# Received my Citizenship



## stanburn (Jan 19, 2009)

I am hesitant to post his after the responses on my original thread when I applied.

But yesterday I received my Carta de Naturalization.

I don't spend much time with foreigners and my friends, all locals have welcomed me with open arms calling me Mexicano or Paisano.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

stanburn said:


> I am hesitant to post his after the responses on my original thread when I applied.
> 
> But yesterday I received my Carta de Naturalization.
> 
> I don't spend much time with foreigners and my friends, all locals have welcomed me with open arms calling me Mexicano or Paisano.


Congratulations. 

I have started the process. I am still waiting on Migración to give me a copy of the history of my visas. It is required by the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores as part of the application.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

stanburn said:


> I am hesitant to post his after the responses on my original thread when I applied.
> 
> But yesterday I received my Carta de Naturalization.
> 
> I don't spend much time with foreigners and my friends, all locals have welcomed me with open arms calling me Mexicano or Paisano.


I wasn't around when you originally posted your intention to become a Mexican citizen, and I'm sorry that you received negative responses at that time. I think it's great that you are now a Mexican! 

*¡FELICIDADES!*


----------



## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

Congratulations !!!


----------



## xolo (May 25, 2014)

Congratulations!


----------



## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Congrats Stan ..... you should post the procedure on your website


----------



## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

Muchas felicidades! (Congratulations!)


----------



## WintheWin (Jul 15, 2015)

Woo! You can own property now! !


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

WintheWin said:


> Woo! You can own property now! !


And vote in Mexican elections too!


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

WintheWin said:


> Woo! You can own property now! !


Except near the borders or the coasts, you don't need to be a citizen to own property.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> And vote in Mexican elections too!


And get Senior Citizen discounts on your property tax. 

When people ask me why I am applying for citizenship, I tell them it is so I can get a 50% discount on my property tax. Instead of being the equivalent of $100 USD per year, it will drop to $50 USD per year.


----------



## WintheWin (Jul 15, 2015)

You can also get Plan Joven, don't know how it works, g-ma has it here in Baja, and she gets SO many discounts it's crazy. Mexican DMV, property tax, etc.

Edit: It's NOT called Plan Joven, that's just what she calls it, but there's some sort of official document that says she's "de la tercera edad…" and pays way less. When she goes on trips gets mad discounts on bus fares.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

WintheWin said:


> You can also get Plan Joven, don't know how it works, g-ma has it here in Baja, and she gets SO many discounts it's crazy. Mexican DMV, property tax, etc.
> 
> Edit: It's NOT called Plan Joven, that's just what she calls it, but there's some sort of official document that says she's "de la tercera edad…" and pays way less. When she goes on trips gets mad discounts on bus fares.


I have an INAPAM card that gives me all sorts of discounts, including 50% off on long-distance bus fares. You don't need to be a citizen to receive this card, just be at least 60 years old.


----------



## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

TundraGreen said:


> And get Senior Citizen discounts on your property tax.
> 
> When people ask me why I am applying for citizenship, I tell them it is so I can get a 50% discount on my property tax. Instead of being the equivalent of $100 USD per year, it will drop to $50 USD per year.


Evidently that is not true in Chapala.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> I have an INAPAM card that gives me all sorts of discounts, including 50% off on long-distance bus fares. You don't need to be a citizen to receive this card, just be at least 60 years old.


I have the same, but the card is not accepted for predial (property tax), at least not in Guadalajara. I asked about it every year for awhile thinking maybe it was just the interpretation of a particular clerk but every year they tell me INAPAM isn't enough, you also have to have a Voter ID card. It may depend on the city or state. Maybe some places interpret the rules differently. In any event, it is not enough money to lose a lot of sleep over. It is just a joke that one might become a citizen to save a few bucks on tax.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

coondawg said:


> Evidently that is not true in Chapala.


So they give property tax discounts to non-citizens in Chapala, or not? Even if they do, I don't think it would motivate me to move. I like life on the Guadalajara side of the hills separating us from Lake Chapala.


----------



## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

TundraGreen said:


> So they give property tax discounts to non-citizens in Chapala, or not? Even if they do, I don't think it would motivate me to move. I like life on the Guadalajara side of the hills separating us from Lake Chapala.


Chapala evidently is so far in debt that they give only a discount to the very poor (low appraisal, and have raised appraised value a bunch in last 2 years).


----------



## stanburn (Jan 19, 2009)

Scott, the website is dying with Facebook. The process couldn't be easier. Go talk to your local SRE delegation, get the list of requirements and accumulate documents.

I would discourage conversations with SRE in english as one is asking to become Mexican and one requirement is to demonstrate language proficiency.

1. Certified birth certificate, apostilled and then translated.
2. Letter stating days out of Mexico in the past 2years. The letter is from you, not from immigration.
3.copies of passport and Resident permanente
4. Constancia certifying you speak Spanish, i took a test at University of Colima.
5. Federal letter that you have no crimes
6. Local letter that you have no crimes.

Basically it. The list is on the SRE website. I found the process to be easy. I did NOT use a facilitator or a lawyer. I didi it myself.


----------



## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

WintheWin said:


> Woo! You can own property now! !


Stan lives in Manzanillo so it does make a difference


----------



## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

They do not give discounts to Mexican citizens in Chapala f your property is worth more than who knows what. . I do not get a dicount here but the taxes are low so it is no big deal.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

stanburn said:


> Scott, the website is dying with Facebook. The process couldn't be easier. Go talk to your local SRE delegation, get the list of requirements and accumulate documents.
> 
> I would discourage conversations with SRE in english as one is asking to become Mexican and one requirement is to demonstrate language proficiency.
> 
> ...


I am partway through the process. I would add that SRE Guadalajara asked for letters from INM (immigration) listing my previous visas and my entries and exits into Mexico. And they want a couple of photos.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

stanburn said:


> Scott, the website is dying with Facebook.


Out of idle curiosity, who is Scott and what website are you referring to? Surely not this one!


----------



## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> Out of idle curiosity, who is Scott and what website are you referring to? Surely not this one!


I presumed Stan was replying to Sparks suggestion that he post his experience of the Citizenship process on his (Stan's) website.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ojosazules11 said:


> I presumed Stan was replying to Sparks suggestion that he post his experience of the Citizenship process on his (Stan's) website.


But who is Scott???


----------



## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> But who is Scott???


I'm inferring from the context that Scott is Sparks - but I guess Stan and/ or Sparks would be the ones to clarify.


----------



## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

Scott Sparks.


----------

