# Mexican law



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I cannot help but think that people look at laws differently here in Mexico and no matter what I am always surprised by the answers I get.
We have a situation here in Chiapas where it is possible to get a permanent driver´for 2000 something peos , so we did so we did not have to bother with renewal if we were not in town. 
At the time we did it I was a Mexican citizen and my husband a US citizen and the nationality is mentioned on the license.
My husband became naturalized and SRE told us our Mexican papers had to show our new nationality.
Until last year you could apply for a reposicíón and get the license corrected for a small fee but the law changed and now you have to get a new license.
This morning I called to find out if he had to change his license and the answer was:" Are you being bothered by the retens? If no do not do it" Then I said "does the law say I have to change it?" the answer was "yes but if you are not bothered by the retens why do it?"
Then I called the transitos to see what their take was and I got a similar answer..
When I said can I get it changed without paying the fee I was told absolutely "NO".

I cannot imagine having the same conversation with officials in any of the countries I have ever lived. Very interesting..

Now this was Chiapas. In Jalisco my husband changed his license without any problems and with a minimal fee.


----------



## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

I had the opposite experience last Christmas getting a drivers licence here. They processed it with no testing just a copy of my current Calif. license and my INM card and curp and a CFE bill in my name. I paid, they took a photo, index digital print and the machine spit it out and I left. When I got home it had Nationality: Mexican. I went back after Christmas break and showed them everything and 1 hour later a new photo etc. and it cost nothing. Nationality: Extrañero/a. Both licenses had the CURP wrong on the license but I explained the first time it was wrong and they changed it to be wrong again, so I give up.


----------



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

just to show you , every place is different. It makes sense that in the poorest state people would hae to pay to change one word..


----------



## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

My license, issued in 2013, has my nationality as Mexican as well, even though I am from the US. I attributed it to someone's not knowing how to handle the Permanent Resident credential.


----------



## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

citlali said:


> just to show you , every place is different. It makes sense that in the poorest state people would hae to pay to change one word..


Also they didn´t keep the first license so I have 2 for the price of one, both with the wrong CURP. $1052 pesos for 4 years. , Their government website stated a 4 year was $1275 pesos. Renewals are 50% off with an INAPAM card.


----------



## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

citlali said:


> I cannot imagine having the same conversation with officials in any of the countries I have ever lived. Very interesting..


Greatly understood - sometimes painfully experienced! Often I think it's a matter of WHO is answering you & what kind of complex they are having for the day. If they already have sized you up a certain way, no amount of bowing, scraping or patronizing will get them to serve you any better, or efficiently. Another recourse is if you have a "friend" of a higher social status than your "opponent" who will try for you, then your chance for success may increase. But afterward, you might not want to go back there again!

When possible, I find it's even more puzzling - but often, rewarding - to return a day or two later to deal with a different person (if possible). Even so, that's not a guarantee. Your husband's solution to go somewhere else completely different is usually the best idea.


----------



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I went to two separate agencies and basically got the same answer so we will drop the subject since the cops from the retens never bothered us about it. I do know a couple of people who could get us out of trouble if we had trouble so I am not worried about it but I thought it was interesting to have government people telling us to forget it .


----------



## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

No matter what the law says in Mexico, it all depends on the local interpretation of it.


----------



## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

coondawg said:


> No matter what the law says in Mexico, it all depends on the local interpretation of it.


That is a give in attitude. My wife is a retired "Licenciada" and when she or I run into a local bureaucrat that will not follow the rules or law she simply goes to file a report on that person. It is not uncommon for educated middle class or upper middle class Mexicans do do this and does bring results, at least in individual cases.


----------



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I agree that the interpretation of the law vary from place to place but the law is the law. If it is important enough I would fight it but most of the time I just do what takes me the least time without bringing me trouble. 
Bureaucrats will back off if the law is on your side and you push them back strongly enough but most of the time I do not bother, I know they win but I rather have a nice walk that fight another bureaucrat.
In the case of the driver´s license there is a rule and they do not do any reposición any longer. That was published in the newspaper so that is the way it is..Pay for a new license if you want to change anything or forget it. You can proc your nationality with INE so that will have to do if the police stops it and notices it.


----------



## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

citlali said:


> I agree that the interpretation of the law vary from place to place but the law is the law. If it is important enough I would fight it but most of the time I just do what takes me the least time without bringing me trouble.


Makes sense & works for me, especially if I'm in an area where there is a possibility of my returning for future dealings (or with the same person). I've found that if I make a strong stand & can't prevail with the same bureaucrat, it usually goes downhill from there if I need to deal with them again, later. :boxing:


----------



## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

I just got my first Mexican drivers license about two weeks ago. No test, just presented my current Texas drivers license and had a very brief interview with a doctor. I paid just over 700 pesos if I recall. The whole process took about an hour and I walked out with my new license. Interestingly, my nationality is not on my drivers license. I guess every state is different.


----------



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

For how long is it valid? Chiapas and Jalisco show a nationality-They show our blood type as well but no interview with a dr.is necessary.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> For how long is it valid? Chiapas and Jalisco show a nationality-They show our blood type as well but no interview with a dr.is necessary.


My Jalisco driver's license was issued for four years. It shows my nationality and blood type. It also says I am not an organ donor. I don't remember them asking me or I would have said yes to that.


----------



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I was not ask either, It is a shame they are not pushing it more.Also a shame that all the states are not doing it either.


----------



## mattoleriver (Oct 21, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> My Jalisco driver's license was issued for four years. It shows my nationality and blood type. It also says I am not an organ donor. I don't remember them asking me or I would have said yes to that.


Is there an upper age limit for organ donors? I have read on one of the Chapala boards that there is an upper age for blood donors and that, I think I recall, is 60 years old.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mattoleriver said:


> Is there an upper age limit for organ donors? I have read on one of the Chapala boards that there is an upper age for blood donors and that, I think I recall, is 60 years old.


I was thinking the same thing.


----------



## ClinSpan (Feb 26, 2016)

Articles 326 and 332 of the National Health Law establish the limitations on donating organs.

Centro Nacional de Trasplantes :: México


----------

