# ExPats in Orizaba, Veracruz



## Rafito

Hi to all. I am new to this forum and I find it very interesting and with a great wealth of information. I will like to know if there's anyone out there who's living in Orizaba, Rio Blanco, Nogales, Fortin de Las Flores or Cordoba area.

My wife is from Orizaba, Veracruz. She was born in Washington, DC but grew up in Orizaba and she was naturalized Mexican. We've been married for over 20 years and living in the Washington, DC area and planning on retiring in Orizaba in about 5 years. Her family still living in Orizaba. My oldest son was born in Mexico and naturalized US Citizen, my yonguest son was born in the US and naturalized Mexican. I am from Puerto Rico but I've been going to Mexico every year since I met my wife. We loved the area and plan in settling there. We have traveled extesively throught the country and love it.

I am reading a lot of information regarding legal status for me. Neither my wife nor my kids will have any problem living in Mexico due to their status but wandering what will be the most appropriate way of getting legal status for me. I understand the various elements for legal status in Mexico and the requirements, but I will like to hear from the experts here in this forum and your suggestions.

I will be receiving a pension from the US Federal Government, Social Security and other retirement investments. We have a house in Maryland but we will sell it as this area is very expensive to live in retirement. We also have a house in Puerto Rico and land in Orizaba to build a house.

My family is fluent in English and Spanish and we don't think language will be any problem.

We have belonging that we will like to ship to Mexico to include cars. I will like to know what your suggestions are on this regard. This is probably an opened ended question but I will like to hear again from those in the know how.

Thank you so much for reading and your suggestions.


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## joaquinx

Rafito said:


> We have belonging that we will like to ship to Mexico to include cars. I will like to know what your suggestions are on this regard. This is probably an opened ended question but I will like to hear again from those in the know how.


Since you are married to a Mexican, you more than likely will be given a Permanente visa. With this visa you can not own a foreign plated car such as the cars you intent to ship. Nationalization of the cars is expensive. Cost varies on the value and age of the car. It might be cost beneficial to sell the cars in the US and buy Mexican.


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## Longford

:welcome: to the Mexico Forum!

Since you're in the D.C. vicinity, you might want to stop at the Mexican Consulate there to ask your immigration questions and receive guidance. As for the move, leave almost everything behind. Shed the past, start a new beginning ... and save a ton of money on shipping costs.

Best wishes for the pre-retirement planning process. Lucky you!


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## citlali

I do not know about this forum but I know a couple of people who live in Fortin de las Flores. He is from New Orleans she is Polish, she teaches and he builds houses. They have a property on a hill right off the Monterrery tech with 2 cabins they rent. You may want to get in touch with them His name is Frank and her name Anya. They get out in the dreary time of the year Dec Jan to go to Puerto Vallarta. PM me if you want to contact them.


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## AlanMexicali

We stopped in Orizaba when leaving Veracruz City at 12:30 for a nice long lunch break when on a private tour bus in July. Mexicans like to eat their big meal around 3PM or 4PM. The place is very charming at first appearance and even in July the weather was great, I like hot and am not afraid to sweat. I think it would be a great place to live. A bit small for me but nice.


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## citlali

We stop in Orizaba every January and the weather has been cold wet and foggy every time we stopped over the last 6 years. 
There is a beautiful park with a nice cascade byt the freeway and Hotel Las Cascadas where people jog every morning, Orizaba is a nice city, I would take Orizaba or Fortin de las Flores that has beautiful gardens over Cordoba any day. Cordoba has a colonial center but Orizaba seems to have more going on. Cordoba main industry seems to be coffee although it is big sugar cane country south of there. We have been there a few time when the weather was nice in April and itwas warm and humid but nothing unbearable, the plants love it.


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## Rafito

I want to thank everyone who has posted information so far. To Citlali I haven't posted enough in this forum to get access to the internal email but it will happen soon.

There still family living in Orizaba such as my mother-in-law, 3 older sister's of my wife, for which 2 of them are retired English teachers and the third one is about to retire in a few months. The other sister lives in Paris, France and no chance of her leaving Europe any time soon. Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and lots of extended family live in the Orizaba, Fortin and Rio Blanco area.

