# Marrying a Mexican Citizen



## sigler311

Hey, I have been dating my Mexican girlfriend for about a year(I actually met her while she was studying in the states) and thinking about getting married here, my question is....

Once we get married I will be issued an FM2 and will have to wait 2 years in order to apply for citizenship and the application may take up to another year to be approved. Am I right on this?

Another key question, during this two years that I am living here on my FM2, am I allowed to work freely in mexico like a mexican citizen or would I still have to find a company willing to sponsor me and have to go through the whole work visa route.

Thanks!


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## RVGRINGO

Once you are married, no matter where, you will have to apply for an FM3 or FM2 as the spouse of a Mexican National. If you are her dependent, financially, it should be fairly easy. If not, you may have to show independent resources from outside of Mexico to support yourself during your two year wait for naturalization, which will require that you are reasonably capable in spoken and written Spanish, etc. Remember, when you marry a Mexican, you marry the entire family; the entire extended family, and they may have certain expectations of you. Proceed cautiously.


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## maesonna

sigler311 said:


> Another key question, during this two years that I am living here on my FM2, am I allowed to work freely in mexico like a mexican citizen or would I still have to find a company willing to sponsor me and have to go through the whole work visa route.


From one who has BTDT, you will not be able to work freely until you get a company to sponsor you*. If you do achieve this, you will still have the same FM2 visa, but your status will change from “economically dependent on your spouse/foreign income” (as the case may be) to “authorized to work for Company XYZ,” and this change of status will be documented with an annotation in your visa booklet.

*Or if you can successfully get permission to work independently. I’ve BTDT, too.


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## f3drivr

Are the income requirements lower when applying for a fm2/fm3 as the spouse of a Mexican national?


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## sigler311

Thanks for the answers RVGRINGO and maesonna, what a bummer that the immigration laws are so strict, now with that out of the way, just to decide if this is the right choice or not


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## RVGRINGO

f3drivr said:


> Are the income requirements lower when applying for a fm2/fm3 as the spouse of a Mexican national?


I don't know, but I really doubt it. FM2 income requirements are more than for the FM3 by about 50%.


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## sigler311

If someone help me clear the air...

so if I marry my girlfriend, it doesnt automatically start me on the road to citizenship, I need to apply for a spousal FM2, which has strict income requirements. If I cannot obtain an FM2, even if I am married and living in Mexico, I would have to live off of Tourist Visa's, is this correct?

Thanks!



sigler311 said:


> Hey, I have been dating my Mexican girlfriend for about a year(I actually met her while she was studying in the states) and thinking about getting married here, my question is....
> 
> Once we get married I will be issued an FM2 and will have to wait 2 years in order to apply for citizenship and the application may take up to another year to be approved. Am I right on this?
> 
> Another key question, during this two years that I am living here on my FM2, am I allowed to work freely in mexico like a mexican citizen or would I still have to find a company willing to sponsor me and have to go through the whole work visa route.
> 
> Thanks!


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## maesonna

sigler311 said:


> If someone help me clear the air...
> so if I marry my girlfriend, it doesnt automatically start me on the road to citizenship, I need to apply for a spousal FM2, which has strict income requirements. If I cannot obtain an FM2, even if I am married and living in Mexico, I would have to live off of Tourist Visa's, is this correct?


Spousal FM2 or tourist wouldn't be your only choices. Other options would be a self-supporting FM2 (i.e. supported by foreign income if you have any, or else working for a Mexican employer or independently), or an FM3.


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## RVGRINGO

Nothing is "automatic" just because you marry a Mexican. You must still meet the immigration requirements for some specific status. A tourist permit has no income requirements but is only good for a maximum of 180 days; and they don't have to give you that if they don't feel like it. It is not renewable in Mexico and requires that you leave the country.
Mexico is a wonderful place to live if you have financial resources from outside the country. Mexican wages, if you could manage to get permission to work, are a tiny fraction of US wages and, unless you could 'pass for Mexican', you might find life quite difficult in the workplace. There is also a nickname for '******' husbands; "The Wallet". You really need to visit, meet the girl's family, study the situation in detail, and evaluate the options very carefully. I have strong feelings about this because of a similar situation in my wife's family which turned out badly. There are now children who can never cross an international border until they are 21, as a result. Please be aware of all of the implications.


