to make.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

Me gusta mexico 2/10
Me gusta la cultura 2/10

If you like the culture why can't you speak Spanish? 
IMHO forget me gusta. Sounds lame. 

They already know why you want to switch countries. Just tell them the truth. If you can't do that think of something the last 200 applicants didn't say.

You're earning 10X more in your country. The infrastructure there is 10X better than in Mexico. Your opportunities are 10X better there. Doesn't make sense you'd want to move backwards in life. So you have to have a reason that makes sense. Unless you just want to retire here cause it's cheap. And that is likely what they'd consider the motive in most cases.

Mexican life style suits me.
I grew up in a Mexican city/neighborhood in LOS. I have a life-long attraction.
I have always felt at home here.
The wife and I would prefer our children grew up with Mexican family values.
We want to partner up and open a language school.
We've lost all faith in America/Canada/New Zealand/Guam.
We want to contribute to Mexico's faithful.
My country bores me.
Viva La Raza!!!!! Orale Orale !!!

What nobody took notice of is the gender of the applicant. Most of what is written ^ sounds like a person of the female persuasion. If you're a man be a man. Wrong country for the undecided.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

haha try telling the people in the US you are moving there for the climate, the food and because it is your new home and see how that flies..


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

citlali said:


> haha try telling the people in the US you are moving there for the climate, the food and because it is your new home and see how that flies..


At this stage in our lives, and given the current state of things, if I did not have US citizenship already, I might have a tougher time answering this question on a US form. We are not really seeking economic opportunities in either country. We have no family in either country. We have friends in both countries. I prefer the medical care in Mexico over that in the US. I like the food that can be found in both countries. Our one and only house is in Mexico. We prefer to travel/explore in Mexico. We have no real interest to return to the US. I guess the right to vote is somewhat important. I like how in Mexico the culture is to attempt to fix something (affordably) over the US culture of - throw it out and buy a new one. I don't like the way people are treated at US airports. I don't like the way in the US there are cameras all over the place. That actually was one of the factors in our moving to Mexico.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

I'd make a large point of the fact that you want to be more involved in the country as a *voting citizen*. Citing negatives about the U.S. probably won't be productive.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

liking the food and the climate is not a serious answer to " why do you want to become a citizen".. actually it is pretty insulting and makes light of the seriousness of the question.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> liking the food and the climate is not a serious answer to " why do you want to become a citizen".. actually it is pretty insulting and makes light of the seriousness of the question.


So, how did you answer that question when you applied to become a Mexican citizen?


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

lagoloo said:


> I'd make a large point of the fact that you want to be more involved in the country as a *voting citizen*. Citing negatives about the U.S. probably won't be productive.


That sounds good, keeping it positive and focusing on what you love about Mexico and what you'd like to contribute as a citizen. Whining about the U.S. and the disaster that Trump is steering towards makes it look more like you're applying for refugee status, which in fact might be arguable, but it's different and more complicated-- and anyway, I'm not trying to get this thread moved to La Chatarrería. In my case, I'm completing my two-year domicile requirement on a married-to-a-Mexican RT which qualifies me for naturalization, so I'm getting all my ducks in a row. I'm not happy about the direction things are going NOB either, but my plan predated that mess, so I'm not about to muck up the stew by injecting Trump into the discussion.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

Isla Verde said:


> So, how did you answer that question when you applied to become a Mexican citizen?


Anything to do with culture is a lame answer. A visit to El Museo de la Cultura (anthropologia) in DF won't do it for ya. Looking at ancient sculptures won't do it for ya. What if you're asked: "Oh, so you like Mexican culture, what's your opinion on Xochitl's husband's incessant wife cheating?" 

IMHO, what you say/write probably won't matter in granting your citizenship. Either they want you or they don't. But giving good answers should make you feel better, cause people won't be laughing about you as you walk away.

I have been here more than half of my life and I didn't learn Spanish from a book nor from my maid. What I have seen over and over is how reactionary Mexicans can be. Any media coverage of border cruelty can come back at you. 