My wife and I are beach goers, we like it very much so just been little over an hour from the port of Veracruz is not that bad. Still when it is hot and humid in Veracruz still nice in Orizaba. Orizaba is just two hours away from Puebla and there is family there as well. Our idea is to travel the republic and enjoy it as much as possible, always returning to Orizaba. I visited San Miguel Allende and Guanajuato and it is beautiful. Other places visited are Veracruz, Oaxaca, Xalapa, Tampico, Panuco, Alvarado, Papantla, DF, Puebla, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and others I don't remember now.

With regards to the vehicle, I guess that we're better off selling them here in the US and buying in Mexico. But once thing that we will like to do is to bring the most indispensable appliances from the US, my HAM Radio Station, music equipment and few other things. The idea, as mentioned before here, is to start anew. But my wife is a bit picky about furniture and even windows and kitchen cabinets. Oh well, we will have to figure it out as the time approaches, but this is just the beginning.

My children both are college educated and most likely they will follow us, who knows.

Again, thanks for all of your input and suggestions here. I am humble and greatful to be part of this forum. Still, in time, will like to hear other experiences living in the Orizaba area.


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## Hound Dog

Orizaba and Fortin are nice towns, Rafito, if a bit beset by dreary winter fogs and chipi-chipi but I understand that the climate in that urban corridor is not the gist of your inquiry. If your spouse has famiy there and likes them, more power to you. After all,Orizaba and even Fortin are attractive and sophiisticated places and there is much to see and do close by those towns.

As you know, recent changes in imiigration rules have created a great deal of confusion here in Mexico among expats who have traditionally lived here under temporary residential visas for years driving about in foreign plated cars but that right has recently been modified and a lot of these folks now find themrslves in a quandary as to how to either naionalize or get rid of those temporarily imported cars but that should not be your problem if you address the issues of your personal visa and aduana´s new thoughts on foreign car importationup front. 

We have, after 12 years here at Lake Chapala and in the Chiapas Highlands followed the progression of temporary to permanent residents under the old rules including disposing of two foreign plated cars and the purchase of a mexican car in Guadalajara, no longer facing these residential visa problems many are suffering with but I don´t see where you have any problems under the situation you describe except with the sticky problem of car importation. 

I don´t see why you can´t drive down here in your U.S. plated car as long as you are willing to drive back to the border and sell it (or them) within the time frame allowed. Meanwhile, bear in mind that, with the new rules currently being implemented, things are pretty much up in the air and there are many fraudsters out there who will assure you you can nationalize your car without driving back to the U.S. border. Be extrememely careful in dealing with anyone promising you this or you may find yourself in trouble with the law and having our car confiscated to say nothing of cooling your heals in a jail cell. Get Mexican legal advice, not forum advice, on this car importation issue now before you actually do anything.

Good luck and have a nice move.


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## Rafito

To Hound Dog, thanks for your comments. I have another 5 years before contemplating retirement from the Fed's here in the DC area but I want to be prepared. My wife's family is very united and we enjoy very much their company, now, bare in mind that it happens during the Christmas season mostly as they have their lives in Mexico and ours is here in Maryland. My folks are long gone now and the house in Puerto Rico is rented at this time, so there's a posibility of spending "seasons" in Mexico and the Caribbean but that can change. This is just the beginning of our planning for the move abroad.

With regards to the car I guess we're better off just buying a vehicle there and problem solved. Furniture, appliances and incidentals, then that's another story but we started to downsize our belongings here by via of yard sales, giving away, donating or simply trash. We want to take just the necessary stuff.

I actually having even started thinking about Health Care Coverage there. I currently have BCBS and in retirement with the Fed's I can keep it, for a price, of course, and then Medicare when in SS benefits but I am interested in IMSS and IIISTE or whatever is call. We are in fairly good health for the time been, other than me taking blood preasure and cholesterol pills "thanks mom and dad" but other than that in good health. My sister's in law and their husbands are retired professionals and enjoying the benefits of their health care system, just wondering what will it available for my Mexican wife and I once we move there.