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## AdePuebla

I talked to this lawyer about getting legalized here in Mexico (i'm on FMT) but i was talking like fm2 or fm3 getting on the path to citizenship. well he misunderstood and thought i wanted to get citizenship NOW. so he was telling me that his friend is a Juez in a little pueblo and they could fill out the paperwork that we've been living here for two years and get us an address there etc... i dont know, do whatever they need to do and put my application for citizenship. 
wow... gotta love mexico, anything is possible! Obviously i didn't do that. I think i'll skip the lawyer when i apply for the fm2. I'm not that scared doing it myself after someone i know did hers last winter and it's not as bad. I was kind of worried about the financial issue but she said they accepted hers and her husband was only making around 200 pesos a day at the time.


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## BajaGringo

Talk to an immigration attorney. Not just any attorney but one who has a lot of experience in such matters. I am married to a Mexican citizen and wasted a year with one attorney who thought he knew what he was doing but I later found out he had never processed a naturalization via marriage tramite before. He had most of it wrong. I have since found one who is very experienced and has helped me to fast track the process and was even able to get them to waive some things because all that I went through. That takes an experienced immigration attorney with inside connections. 

I would not suggest you lie on any paperwork about your time here, etc as that could bring very serious consequences later.


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## Bob Cox

BajaGringo said:


> Talk to an immigration attorney. Not just any attorney but one who has a lot of experience in such matters. I am married to a Mexican citizen and wasted a year with one attorney who thought he knew what he was doing but I later found out he had never processed a naturalization via marriage tramite before. He had most of it wrong. I have since found one who is very experienced and has helped me to fast track the process and was even able to get them to waive some things because all that I went through. That takes an experienced immigration attorney with inside connections.
> 
> I would not suggest you lie on any paperwork about your time here, etc as that could bring very serious consequences later.


I suggest going to this site: secretaria de relaciones exterior mexico. then click on English version and look for FM2 FM3 and Naturalization requirements for a foreigner marrying a Mexican National.
It always takes time and red tape and money. an FM3 wil cost you about $200 dolars a year. Your going to be on that for 3 years, then you graduate to an FM2 for 2 years after which you can apply for naturalization.
If she loves you its probably worth it.


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## RVGRINGO

I think that you will find that you can apply for an FM2 immediately, or any time, if you already have an FM3. If you are married to a Mexican national, you may apply for naturalization after only two years on the FM2.


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## BajaGringo

RV is right, it is only two years via marriage but make sure you get your marriage registered in Mexico if you were married outside of the country...


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## Guest

RVGRINGO said:


> Remember, when you marry a Mexican, you marry the entire family; the entire extended family, and they may have certain expectations of you. Proceed cautiously.


Let me stress the importance of the point RVGRINGO made. Because to this very day; almost a decade later, I still do not get along with my mother-in-law. And, the scar on my arm where I received 15 stitches after a knife attack by my mother-in-law has almost faded away. But the memory remains.


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## AdePuebla

mexicoetal said:


> Let me stress the importance of the point RVGRINGO made. Because to this very day; almost a decade later, I still do not get along with my mother-in-law. And, the scar on my arm where I received 15 stitches after a knife attack by my mother-in-law has almost faded away. But the memory remains.


HOLY MOLY!!!!
Remind me to call my mother-in-law and tell her how much i love her!


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## shari

marrying a mexican is not for the faint of heart!! If you do decide to marry...do it in mexico, makes it easier for later tramites...fast trackin is getting more difficult these days for naturalization. There is a very very good agent in DF who has done this process for lots of people I know and me too....email me if you want his info...go directly to the FM2 asap. By the way..i am happily married to a mexican and his family!!


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## Tom O'Brien

*Red Tape*



sigler311 said:


> Hey, I have been dating my Mexican girlfriend for about a year(I actually met her while she was studying in the states) and thinking about getting married here, my question is....
> 
> Once we get married I will be issued an FM2 and will have to wait 2 years in order to apply for citizenship and the application may take up to another year to be approved. Am I right on this?
> 
> Another key question, during this two years that I am living here on my FM2, am I allowed to work freely in mexico like a mexican citizen or would I still have to find a company willing to sponsor me and have to go through the whole work visa route.
> 
> Thanks!


Unless things have changed getting married in México is a red tape nightmare. The FM2 or FM3 is also a mission impossible without a Mexican company behind you. Getting married state side is a cake walk if your girl friend has a boarded card. We were married in El Paso and with that in hand getting my wife a Green Card was easy. Nothing but nothing is easy in México. A great place to live but very difficult to find decent, good paying work. 

