# Need immigration lawyer referral



## NewToMx (20 d ago)

Hello, I'm an American/Canadian looking to move to Mexico. I have spoken to a couple of different immigration lawyers who have told me slightly different things. One, was referred by a large global organization and the other was also a referral, but a smaller outfit with only one immigration lawyer.

I have heard different things about needing to provide a letter from a current out of country employer, and different kinds of evidence. 

Additionally, I have heard different things about real estate investment amounts to become a permanent resident.

Can anyone refer me to some good scrappy lawyers who really know the details and how to navigate the system?

Thanks for your help!


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## Jreboll (Nov 23, 2013)

Try this:


https://soniadiazmexico.com/


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## NewToMx (20 d ago)

Thanks!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I think Sonia ia a facilitator and not a lawyer.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

The first part of the process is done with your local Mexican consulate in the US or Canada. What immigration path you get put on will be entirely determined before you come to Mexico (excepting if you make tourist trips before your big move). Mexican lawyers are less likely to be familiar with that part of the process, and there are a number of inconsistencies to navigate that are consulate-dependent and likely to be unknown to anyone in Mexico except expats that have previously used that particular consulate for their process.

So rather than just hire someone to do everything for you, you need to do your own research and figure out how you are going to deal with your local consulate (and which one that is, and how to contact them, etc) and get some idea of what path you are going to attempt. 

Where facilitators and lawyers can help is after you have been approved for some kind of residency and after you are here, they can help you work through the process you need to go through with the nearest Mexican INM (immigration) office to where you are first staying. They help you get the papers required by those steps together and tell you what to expect and maybe do some line-standing for you. 

But you have to go through the first part of the process with your Canadian Mexican consulate on your own. The consulate employees all speak English moderately well, unlike the INM employees in Mexico, who expect to be spoken to in Spanish. 

And inconsistencies are to be expected. When you do your internet research, you will see different numbers for qualification, and that is because different consulates each apply their own interpretation of the Mexican laws. You'll have to get used to that if you're going to live in Mexico, it's the way things are here. Plus the numbers change annually, so be certain you are looking at 2023 information. 

It is possible to get residency by virtue of having bought property, but it is a road few go down, due to the pitfalls of trying to buy property here when you don't know how things work or what you should be looking for and looking to avoid. It is a much more common and reasonable approach to move here and rent for a year or two before attempting to buy property. Taking that path avoids quite a few pitfalls, and I recommend you focus on the paths where you go for Residente Temporale or Residente Permanente based on your financial situation (your ability to support yourself without working, assuming you are retiring and moving to Mexico for retirement. 

Trying to move here and work is a whole other can of worms that seldom works out for people enquiring on this forum.


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