Once again, grateful for the input here and please keep it coming.


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## citlali

Rafito have you spoken to your sister-in -law who lives in Paris lately? I am from there and my whole family is going into a big depression because of the weather this year..last night they had 4 degree celcius and the high today was 10...they can have that weather...another month of it and my whole family may show up here....
Since you already family in Orizaba there it will be an easy transition.
It is a pretty area and as you said close to Puebla and Vera Cruz .Two fun areas.


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## Rafito

Citlali, I haven't spoke to her lately personally but my wife spoke with her for a couple of hours last Friday and she didn't mentioned anything about the weather there. She lives right across the street from the Sacred Heart Basilica in that tourist area Mommatre, it is pretty. I've been there already. All I now is that while they were talking my sis-in-law in Paris was having a few tequilas and by the end of the conversation she wasn't making to much sense to my wife at all. Hi, hi. 

I think my wife and I are going to be fine once we move to Mexico. It is a matter of her getting used to the area and the change in venue. Those of us who's been living in the states for so long will have to get used to the change. But having visited Mexico so many times before and been fluent in Spanish is one less thing to worry about. We will have a place to come back to the states as my sister lives in Northern VA and she has no plans of retiring any other place but VA. That will take care of many things for us in the event of having to come to the states for business or pleasure.

Now, I am reading a lot of information here regarding the Health Care system and some of the changes happening according to your location. This having to do with IMSS coverage. I need to look into this and hire the help of my wife's sisters in Orizaba to get all the information we might need to get coverage, but your input here is very much appreciated.

Thanks again to all for sharing.


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## q_vivar

I am living slightly east of Cordoba. I've been here for almost a year and really enjoy the area. We get to Orizaba on occasion and Fortin frequently for business, and Cordoba almost on a daily basis for various reasons. My husband is from the area with family here. I am not a city person (lived in Atlantic City for about 6 years - that's it), but I think Cordoba is easy to negotiate physically, not too big, and everyone has been friendly and helpful especially considering my poor Spanish. There seem to be regular cultural events here not targeting tourists (because there aren't many here that I can tell) and I've been to a number of fairs this year - one in Orizaba - that were impressive to me.


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## citlali

Sorry I cannot help you with IMSS but your wife family can tell you all about what is available in the area. We have private insurrance with AXA and it works well for us. 
We left the States in 2001 we went to France about 3 times during that time and once to the States to sell our car, we do not miss either place just the family from France but they come and visit,
Since you speak Spanish and you and your wife have family in Orizaba you should not have much problems getting accustomed to live here. Mexico is a nice place to live.


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## Rafito

I thank everyone who has participated of this thread. I hope that, in time, more ExPats from the Orizaba, Veracruz area can share their experiences. This forum contains a great wealth of information and it is a good source for maintaining contact with great people living in Mexico. Certainly, I will continue to participate here. To all, enjoy MEXICO.:clap2:


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## Rafito

Good day to all here. Thanks q_vivar for your reply and I hope that you're having a good time into retirement in the Cordoba area. I am still far away from retiring but this is something that my wife and I are looking forward to. All of the family is in Orizaba and my two children are very fond of the family and their many cousins there so it seems naturally that we will move to Orizaba to be close to family and many friends. 

One thing that I will be looking forward to find information is about Health Care insurance through my 3 retired sisters-in-law living in Orizaba. I will post the question to them in the upcoming days in the hopes to hear some good information although situations are bound to change as my retirement is not soon enough.

I will continue to participate in the different forums and I hope that more people looking for retirement information in the Orizaba, Cordoba, Fortin de Las Flores area will show up and progress this particular Forum.

I wish you all success and happiness in retirement.


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## dougmacdowell

Rafito - 
I just read your post and I just registered. I have been living in Fortin de las Flores for the last 6 months. I love it. Don't know any ex-pats yet and I realize there are not many. I too retired from the Federal Government (33 years), 14 of which were in DC. I am glad to be out of all that traffic. I have not bought a place yet in Fortin. Been taking my time and just renting. I love the fact that I don't have to get in my car for days at a time. Even Orizaba and Cordoba have too much traffic for me. Maybe I'm just getting too old to deal with the rat race. Anyway, if you, or any others on this forum end up living in or around Fortin, let me know. I do miss speaking a little English now and then.