Tom


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## RVGRINGO

One may get an FM3 as an individual. Only those with a job offer would need to involve the company in the process. Here are the various options:
1. Tourist FMT
2. Transiting through Mexico to another country
3. Visitor
a. Investor
b. Technician or scientist
c. Visitor, non-immigrant FM3
d, Visiting professional
e. Visiting trust employee
f. Visiting human rights observer
g. Visiting electoral process observer
h. Visiting advisor
i. Visiting artist/sportsman/sportswoman
4. Visiting Minister
5. Student
6. Correspondent
7. Dependent
8. Other; must specify for special consideration.


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## RVGRINGO

For an FM2 (Inmigreante), there are also various categories:

1. Rentist/residing in Mexico with the intention to immigrate.
2. Investor
3. Professional
4. Trust Employee
5. Scientific
6. Technician
7. Dependent or relative
8. Artist or sportsperson
9. Assimilated person


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## maesonna

shari said:


> marrying a mexican is not for the faint of heart!! If you do decide to marry...do it in mexico, makes it easier for later tramites


I'd be interested to know the basis for this advice, as it hasn’t been my experience that the _trámites_ have been any more complicated with a foreign marriage. All we had to do was to get a _constancia de matrimonio_ when moved to Mexico which basically consists of a certificate showing that your foreign marriage has been entered into the Mexican _Registro Civil_, and then any time you’re asked for a marriage certificate (_acta de matrimonio_), you produce the _constancia_ and it counts because the marriage has been registered in Mexico.



shari said:


> go directly to the FM2 asap.


Agreed. Instead of having to renew every year forever, as in the case of an FM3, after five years of annually renewing your FM2, you are _inmigrado_ and you no longer have to do any renewals. (That is if you don’t nationalize first. If you plan to nationalize as soon as possible, the FM2 enables you to do so after 2 years.)


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## landsearchabby

sigler311 said:


> Hey, I have been dating my Mexican girlfriend for about a year(I actually met her while she was studying in the states) and thinking about getting married here, my question is....
> 
> Once we get married I will be issued an FM2 and will have to wait 2 years in order to apply for citizenship and the application may take up to another year to be approved. Am I right on this?
> 
> Another key question, during this two years that I am living here on my FM2, am I allowed to work freely in mexico like a mexican citizen or would I still have to find a company willing to sponsor me and have to go through the whole work visa route.
> 
> Thanks!


Hi there, yes you can work with your FM2 you can apply for work and they will change your status from a dependent of your wife to working, hotels timeshare or real estate are easier ways to work within this framework good luck and i hope everything works out well for you

Abby


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## maesonna

landsearchabby said:


> Hi there, yes you can work with your FM2 you can apply for work and they will change your status from a dependent of your wife to working, hotels timeshare or real estate are easier ways to work within this framework good luck and i hope everything works out well for you
> 
> Abby


What you say is true, but it might give the wrong impression following sigler311’s question. Sigler311 asked whether he could work freely or whether he still had to find a company willing to sponsor him. 

As you mentioned “they will change your status from a dependent to working,” i.e. he can’t work legally until he finds an employer to sponsor him and gets his status changed, he still has to submit the same fee and basically the same documents as a person who doesn’t have a Mexican spouse.


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## BajaGringo

maesonna said:


> I'd be interested to know the basis for this advice, as it hasn’t been my experience that the _trámites_ have been any more complicated with a foreign marriage. All we had to do was to get a _constancia de matrimonio_ when moved to Mexico which basically consists of a certificate showing that your foreign marriage has been entered into the Mexican _Registro Civil_, and then any time you’re asked for a marriage certificate (_acta de matrimonio_), you produce the _constancia_ and it counts because the marriage has been registered in Mexico.
> 
> I believe what Shari was referring to is that although there is a bit more paperwork and legwork involved in marrying a Mexican national in Mexico than say in the USA, it will make things easier later. I am going through the citizenship route via marriage myself right now. We were married in California and it was a bit of a pain what we had to go through to get the marriage registered in Mexico. Made me wish we had just gotten married here in the first place now...


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## maesonna

BajaGringo said:


> I believe what Shari was referring to is that although there is a bit more paperwork and legwork involved in marrying a Mexican national in Mexico than say in the USA, it will make things easier later. .


Yes, that’s what I was wondering. We (me Canadian, him Mexican) married in Canada some time before moving to Mexico, and we have never yet encountered a situation in Mexico where it would have been easier if we had gotten married here in Mexico, or to put it another way, we have never had any situation where the fact that our marriage took place outside Mexico increased the complication factor. 