Which brings is to what might happen in two months. 800,000 dreamers, I assume most of whom have never been to Mexico, could be deported. Maybe you should hurry up with your application. 

.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

modeeper said:


> Anything to do with culture is a lame answer. A visit to El Museo de la Cultura (anthropologia) in DF won't do it for ya. Looking at ancient sculptures won't do it for ya. What if you're asked: "Oh, so you like Mexican culture, what's your opinion on Xochitl's husband's incessant wife cheating?"


If you answered the question with a reference to Mexican culture and mentioned El Museo de la Cultura in the DF, they would never grant you citizenship because no such museum exists in the Mexican capital! The correct name is Museo Nacional de Antropología. And since last fall, the legal status of the capital has been changed to make it a state - it is now officially referred to as the CDMX.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

Isla Verde said:


> If you answered the question with a reference to Mexican culture and mentioned El Museo de la Cultura in the DF, they would never grant you citizenship because* no such museum exists in the Mexican capita*l! The correct name is Museo Nacional de Antropología. *And since last fall, the legal status of the capital has been changed to make it a state - it is now officially referred to as the CDMX*.


Oh, now I remember what maybe I had erraced from my memory as I was robbed at gunpoint there 30 years ago.

And as far as DF; I have the right to call it whatever I please thank you very much. It's your home, not mine. 

Here's a lil tidbit ferya. I have lived in 12 states. Chilangos are the most undesirable Mexicans in Mexico. Nobody wants them. Thay are loud, accelerated and rude. Even Tapatios (my home) are undesirable in much of Mexico. They are called, Chilango Lites.  God I love it here!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

modeeper said:


> Oh, now I remember what maybe I had erraced from my memory as I was robbed at gunpoint there 30 years ago.
> 
> And as far as DF; I have the right to call it whatever I please thank you very much. It's your home, not mine.
> 
> Here's a lil tidbit ferya. I have lived in 12 states. Chilangos are the most undesirable Mexicans in Mexico. Nobody wants them. Thay are loud, accelerated and rude. Even Tapatios (my home) are undesirable in much of Mexico. They are called, Chilango Lites.  God I love it here!


Nothing like a stereotype. Chilangos, Tapatios, New Yorkers all come in good and bad flavors. Most people I have met treat the reputation of Chilangos as a joke. Some Chilangos may live up to the reputation perhaps, most are the nicest people you will ever meet.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

Here's something I learned in statistics classes: 51% is a majority. My being from a big city won't let me discriminate. Just passing along what I've heard since 1981. 

Generalize is a tag I often get. How could we know our world if we'd never generalized? Not all old men wearing a trench coat and a half pair of trousers are flashers. Not all young ladies bellied up to the bar tattooed to the extreme in black pantyhose and mini skirts are floozies.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Before coming to Mexico we took a trial run with our paperwork to the Mexican consulate. Kind of like - here this is what we have - what do you think. The guy at the window made a few suggestions; bring us more months of bank statements etc. Do this before that - eg. complete all your travels to Mexico before returning to the consulate. When we finally did return to the consulate for real - we had the same guy - he remembered us and he helped us a lot. We actually had fun - and he went way out of his way to make everything work for us.

We have already made a trial run to the local SRE office. Kind of small office - maybe the size of our living room with three very nice women. We were their only customers, and at one point the five us were sitting around the same desk talking about stuff - some even unrelated to our task at hand. My wife speaks impeccable Castilian Spanish (having lived in Segovia Spain) - and when she talks people just look at her lips moving - probably wondering, how can this 5'10" blonde from Ohio speak such perfect Spanish.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

lat19n said:


> So I am completing this form. They ask - why do you want to be a Mexican citizen. My answer...
> 
> "Me encanta Mexico. Es nuestro hogar nuevo. Me gustan la gente, la clima, la comida, todo".
> 
> How's my Spanish ? Any other comments ?