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## citlali

Anya is Polish and Frank her husband is from Bew Orleans they live on the west side of the main hwy
in Fortin de laslFlores at on the hill above the Monterrey Institute (?) 
She is an avid gardner and have a beautiful garden, They have two cabins on the property that they rent, we sometimes stay there . You may meet them sometimes, I think Anya teaches in Fortin,


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## Hound Dog

_


dougmacdowell said:



Rafito - 
I just read your post and I just registered. I have been living in Fortin de las Flores for the last 6 months. I love it. Don't know any ex-pats yet and I realize there are not many. I too retired from the Federal Government (33 years), 14 of which were in DC. I am glad to be out of all that traffic. I have not bought a place yet in Fortin. Been taking my time and just renting. I love the fact that I don't have to get in my car for days at a time. Even Orizaba and Cordoba have too much traffic for me. Maybe I'm just getting too old to deal with the rat race. Anyway, if you, or any others on this forum end up living in or around Fortin, let me know. I do miss speaking a little English now and then.

Click to expand...

_Well, Doug, I'm glad you like Fortin, a town that also pleased us and to which we considered moving. 

I met this Mexican fellow, a native of Fortin,and duruig the course of our initial conversation over a beer or two, I indicated that we were considering the possibility of our moving to Fortin and his response was; "You must be insane; all of us who grew up here can´t wait to get out of this hellhole and here you are telling me you are moving here of your own volition? Are yor off your rocker?" 

This fellow´s comments were not of significance in our final decisión but we chose, alternatively, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas as a place to buy a residence. To each his own.


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## Azuledos

Hi Rafito, Carmen & I (Dan) have been living in Fortín for a couple of years and love the area. Not too many expats here, but sounds like with family near and familiarity with México from your travels you should have no problems. We feel we are well situated here, as Fortín is mostly residential and is very walkable with a small town-feel. The temperatures here are a bit warmer than Orizaba, and it's a little drier. As ex-pats from the Pacific Northwest, we appreciate the clouds, and the not too frequent but reliable rainfall that keeps things green and fresh.

We enjoy Orizaba, about 25 minutes to the west via the old (libre) road. Other than it's very narrow streets and lack of parking (making it hard to appreciate when one is driving), it's an intriguing city very much evocative of "old Mexico", that impression very much enhanced by recent attention of the ayuntamiento to the central core (some pedestrian only streets, cleaned up riverwalk, etc). Orizaba is surrounded by a lot of heavy industry.

In contrast, Córdoba, 15 minues to the east of Fortín, is a larger more spread-out city with lots of stores (of all sizes), where one can find almost anything. The central park is nice, but otherwise the city lacks that traditional character. We enjoy each of these cities for what they offer.

We have been using IMSS for health care since we arrived, with no real complaints so far. Most regular health care is coordinated by your local family medicine clinic, where you will be assigned a regular doctor and his/her nurse. Each family clinic has emergency (24 hour), X-ray, pharmacy, nutrition and dental sections. Something out of the ordinary requiring a specialist and you will be sent to a central hospital or out-patient campus. We are now familiar with the large IMSS facilities in both cities, and have even had a few referrals to Veracruz for regional specialists. We have come to appreciate how the procedures followed by IMSS, different to what we were used to in the US, are pretty effective in handling lots of patients in a very personalized way. Be prepared to get in sync with appointment and labs procedures that are a bit different too. However, invariably, we have found everyone at IMSS to be friendly, professional and eager to help. It seems than Mexican medicine practices rely much more on having the patients themselves being participatory in the process. You retain your own lab reports, X-rays and the like, for example, and your own "carnet" of treatment and appointment history. Review our past blog posts, sort for the Health Care label, if you need more information on our experiences with IMSS.