So I was wondering what _trámites_ you or Shari had to do that would have been more complicated with a foreign marriage, because I haven’t run up against any (yet).


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## BajaGringo

maesonna said:


> Yes, that’s what I was wondering. We (me Canadian, him Mexican) married in Canada some time before moving to Mexico, and we have never yet encountered a situation in Mexico where it would have been easier if we had gotten married here in Mexico, or to put it another way, we have never had any situation where the fact that our marriage took place outside Mexico increased the complication factor.
> 
> So I was wondering what _trámites_ you or Shari had to do that would have been more complicated with a foreign marriage, because I haven’t run up against any (yet).


Have you registered your marriage with immigration/minister of foreign relations yet? I can't speak for what you may have gone through but here in Baja it required several steps including having our certified marriage certificate and a certified copy of my birth certificate get an apostille stamp in San Diego, official translations of both documents along with my passport and then a trip to Mexicali for another document thta stated I had never been married before in Mexico. It would basically have been much of the same process to just get married in Mexico but then I wouldn't have lost the time accumulated as I did for the two years needed. They do give you a 6 month window but past that the clock goes back to zero. What made it really hard for me is that when we got married I had the time to do all the legwork and now I don't which is why I just hired an attorney here experienced in the process...


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## maesonna

BajaGringo said:


> Have you registered your marriage with immigration/minister of foreign relations yet?


Yes, I mentioned upthread that we had done it and had gotten the _constancia de matrimonio_ (the document that proves that the foreign marriage is registered with the Registro Civil). 

Indeed, now I see your point. Ours, for some reason, seemed much less complicated. All I remember for sure is getting the certified translation. It was 12 years ago and the memory is sort of hazy in the mists of time, so maybe we did have to get the original marriage certificate authenticated, too (Canada doesn’t do apostille), but if so, it was no big deal because I was getting my degrees authenticated at the same time for my FM2, so if I got the marriage certificate done, it was just one more piece of paper processed at the same time.


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## Tom O'Brien

*Unnecessary Paper Shuffle*



BajaGringo said:


> Have you registered your marriage with immigration/minister of foreign relations yet? I can't speak for what you may have gone through but here in Baja it required several steps including having our certified marriage certificate and a certified copy of my birth certificate get an apostille stamp in San Diego, official translations of both documents along with my passport and then a trip to Mexicali for another document thta stated I had never been married before in Mexico. It would basically have been much of the same process to just get married in Mexico but then I wouldn't have lost the time accumulated as I did for the two years needed. They do give you a 6 month window but past that the clock goes back to zero. What made it really hard for me is that when we got married I had the time to do all the legwork and now I don't which is why I just hired an attorney here experienced in the process...


My oldest child was born in Mexico. The hospital issued a birth certificate without a fuss. The US Consulate in Guadalajara issued a State Department birth certificate on the spot for a nominal fee within 30 minutes. Then due to a pregnancy complication the doctor who delivered our first suggested that we go to the USA four months prior to the expected arrival date. He suggested the New Mexico State University hospital. Our second came CZ. New Mexico issued a birth certificate that was totally bilingual - English/Español. Each and every line on the certificate in English was repeated in Español. The Mexcian authorities would not except it insisted that we had it translated. A very costly song n dance act. They had us going from office to office, paying mordida <sp> brides and receiving no receipts. We spent 3-4 days running all over Guadalajara and dropped a couple hundred dollars as we went. Finally the approval to except and translate the bilingual certificate was granted. Mexican male friends of mind with wives from any other country have had little if any trouble which makes me think that we gueros (white boys) are not treated with an even hand. 

Despite the governmental road blocks I continue to love México and the vast majority of it's people less of course the National Bureaucrats. 

Tom aka Chema


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## Bob Cox

Tom... its not the whitness of your guero skin but the greeness of your dollar bills, corruption is everywhere, including the US. Any Government office you go to in Mexico has a sign on the wall that says...¨say NO to Mordidas... Report Corruption.. and an 800 number to call... If I was in the same case I would call that number. Either you believe in that principle or you dont. If you think a mordida will work ask yourself ..Is it Cost effective to pay a bribe or do it legally?? If after paying a mordida and the papers aren´t quite right, and believe me, every i must be dotted, if one name has one letter misspelled it is subject to be rejected at a later date. I cant emphasize the fact that you need to look legal papers over with a fine tooth comb before leaving a government office. The web page at Secretaria de Relaciones Exterior pretty much spells out what to do. If these petty officials cant go according to the rules...report them.


