# Moving to Mexico - Step Two



## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Once a Mexican Consulat has approved you for a residence visa, you have up to 180 days to enter Mexico. Note that your passport now has a consular approval entry with the issue date.
You will present your passport at the border, pointing out that consular entry, and enter as a "Canje" or change of status entry. Immigration will put the date of your entry into Mexico in your passport.
Within 30 days of your entry into Mexico, you must report to an immigration office (INM) serving the area where you will live. They will want to see your passport and proof of residence address. That may be in the form of rental receipts with a copy of the landlord's ID, electric or phone bills for that address, or a 'comprobante de domicilio', which you may obtain from your Mexican 'city hall' with similar documents.
Immigration will begin the process, called 'tramite', for the issuance of your actual visa. They will give you a letter with a web address and password, to follow the process. You must carry this letter in lieu of an actual immigration document during the tramite process. You are expected to remain in Mexico during the processing period. In an emergency, you must visit INM to request special permissions to leave for a specific purpose and a liminted period of time. Failure to comply will volid your application, without refund. and you will be without legal status.
Once your visa card is issued, you will be free to come and go at will. If you are a Residente Temporal, you may retain your foreign vehicle if you request an extension from customs (Aduana) upon every renewal of your immigration status, including this one. You have just 15 days to do that, so be quick; usually at an airpor or port of entry customs office.
Note: If you are Residente Permanente, you must remove any foreigh vehicle from Mexico before the visa is issued. That is a bit of a 'Catch-22', but you could buy that special permission exit-re-entry letter from INM for that purpose, or send it out with a trusted friend with eligibility to drive it, etc. That is another discussion.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

This is a kind service for newbies. 
Question: isn't there a 6 months time limit for temporal residentes to be out of the country?
Not so for permanente, if memory serves.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lagoloo said:


> This is a kind service for newbies.
> Question: isn't there a 6 months time limit for temporal residentes to be out of the country?
> Not so for permanente, if memory serves.


There is a 180 day limit for being out of the country in the last three years when you apply for citizenship. I don't remember any other restrictions, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

My memory had a glitch there. I applied for citizenship several years ago but had bad luck in getting a guy with an attitude and a serious speech impedimant doing the language test, so I failed and ended up as just a plain old permanente, ut now I do recall that 180 day travel restriction. Don't know if it applies to any other situation.

The car situation is kind of sticky for some, especially if they go for permanente right up front. I didn't, and waited out the four years. I was lucky in having a stateside relative who wanted our nice pickup and came and got it. (Easy payment family plan was the carrot.)


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## EmilyTravels (May 19, 2018)

We were approved for Permanant Residency without having to provide any proof of address here in Mexico. The various forms here asked for our address, which we filled in. We are currently staying in an Airbnb rental home with no utilities in our name nor a lease. We thought we might have to get our Airbnb host to write a letter verifying that we were indeed residing at this address, but no such letter was requested by INM. 

So, this is one of those requirements that might vary depending on which Immigration office you go to. We went to the Progreso office in the Yucatan.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

If INM accepts your temporary quarters as your residence address, which they will, it behooves you to remember that you must notify INM, formally, of the change of address when you move to your permanent location. They will help you with the form letter, in Spanish, for that purpose.


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## EmilyTravels (May 19, 2018)

RVGRINGO said:


> If INM accepts your temporary quarters as your residence address, which they will, it behooves you to remember that you must notify INM, formally, of the change of address when you move to your permanent location. They will help you with the form letter, in Spanish, for that purpose.


Yes, the letter we received indicating that we had been approved (also in Spanish) indicated that we must inform INM within 90 days of moving to a different address. Hopefully at that point we will have a utility bill or lease to prove our address.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

You certainly should have some of those bills by then. However, once a deed has been recorded in the Palacio Municipal, you can easily get a 'comprobante de domicilio' from "city hall".


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

*Residente Temporal*

How much time does the local INM office need to process the resident card? I may have a situation in returning to San Cristobal de Las Casas for one week, then returning to California to close up home here, and drive back down to Chiapas. I was thinking of crossing for the week trip under a Tourist visa, then go through the RT visa steps when I return to drive down. Opinions and experience welcomed. con una sonrisa. AND Feliz Navidad . . . 