Well, I hadn’t seen this thread before (I was at the tail end of a partial hiatus from the forum, due to a 3 wk+ personal experience best characterized as Kafka meets Garcia Marquez, a surreal chain of events that seemed never ending.. but as all things eventually do, it finally ended...) 

I think what you wrote is perfectly fine, lat19n (with Isla’s correction of “el clima”). It’s direct and sounds like it’s from the heart. 

You could add something like:
“Mi intención es vivir en México el resto de mi vida, y prefiero ser ciudadano del país donde he escogido vivir. Ser ciudadano me hará sentir más integrado en mi comunidad y en el pais.”


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

ojosazules11 said:


> Well, I hadn’t seen this thread before (I was at the tail end of a partial hiatus from the forum, due to a 3 wk+ personal experience best characterized as Kafka meets Garcia Marquez, a surreal chain of events that seemed never ending.. but as all things eventually do, it finally ended...)
> 
> I think what you wrote is perfectly fine, lat19n (with Isla’s correction of “el clima”). It’s direct and sounds like it’s from the heart.
> 
> ...


We called SRE this week and the head person said - come by any day next week - so we have chosen Wednesday as our start date. I think we have all our ducks lined up - we will see. (We had met with this same woman perhaps August - and she seemed excited to see us - fingers crossed).


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

lat19n said:


> We called SRE this week and the head person said - come by any day next week - so we have chosen Wednesday as our start date. I think we have all our ducks lined up - we will see. (We had met with this same woman perhaps August - and she seemed excited to see us - fingers crossed).


¡Buena suerte! Que todo les salga bien.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> Well, I hadn’t seen this thread before (I was at the tail end of a partial hiatus from the forum, due to a 3 wk+ personal experience best characterized as Kafka meets Garcia Marquez, a surreal chain of events that seemed never ending.. but as all things eventually do, it finally ended...)
> 
> I think what you wrote is perfectly fine, lat19n (with Isla’s correction of “el clima”). It’s direct and sounds like it’s from the heart.
> 
> ...


Ojos, we're sorry to hear that you've been having a rough time and are very glad to have you back!

When I apply for Mexican citizenship, may I borrow the last paragraph of your post to use on my application?


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> Ojos, we're sorry to hear that you've been having a rough time and are very glad to have you back!
> 
> When I apply for Mexican citizenship, may I borrow the last paragraph of your post to use on my application?


¡Claro que si, mi amiga!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> ¡Claro que si, mi amiga!


¡Mil gracias, amiga!


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Early this morning we made our trip to SRE. My wife brought along a stack of paper which literally stood 4 inches thick. She had made two copies of each of our two US passports - turns out they want yet another copy ! They wanted our CURPS, which I think were not mentioned in the list of thing we needed to bring along - but the girl took the time to find ours on the internet using our credentials. We had our birth certificates, apostatized and translated. And we had a letter describing our exits from Mexico over the last two year. We brought along our applications but she had no interest in them yet.

Now we need to go get our 4 letters from the police (2 each) and then schedule a for real interview to finalize our applications. It is after that when we need to pay our application fee at the bank.

Maybe the woman remembers us from last August when we last introduced ourselves. The first thing she asked me was - how is your Spanish ? I replied - it is getting a little better every day. At one point she said I should be prepared to prove my Spanish ability during an interview. No written test.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

lat19n said:


> Now we need to go get our 4 letters from the police (2 each) and then schedule a for real interview to finalize our applications. It is after that when we need to pay our application fee at the bank.


Carta (o Constancia which is it?) de Antecedentes No Penales, Local* y* Federal. This is proving to be a real pain. Is it true that the carta Federal is _only_ issued in CDMX and one has to go there personally to apply for it, or is there another way? Seems rather a burdensome requirement, especially if one lives far away, but in the Mexican burrocracia very little surprises me anymore.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

perropedorro said:


> Carta (o Constancia which is it?) de Antecedentes No Penales, Local* y* Federal. This is proving to be a real pain. Is it true that the carta Federal is _only_ issued in CDMX and one has to go there personally to apply for it, or is there another way? Seems rather a burdensome requirement, especially if one lives far away, but in the Mexican burrocracia very little surprises me anymore.