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## Tom O'Brien

*To Bob Cox*

Maybe things have improved since the early or maybe I got smarter but my path got smoother toward the end of my 18 year stay. I became very good friends with a Mexican lawyer who could get things done in a snap so I left the details to Memo. As my Castellano improved so did my ability to swing doors open and avert hurdles. When I return in January 2010 I anticipate smooth sailing do to colmillo (wisdom). I have learned when to hold the cards and when to pass them to Memo.


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## MJB5293

i hve been living in Juriquilla, Queretaro for 6 months now i will be married in Las vegas on Nov 18th to a wonderful mexican woman who is retired from premex together we have a great income nice home BMW and my Lincoln town car.
iam on a fm2. after marriage what should change


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## Joycee

Congratulations on your forthcoming marraige. I currently live in Las Vegas so if there are any questions you have about Las Vegas let me know.

Joycee


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## ele

Tom O'Brien said:


> My oldest child was born in Mexico. The hospital issued a birth certificate without a fuss. The US Consulate in Guadalajara issued a State Department birth certificate on the spot for a nominal fee within 30 minutes. Then due to a pregnancy complication the doctor who delivered our first suggested that we go to the USA four months prior to the expected arrival date. He suggested the New Mexico State University hospital. Our second came CZ. New Mexico issued a birth certificate that was totally bilingual - English/Español. Each and every line on the certificate in English was repeated in Español. The Mexcian authorities would not except it insisted that we had it translated. A very costly song n dance act. They had us going from office to office, paying mordida <sp> brides and receiving no receipts. We spent 3-4 days running all over Guadalajara and dropped a couple hundred dollars as we went. Finally the approval to except and translate the bilingual certificate was granted. Mexican male friends of mind with wives from any other country have had little if any trouble which makes me think that we gueros (white boys) are not treated with an even hand.
> 
> Despite the governmental road blocks I continue to love México and the vast majority of it's people less of course the National Bureaucrats.
> 
> Tom aka Chema


I never have to get my New Mexico birth certificate translated while in Mexico, because like you say, it is in Spanish. Don't let anyone get you on that one again.


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## cisco

Beware, my friend. I've been married 10 yrs last Sept. and I love my wife dearly, but the family drives me up a wall. (6 brothers, 3 sisters and about 40 kids.) I'm nothing but an ATM machine to them. When my wife says we are invited to a birthday party or something like that it's only because they know i'm a soft touch. Always asking for a "loan" that is forgotten as soon as they get the money. They have more excuses about their poor life than I care to talk about. And thank you is not in their vocabulary.
There's a saying that if you give your girlfriend $100 to buy a dress she will buy one for $70 and give her mother $30. Try it with your girlfriend.
Best thing for you to do if you marry this girl is to stay in the states and stay away from the family.


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## OkieinPachuca

I am American and my husband is Mexican. It took all of 10 days for me to get my FM2 approved with permission to do honest work in Mexico. Luckily, the company I worked for in the States has an office in D.F., so I was able to bring my job with me, but on a Mexican pay scale. My only issue is that I cannot bring my car into Mexican with an FM2 "con familiar".


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## Salto_jorge

Everyone has their own experience.

It is easier for someone to cross into the USA from another country and get a job then for those from the USA. In for one americans seem to stick out due to customs and language issues. Another issues is enforcement of work regulations and unions.

When you marry someone from another culture one culture may not quickly accept the other one can feel deprived or lost. In mexico one does marry the entire family and the family seems to always stick together. Many in the USA do not have the same sense of family as as mexico. Its not religion since mainly woman and children seem to go to church, men in the family wait outside the church as if watching a sporting event hanging around, if you do not you are the outsider.

Loaning each other money and beting the "wallet" is interesting. Anyone that makes more then another is considered that, also anyone with extra cash. What you own does not matter it is what extra you have. Spend everything and save nothing.

Also laws always seem to change. Its easier to stay and live in the USA since everyone is treated the same and payoffs are not what it is all about.

If you have money in mexico and do not own a store or business you thought to be either in the mafia or a drug dealer or worse you work for the government.


It is all based on experience, where you live and those that you associate with.

................... The following is based on small town life .........................

I marrried a Mexican/Indian in 1976. Our children are dual nationals and were born in the USA, right after they were born we obtain Mexican birth certificates at the consulate from D.F. as extranjeros.