RVGRINGO said:


> Once a Mexican Consulat has approved you for a residence visa, you have up to 180 days to enter Mexico. Note that your passport now has a consular approval entry with the issue date.
> You will present your passport at the border, pointing out that consular entry, and enter as a "Canje" or change of status entry. Immigration will put the date of your entry into Mexico in your passport.
> Within 30 days of your entry into Mexico, you must report to an immigration office (INM) serving the area where you will live. They will want to see your passport and proof of residence address. That may be in the form of rental receipts with a copy of the landlord's ID, electric or phone bills for that address, or a 'comprobante de domicilio', which you may obtain from your Mexican 'city hall' with similar documents.
> Immigration will begin the process, called 'tramite', for the issuance of your actual visa. They will give you a letter with a web address and password, to follow the process. You must carry this letter in lieu of an actual immigration document during the tramite process. You are expected to remain in Mexico during the processing period. In an emergency, you must visit INM to request special permissions to leave for a specific purpose and a liminted period of time. Failure to comply will volid your application, without refund. and you will be without legal status.
> ...


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> How much time does the local INM office need to process the resident card? I may have a situation in returning to San Cristobal de Las Casas for one week, then returning to California to close up home here, and drive back down to Chiapas. I was thinking of crossing for the week trip under a Tourist visa, then go through the RT visa steps when I return to drive down. Opinions and experience welcomed. con una sonrisa. AND Feliz Navidad . . .


Definitely, spend the week on a tourist permit and leave the visa application until you are down here more permanently. I don't know how long it takes to get a visa when you start the paperwork at a consulate in your home country (that system came into effect after I was already here) but you would have to take an extra step to get permission to leave while your visa was being processed. That would just complicate the process.


Edit:
I'm confused. In the other thread you say you already have a visa temporal.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

NOTE: If you have been approved for a Residente Temporal visa, you CANNOT do as you suggest. Once you enter Mexico, you will have 30 days to report to INM to start the process of getting the actual visa. That can take as long as a couple of months. During that time, you should plan to remain in Mexico. In an emergency, you could get INM permission, for a fee, for a limited exit-return trip outside Mexico. To do it any other way would void your application/approval for a residence visa. There are no refunds, and it could 'color' your chances for another try at a later date.

Make your house closing arrangements to be completed remotely, electronically, or by power of attorney. Stay in Mexico while you are 'en tramite', as is expected of you.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

Thanks for your reply. And sorry for the confusion of my post. Yes, I have the Residente Temporal visa, BUT have not entered Mexico yet. 

( the application process was straight forward in my opinion, I filled out the application & assembled all the requested / required docs. One hour meeting at the Las Vegas Consulate, picked up the VISA the next morning. )

I read where getting permission to leave while your visa is being reviewed in Mexico ( Chiapas for me where I will live ) can get complicated. I want to avoid that! Which is why I am thinking that I would submit the Tourist Visa for my 10 day visit ( r/t Aeromexico ). Then the next month ( Feb ) drive into Mexico with my Residente Temporal Visa (and Menaje de Casa), submit visa to Chiapas and await the Resident Card .

I had such a good experience at the Consulate, that I sent off an email this morning asking the lady who processed my application with my questions. We'll see. I will post what is said for others here.

con una sonrisa . . . .



TundraGreen said:


> Definitely, spend the week on a tourist permit and leave the visa application until you are down here more permanently. I don't know how long it takes to get a visa when you start the paperwork at a consulate in your home country (that system came into effect after I was already here) but you would have to take an extra step to get permission to leave while your visa was being processed. That would just complicate the process.
> 
> 
> Edit:
> I'm confused. In the other thread you say you already have a visa temporal.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

*Consulate response*

I just received a call moments ago from the lady who helped with my visa from the Las Vegas Consulate - she remembered me, read my email, and called to tell me how to handle my mini visit ( before submitting my Residental Temporal ).

With my round trip Aeromexico ticket, fill out the form from the airline for the Tourist Visa ( 180 days or less ). Enter Mexico under the Tourist Visa for my 10 day visit. Do not use the RT visa.