Well fortunately we live about 1-1.5 hours from the place we need to get the letter in CDMX (people still call it DF near us. I have never heard it referred to as CDMX.) And - I love Mexico City - but this place is not in one of my favorite areas of town. It is good that you can get the federal letter in a single day. It is not so good that the letter is only good for 3 months and the woman today said we should figure on 4-6 months turnaround. Which means we will probably have to make that trip twice. The local letter is a two day affair. Request it one day and come back at a later time to pick it up.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

Maybe "people" still refer to CDMX as DF because official government entities like SEGOB still use DF on their websites.  The department that handles the No Penales letter is _ÓRGANO ADMINISTRATIVO DESCONCENTRADO PREVENCIÓN Y READAPTACIÓN SOCIAL_, which is a hoot because they are indeed _desconcentrados_. Been on the phone all morning, spending forever on the conmutador, and having calls repeatedly dropped. Haven't heard a live voice yet. Still disappointing that with 21st century technology, folks are required to make a pilgrimage to the capital for paperwork. ¡Viva México!


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

perropedorro said:


> Maybe "people" still refer to CDMX as DF because official government entities like SEGOB still use DF on their websites.  The department that handles the No Penales letter is _ÓRGANO ADMINISTRATIVO DESCONCENTRADO PREVENCIÓN Y READAPTACIÓN SOCIAL_, which is a hoot because they are indeed _desconcentrados_. Been on the phone all morning, spending forever on the conmutador, and having calls repeatedly dropped. Haven't heard a live voice yet. Still disappointing that with 21st century technology, folks are required to make a pilgrimage to the capital for paperwork. ¡Viva México!


Like so many other things in Mexico - I'll bet you yourself would not need to make the pilgrimage. If you ever do get to speak to someone on the phone you should ask them about that.

I know that for our local letter we have to print off a form on the internet, take it to the bank and make a payment for 151 pesos and then make an appointment online. Do you have any idea what the process is for the federal letter ?


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

lat19n said:


> I know that for our local letter we have to print off a form on the internet, take it to the bank and make a payment for 151 pesos and then make an appointment online. Do you have any idea what the process is for the federal letter ?


 My local letter should be a snap. Colima is a compact state with only about 700K inhabitants, and bureaucratic offices are small, simple, and uncrowded. My concern is with the federal No Antecedentes letter-- of which I don't have a clue (hoping you or somebody else knew the procedure). Never had any of this requested for my RT, and the INM office was easy to find. Immigration is more user-friendly and puts offices where it gets the most business, which often isn't the state capital, take Cancún and Mazatlán for instance. Here it's right down on the docks at the port in Manzanillo, whereas all other federal functions like the SRE are in Cd. Colima.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

perropedorro said:


> My local letter should be a snap. Colima is a compact state with only about 700K inhabitants, and bureaucratic offices are small, simple, and uncrowded. My concern is with the federal No Antecedentes letter-- of which I don't have a clue (hoping you or somebody else knew the procedure). Never had any of this requested for my RT, and the INM office was easy to find. Immigration is more user-friendly and puts offices where it gets the most business, which often isn't the state capital, take Cancún and Mazatlán for instance. Here it's right down on the docks at the port in Manzanillo, whereas all other federal functions like the SRE are in Cd. Colima.


I had to make a trip to Mexico City for the Federal letter, Constancia de No Antecedentes Criminales". There was a really long line, but I was escorted to a separate line for senior citizens. The certificate is only good for about 30 days, so make sure you have everything else in order before getting it.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

TundraGreen said:


> I had to make a trip to Mexico City for the Federal letter, Constancia de No Antecedentes Criminales". There was a really long line, but I was escorted to a separate line for senior citizens. The certificate is only good for about 30 days, so make sure you have everything else in order before getting it.