I spend most of my time in the USA, we own property in sonora, jalisco and the USA.

Relatives consider us equally a source of cash as other mexicans. If you make a loan you will never get it back. Wife loaned her brother 15K and we will never see it, her sister loaned him 32K and she will never see it also. The important part is that we all live in the USA, it would not make a difference if we lived in Mexico.

I do not have a FM2 or FM3 and I do not pay bribes. I dress to be respected and not like a field hand or farmer or cowboy or american out to raise hell.

I do not act like I am curious nor do I ask anyone questions but I always introduce my self and hang out with the men even if I do not know them, this can be dangerious these days but not in the past.

Many men (macho crap) drink so much and mess around with woman so much and have kids all over the place that the real wife or first one with kids will want to control your money and run the house and you.

I have heard first hand of woman telling their legal husbands to get another woman on the side if they do not like their current situation. Woman may also do it and I do not know if this is the norm.

Couples split up often but never talk about it, some sleep in different parts of the same house. Only when looking around in the house will you notice this situation. A small bed in the corner or the out building, a bed roll on the floor or under the main bed or wire box spring behind the house that gets used.

Many people claim to be married and only have kids with each other.

---------------------------------- in the end !

You will marry the extended family.

Spouse will want to control the finances.

Spouse will want to have her own money different then family money.

Do not be possesive (sp) of anything.

Anyone that comes into a house is treated like family or you are accused of putting them down.

In the USA we live to work and then take time off, in other places others work when needed or borrow from others.

Everyones experience is difference !!!!!!!!!!!!

Its harder to get papers to work in mexico.

many folks in mexico think that americans are rich.


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## mtyler

I find all these comments quite interesting and confusing. There are several which seem to state conflicting points of view, which seems to indicate that either there is no real structure for this kind of thing, or that there might be a number of points at which money needs to lubricate the process.

I am engaged to my fiancee and we live in Australia. However, we are planning on marrying in Oaxaca in a couple of years time and living in Mexico for a while. As a result, I am considering the best way to organise all this, as I will want to work, and need to work out the best way to complete the processes.

A couple of people have mentioned good contacts who can advise on this. We expect to live in either DF or Guadalajara, so if you could recommend me contacts in these cities who may be able to assist with how best to navigate this process I would appreciate it.

Fairly happy with how the family situation works - am not expecting any begging relatives or aggressive mother-in-laws (have already jumped that hurdle!).

Thanks

M


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## Salto_jorge

Laws change over time within a country and between countries.

Regional and local customs are slower to change.

The extended family is very strong. 

This week we were asked to help with the bill for our god son who passed away in Mexico City. We had not seen or heard from him in over 25 years, he must have been around 39 years old. I believe that either his daughter or younger sister contacted us besides his mother and gave us a bank account number that we are supposed to wire money to. The family bond is for life. The family believes that we have to money to help, besides the burial has taken place and has alresdy been paid for maybe even on our behalf, I actually do not know. But I am his god father, we are also somehow related to his mothers third cousin.

I would also say that every family is different.

==============================

To sum it all up, have fun, get married and stay together. Have a great life together .

Live in the country that matches your life style and where you can work.

Stress is hard on the body and must be avoided.

==================================


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## JimJones

As far as loans to family members go I don’t see what the problem is. If you have the money and want to loan “gift” it then do it if you don’t want to loan the money just say no and be done with it. 

My wife is Mexican and we have loaned money to family members and have also refused money to family members my feelings are if I think I am going to get paid back and it’s a legitimate cause I will loan the money. If I think that somebody is trying to scam me I just flat out tell them no.


A couple of posters have mentioned that they have attorney contacts that can help with the immigration process. 
I would be grateful if you could PM me their contact info. I would like to become a dual citizen but it just seems so complicated to do I would rather pay somebody to take care of all the hassle.


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## RVGRINGO

Caution: The immigration processes are easy enough to do by yourself. Even attorneys who claim to have all the answers, seldom do. Even though the immigration laws are well written, they are often interpreted differently by individual agents. The one in front of you is 'the law' and it is unwise to challenge him on the details. You may only encourage a 'push back'.
Things are improving in theis area, but there is still progress to be made. That said, there is a current effort on the part of the government to make the process easier for the expat. More computerization and streamlining will begin on May 1st of this year. As with any change, it may create some confusion for a while. So, for those of you who are marrying and changing immigration status, you may need to smile more and be patient with the INM officials.