Then in February, when I drive down to live in San Cristobal de Las Casas submit my RT visa, and go through the process in Chiapas for the Residente Card ( which she says could take up to four weeks ). I will be living there, so this will not be a problem.

muy bien. I'll post what occurs during and after my "mini visit" for reference. 

con una sonrisa . . .


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

Muchas gracias for your reply, RVGringo . . . this will be interesting. I will have a story to tell in the very near future . . . con una sonrisa



RVGRINGO said:


> NOTE: If you have been approved for a Residente Temporal visa, you CANNOT do as you suggest. Once you enter Mexico, you will have 30 days to report to INM to start the process of getting the actual visa. That can take as long as a couple of months. During that time, you should plan to remain in Mexico. In an emergency, you could get INM permission, for a fee, for a limited exit-return trip outside Mexico. To do it any other way would void your application/approval for a residence visa. There are no refunds, and it could 'color' your chances for another try at a later date.
> 
> Make your house closing arrangements to be completed remotely, electronically, or by power of attorney. Stay in Mexico while you are 'en tramite', as is expected of you.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> I just received a call moments ago from the lady who helped with my visa from the Las Vegas Consulate - she remembered me, read my email, and called to tell me how to handle my mini visit ( before submitting my Residental Temporal ).
> 
> With my round trip Aeromexico ticket, fill out the form from the airline for the Tourist Visa ( 180 days or less ). Enter Mexico under the Tourist Visa for my 10 day visit. Do not use the RT visa.
> 
> ...


The problem is if you enter Mexico and apply and recieve a FMM tourist card without the Mexican Immigration seeing your current Mexican immigration status the Part 1 completed 6 month preapprove RT visa in your passport you have commited a fraud and broken Mexican Immigration law and your 6 month preapproved RT visa from the Las Vagas Mexican Consulate is voided and you have to start over again to get a new preapproved 6 month visa in your passport. No one can have 2 Mexican Immigration statuses at the same time is the law. When you fly into Mexico you have no choice. Show INM - Mexican Immigration - your preapproved RT visa in your passport and they will stamp this Consulate visa and they will approve and give you a 30 day "canje" FMM card. Next take these to your local INM office and submit you application Part 2 of the processing to get your RT visa/card. Then notify them you need to return to the US and apply for a exit and re-enter letter which is maximum good to leave for 60 days. Use this on our returning flight to the US and re-entering Mexico. Not very complicated to do.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

and the other fun part is that the consulate has nothing to say about the rules and the guys at the border have the last word...If you do not have anything in writing from the consulate. good lucjk if the guys at the border or airport do not agree...and in Mexico it will be your fault and your responsability no matter what the nice lady said.. Good luck.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> and the other fun part is that the consulate has nothing to say about the rules and the guys at the border have the last word...If you do not have anything in writing from the consulate. good lucjk if the guys at the border or airport do not agree...and in Mexico it will be your fault and your responsability no matter what the nice lady said.. Good luck.


That's correct, citlali. It helps to keep in mind that the Mexican consulates and immigration authorities belong to different parts of the Mexican federal government and do not always agree on the proper way to help potential and actual immigrants.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Worse yet; they don't know each other's rules. Do not follow the consulate suggestion, Chiapas, as it is certain to void your Residente Temporal approval and is a definite violation of INM law.

From the date of your approval, you have 180 days to enter Mexico, and then 30 days from entry to report to INM. That is 'carved in stone'. Violate it at your own peril, and expense. There are no 'do overs', as mentioned above. Do not take any chances; you will lose!