30 days or 3 months ? Was it a one day thing where you got there and presented your information and they sent you out to a bank to return with a receipt ? Or was there no fee involved ?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lat19n said:


> 30 days or 3 months ? Was it a one day thing where you got there and presented your information and they sent you out to a bank to return with a receipt ? Or was there no fee involved ?


It was 30 days. There was no fee. They issued the letter at the end of the first visit. There was one line where you turned in your paperwork. And another line where you waited for the letter. I don't remember exactly what paperwork was required but SRE in Guadalajara gave me a piece of paper with the address of the office in Mexico City and the paperwork that was required (probably a copy of a recent utility receipt, a copy of visa and/or passport, maybe a photo, etc). When I turned in my final paperwork for citizenship, they told me if I had waited one more day, my federal no-criminal-record letter would have expired and I would have had to redo it. The State no-criminal-record letter did expire once and I had to redo it. That one cost 20 pesos but it didn't require a trip to Mexico City so it was easier to redo.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

TundraGreen said:


> When I turned in my final paperwork for citizenship, they told me if I had waited one more day, my federal no-criminal-record letter would have expired and I would have had to redo it. The State no-criminal-record letter did expire once and I had to redo it. That one cost 20 pesos but it didn't require a trip to Mexico City so it was easier to redo.


Thanks for the clarification. SO - if we get all our ducks in a row (which we kind of verified today - lacking only our police reports and payment receipt) and then schedule our 'interviews' at SRE - if our police reports are less than 30 days old at THAT time - if it were to take SRE 9 months to process our request - we will not need to collect refreshed police reports... ?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lat19n said:


> Thanks for the clarification. SO - if we get all our ducks in a row (which we kind of verified today - lacking only our police reports and payment receipt) and then schedule our 'interviews' at SRE - if our police reports are less than 30 days old at THAT time - if it were to take SRE 9 months to process our request - we will not need to collect refreshed police reports... ?


Correct. When you turn in your final paperwork to SRE, they check the validity of the police reports. After that it is no problem.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

perropedorro said:


> My local letter should be a snap. Colima is a compact state with only about 700K inhabitants, and bureaucratic offices are small, simple, and uncrowded. My concern is with the federal No Antecedentes letter-- of which I don't have a clue (hoping you or somebody else knew the procedure). Never had any of this requested for my RT, and the INM office was easy to find. Immigration is more user-friendly and puts offices where it gets the most business, which often isn't the state capital, take Cancún and Mazatlán for instance. Here it's right down on the docks at the port in Manzanillo, whereas all other federal functions like the SRE are in Cd. Colima.


My wife managed to get through on the phone to the people in Mexico City. Apparently you need to make an appointment these days. You need to do that via an email request to [email protected] . The service is free. I have no idea how you come to an accord as to what date/time works for you.

Here is a somewhat helpful link with more info :
Carta de “No Antecedentes Penales” Federales y Estatales | Pata de Perro

I just spent the last hour or so struggling with hacienda's website first paying 161 pesos for the local police report and then scheduling a local appointment. We have it set up for next week. The website does not expect a non-Mexican using it - some things don't make sense. 

btw : next Monday is a national holiday.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

perropedorro said:


> Maybe "people" still refer to CDMX as DF because official government entities like SEGOB still use DF on their websites. ...


I think it’s because in Spanish it’s easier and faster to say “el DF” than “la Ciudad de México”. Since our home is just an hour south of Mexico City, people come and go all the time, a fair number commute to jobs in “el DF”, and many _chilangos_ or _defeños_ descend on our town on weekends. 

Old habits die hard, so it’ll be interesting to see how long DF remains in the common parlance. Mind you, a fair number of people have long referred to “la Ciudad de México” as simply “México”. It’s understood from the context that the reference is to CDMX.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

eastwind said:


> Well that's Google translate for you, garbage in, garbage out. It wasn't a statement, even sarcastic, about Spanish politics or presidents. My point was to say the real reason for seeking Spanish citizenship for some (no idea about OP) is because of Trump.



you mean Mexican citizenship, correct?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

duh ..you do not lose the US citizenship so what does it have to do with Trump?


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