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## circle110

I agree with you JimJones, the loan thing is only a problem if you allow it to be. I politely but firmly explain that I have a fixed, limited income and I can't afford loans or hand outs. No one argues.

I also agree with Rvgringo that you should consider doing it yourself. I will be facing the same situation this fall after marrying my Mexican citizen fiancee and the thought of a lawyer never crossed my mind. Try it on your own first, judging by your writing you sound intelligent and should be able to manage just fine.


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## Salto_jorge

So you may say no to a loan but ones spouse is another issue, joint property.

-----------------------------

Let us all know if you ever get your papers and how much it costs you in the end.


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## Ana Hernandez

Salto_jorge said:


> So you may say no to a loan but ones spouse is another issue, joint property.
> 
> -----------------------------
> 
> Let us all know if you ever get your papers and how much it costs you in the end.


that is where it pays to have 'his' and 'hers'. we moved to MX after 15 years in the states. not all, but most of his family, including his mother thought we would come down here and start handing over money to everyone. they were sorely disappointed. They knew my mom died recently and left me a sizable amount which I left in Edward Jones investments in the states. Last week, my MIL asked my husband 'why doesn't she share, does she not love you?' I told him before we came, I am not a bank for your family. first person that ask for money I will rip verbally. yes, I am that mean. If he wants to give a loan, he can do it out of his pocket. I will not be screwed over. He is very tired of their begging too. He told them last week that if they do not stop asking, we will go back to the states. 

now, if there were a medical emergency, yes, I would help. I am not completely cold. I think sometimes you have to be firm and stick to your guns. nothing wrong with that! so no, you do not always marry the whole family. btw, his 3 older brothers refuse to go visit their mother because they say it is like ants on food when they go visit. within minutes everyone knows they are there and are hanging around waiting for the money train. It is not my responsibility to dole out money to 30 people because they are lazy and refuse to work, or they are to busy drinking to work. I know there are jobs available here, my husband and son in law found one within days of arriving!


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## TamiJ

I have been married to a Mexican for almost 10 yrs, and we have been living in MX for almost a year now. I agree with some, or most of the comments. If you are (snip) not Mexican, they think you have cash. Sometimes, and this is mainly with my husband's brothers, never the parents, they ask for you to buy something and they will pay you for it, then they never pay. They are from a ranch and simply don't work and don't have money. So, when we do help with money or something we know we will never see it again, and that's ok. If we don't have the money, we just say no. It's that simple. I actually get a long really well with the family, which is a good thing because yes, Mexican families stick together. Someone commented about her MIL stabbing her. That's just crazy and not typical of something a MIL would or should do, let a lone a sane person. That has nothing to do with being Mexican, but everything to do with having a few screws loose. In any case, I teach here and enjoy living in Mexico. We live an hour away from the family, which is close enough to me. We see them every couple of weeks, and that works wonderfully.


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## Ana Hernandez

I guess my husband and 3 of his brothers must be different. 12 kids in the family and the 'haves' will not associate with the 'have nots because I am lazy or like to drink to much' they are not dumb enough to be taken in.


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## TamiJ

It might depend where they are from in MX. The vast population is rather poor, like my hubby's family. The family lives on a ranch where there is really only work for a few months at a time. That's it. If someone needs money for something, depending on what it is, we help if we can. If we can't help, no one ever makes us feel bad about it.


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## JimJones

I apologize for going kind of off topic if this is forbidden we can discuss via PM’s 
TamiJ and Ana Hernandez
Do either of you have any suggestions for your fellow gringos that are married to Mexicans as far as immigration procedures are concerned? I still have a few more years before I can consider moving full time but when I do I would like the immigration process to go as smoothly as possible.
Thanks.


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## maesonna

Just follow the procedures for whatever status you apply for. That applies whether you're married to a Mexican or not. I can't think of any special tips you need to know aside from all the advice given here and on other forums (provided the person giving the advice knows what they're talking about). 

Your choice of visa and status will depend on whether you plan to stay in Mexico permanently, and where your financial support will come from.


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## Ana Hernandez

all I can tell you is be truthful in every way! Mexican immigration seems to be a much easier process than American immigration! but both are the same in matters of dishonesty. So far, I have had no problems, but I have just started the process.



btw, my dad's name was Jim Jones! you're not a preacher by any chance are you? that would be really strange! LOL!