Our dear friends Ania & Frank, mentioned here earlier, are indeed great sources of info on the area. That we are as much at home here is certainly because we met them when we did, when we were first passing thru the area looking for a nice community into which we could settle. We see them almost weekly (often alternating with shared meals and holiday celebrations), pass books back and forth, trade-off watching each other's homes during absences, and enjoy talking about mutual interests like cooking, gardening & construction.

We welcome any PMs from area ex-pats who wish to connect on a less public basis.

Dan & Carmen


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## Hound Dog

Azuledos:

I am pleased you like Fortin, an attractive town to say the least and a place in which we nearly ended up as residents as retirees . What impressed us, among other things, about Fortin, was its estates with large gardens behind open chain-link fences available to the general public passsing by unlike so many Mexican towns where splendid gardens are hidden behind stone walls, A nice town and I happen to know a local pizza joint in centro that is one of my favorite places to eat when passing through which we we do several times a year on our journeys between San Cristóbal de Las casas and Lake Chapala. A fine place and a good place to stop and rest during this 17 hour drive. I might add that, the drive from San Cristóbal to Lake Chapala with the Veracruz interminable hot and humid coastal plains greeeting us for hours on end after exiting the Chiapas high mountains, the foothills of the Cordoba-Orizaba urban zone leading up to the escarpment to the Puebla Plateau, a most welcome change of scenery, is a wonderful experience. A nice and welcome transition fom the heat and hunidity of the Gulf coastal plain to the 8,000 foot Puebla high plateau. That drive up the escarpment from Orizaba to Esperanza with the attendant glimpses of Pico Orizaba - the magnificent and perpetually snow covered and highest volcano in Mexico and then, as one approaches the city of Puebla and enters the Arco Norte Freeway toward Quereetaro and Guadalajara on a clear day, the active volcaloes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl. If one is lucky, Popo will be smoking after having been, by legend, rejeceted by Itza, his nearby girlfriend. This is a fun trip and we get to do it at least four times a year so far. This ride up the escarpment to the plateau and the great city of Puebla is a short drive for you there in Fortin as you must know. I don´t envy you as we live in great places as well but I admire your choice of a place in which to reside.


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## Rafito

Good Day to all.

I spend half a day in Fortin De Las Flores last December as my better half, my sister-in-law, husband and niece decided to have brunch at a restaurant just steps away from La Plaza, Alcaldia and Church. I don't remember the name of the restaurant but the weather and temperature were nice that Sunday mid-morning. We strall through La Plaza and a few businesses there and visited the church. I really like Fortin. 

One event we celebrated December 27th was my niece's Quinceañero. She lives in France and the family (sister-in-law) comes to Orizaba every other year. The Church ceremony was at La Igleasia De La Concordia in Orizaba and then the celebration was at a nice venue in Fortin. We celebrated until 5 in the morning. 

I had the pleasure to visit Campeche for 4 days and we celebrated the coming of 2014 at the local Best Western Inn in Campeche. Such a beautiful place. We also wanted to go to Palenque but we couldn't accommodate for the trip as it was a long 13 hour drive from Campeche to Orizaba and no one to drive but me. 

We spent 3 weeks in Mexico this time around amongst family and friends. This time we decided to fly from Washington, DC to Veracruz so bypassing El DF with one stop in Houston. This is a much better approach for those of us who travel to the Veracruz area. Just in one hour we were in Orizaba rather than the 4 hour drive from El DF to Orizaba. 

Our house (partial construction) is located in Oriente 4 Entre Sur 33 and 35. Quite centric and just 10 minute walk from Orizaba Centro. I know the traffic in Orizaba, Fortin, Cordoba can be a hastle but we use the taxis quite often as they are very reliable and inexpensive.

The problem traveling from Orizaba to Cordoba is because of all the highway construction and renovation going on. The way they fix the roads in Mexico are quite different from what it is done in the US and takes a WHOLE lot of time. But, we are looking forward to our many visits in December to Mexico and our retirement in a few years thereafter.

Maybe in our next visit to Orizaba this coming December we can make arrangements and get to know the ex-pats living in the area.

I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions, please don't stop as your time allows and share your experiences.


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