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

*thank you for clarification*

Oh, AlanMexicali . . . you've ( and the other comments ) have made the best & most sense in my inexperienced visa world. I am reaching out to my friend ( Mexican national in San Cristobal de Las Casas ) to accompany me to the local INM office the second day on my "mini visit." I cannot be the only norte americano who has faced this . . . if I am, well then I will document the process, and let you all know . . . good point on the differences between the "diplomat" consulate and the actual border . . . especially today . . . con una sonrisa



AlanMexicali said:


> The problem is if you enter Mexico and apply and recieve a FMM tourist card without the Mexican Immigration seeing your current Mexican immigration status the Part 1 completed 6 month preapprove RT visa in your passport you have commited a fraud and broken Mexican Immigration law and your 6 month preapproved RT visa from the Las Vagas Mexican Consulate is voided and you have to start over again to get a new preapproved 6 month visa in your passport. No one can have 2 Mexican Immigration statuses at the same time is the law. When you fly into Mexico you have no choice. Show INM - Mexican Immigration - your preapproved RT visa in your passport and they will stamp this Consulate visa and they will approve and give you a 30 day "canje" FMM card. Next take these to your local INM office and submit you application Part 2 of the processing to get your RT visa/card. Then notify them you need to return to the US and apply for a exit and re-enter letter which is maximum good to leave for 60 days. Use this on our returning flight to the US and re-entering Mexico. Not very complicated to do.


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

. . . using the "Permission letter" for exit & re-entry online search gave this very simple & clear explanation ( much like AlanMexicali did - muchas gracias ). . . . 

Important Information for Tourists and Expats Leaving Mexico

https://mexlaw.ca/important-information-tourists-expats-leaving-mexico/ 

thank you all for your clarifications and answers . . . con una sonrisa . . .


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## [email protected] (Nov 12, 2017)

Lo Siento for the quiet time away from our forum . . . AlanMexicali scores homeruns twice - the "Permission Letter" to leave and then return within 60 days is exactly what I received from INM in San Cristobal de Las Casas ( with the help of my Mexican friend & her husband ). The process took 3 days over una semana period, I went 2 days after I arrived in San Cristobal de Las Casas, I was told my Residente Card would be ready in about 3 weeks ( I believe mi amiga helped with that ), and the INM official emphasized my return to their office with both exit & entry stamps on Permission Letter within 7 days of crossing the border upon re-entry, my card would be ready and waiting for me. Muchas Gracias AlanMexicali.

AND AlanMexicali was spot on with using the Express Border Crossover returning to the USA . . . searched out INM, was told I needed to go to San Ysidro border, I paused and "convinced" the INM officials that my "Permission Letter" needed stamping, and one official took the letter into the little office which produced another officer who took the letter and returned with the INM exit stamp. Muchas gracias AlanMexicali ( this was another blog site ) for your comments & suggestions with CBX in Tijuana. BTW . . . so much easier and less costly than flying out of Los Angeles . . . 
con una sonrisa . . .


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## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

Sorry, didn't read the entire thread. 

I want to know if you leave the country on a Temporary Resident visa and stay out less than 6 months, how long do you have to stay in Mexico before you can leave again? 

Also, this was probably in the first thread, but do you have to get you visa in the state you live in, or can you get it in any state? I may have asked this before. Can't remember. Just seems that our Florida consulates are so messed up with very poor service, but the Atlanta consulate from all reports seems to be a breeze to get in and out of.


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## Ajijic Lady (Jan 19, 2009)

DebInFL said:


> Sorry, didn't read the entire thread.
> 
> I want to know if you leave the country on a Temporary Resident visa and stay out less than 6 months, how long do you have to stay in Mexico before you can leave again?
> 
> Also, this was probably in the first thread, but do you have to get you visa in the state you live in, or can you get it in any state? I may have asked this before. Can't remember. Just seems that our Florida consulates are so messed up with very poor service, but the Atlanta consulate from all reports seems to be a breeze to get in and out of.


We had excellent service with Orlando. They were helpful via email so we didn't waste our time (almost 2 hour drive from our home on west coast). Easy to get appointment. 
In and out in an hour! But yes, you can go to any consulate, even out of state.


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## EmilyTravels (May 19, 2018)

Ajijic Lady said:


> We had excellent service with Orlando. They were helpful via email so we didn't waste our time (almost 2 hour drive from our home on west coast). Easy to get appointment.
> In and out in an hour! But yes, you can go to any consulate, even out of state.


We also had great success with Orlando. It took about 2 weeks to get a response to our initial email, so you do have to be patient, but after that, we were in and out in an hour as well. And we are now in Mexico with our Residente Permanentes! 

If you can get to Orlando, you should do just fine. :fingerscrossed:


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