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## Mark1

*Mexican/American Marriage; car import privlidge*



OkieinPachuca said:


> I am American and my husband is Mexican. . . . My only issue is that I cannot bring my car into Mexican with an FM2 "con familiar".


 I don't quite get this; maybe it doesn't apply to me. I'm an American; my wife is a Mexican. She has lived in the US for 40 years, become a US citizen, while retaining her Mexican citizenship. We are planning on moving to Mexico where she has a house. 

I had planned on getting an FM2 and bringing my car under the immigrant privilege. 

I had also harbored the impression that my wife would have the privilege of bringing her car tax-free inasmuch as she is repatriating after a long residence outside Mexico. (I could be mistaken here.)

Your remark shakes my confidence that I understand either privilege correctly. I infer - fairly directly - from your ". . . FM2 "con familiar" " remark that I might have no privilege of importing my car if I apply for an FM2 based upon my marriage to a Mexican citizen. Although you say nothing about a repatriation (I imagine your Mexican spouse has always resided in Mexico) I'm also wondering whether my belief that my wife can repatriate with a tax-free car is unfounded.

I suppose I could apply for an FM2 without reference to my Mexican wife and thereby preserve my tax-free import of a car privilege. Would this undermine my ability for naturalization in 2 years (vs. the normal 5 years)? 

Thanks,
Mark


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## RVGRINGO

Yes, it would. Once you complete five years on an FM2, the temporarily imported vehicle must no longer be in Mexico. You will have to have a Mexican car, so you might as well get what you can for those US plated cars and bite the bullet. Retirees, with income from outside of Mexico, may temporarily import a vehicle, but if they go to 'inmigrado' or naturalization, the car must be removed. It has become impractical and prohibitively expensive to try to nationalize a car in Mexico. Anything that you might want is available here.


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## Mark1

RVGRINGO said:


> Yes, it would. Once you complete five years on an FM2, the temporarily imported vehicle must no longer be in Mexico. You will have to have a Mexican car, so you might as well get what you can for those US plated cars and bite the bullet. Retirees, with income from outside of Mexico, may temporarily import a vehicle, but if they go to 'inmigrado' or naturalization, the car must be removed. It has become impractical and prohibitively expensive to try to nationalize a car in Mexico. Anything that you might want is available here.



Thanks very much for the reply, RVGringo. Still a little fuzzy. I'll discuss myself and my wife separately. I'm the ******, she's the Mexican.

If the car thing were the only consideration, I get the impression that I can go in under an FM3-Retiree and keep my US car till death due us part. Alternatively, I could go in as an FM2 and, until reaching inmigrado status, keep my US car). In the FM3 case, my wife's Mexican citizenship isn't a concern. That's a possibility; however, it delays achieving inmigrado or citizenship status for whatever advantages they might hold.

You may also recall the question I had about the 18-month rule on being out of the country. As a "retiree" I imagine I can work abroad about as much as opportunity provides without upsetting my FM3 status.

Eventually, say 10 years later, I might not work abroad at all and have little desire to maintain a US plated car in Mexico. And, I might see the advantages of citizenship tip in favor of the FM2 + 2 years and citizenship.

Now, then, how about my wife? Does she get any privilege of importing her US-plated car due to her status as a re-patriate? Clearly, as a Mexican citizen, she isn't in the FM3/FM2 scheme. Nor is she in the FMT scheme. 

If she has no privilege what-so-ever as a re-patriate then it would seem that she has to sell her car (as you suggested). Alternatively, can she bring in her car for 6-month stints repeatedly? That is, I imagine if she were merely vacationing in Mexico she could bring a car for 180 days; can she "vacation" for successive 180 day periods indefinitely? 

Perhaps there are pit-falls here. E.g., I might be able to drive her car - alone - as an FM3-Retiree, but not after 2 years on an FM2 with conversion to inmigrado or citizenship. So, my eventual conversion to an FM2 would trigger my need to take care not to drive her car to the garage for service alone. 

Or, perhaps, the fact that she owns - and lives in - a home in Mexico - and has a husband in FM3 or FM2 status - would render her ineligible for any 180 day imports (which she might otherwise enjoy while domiciled in the US and merely vacationing in Mexico).


Thanks,
Mark


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## RVGRINGO

There are special rules for Mexican citizens with 'green cards' to repatriate and nationalize a US plated vehicle. I think it may be covered under the 'Paisano' program, but I know nothing of the details.

if you had a US plated car in Mexico, in your own name, your wife & other family members are permitted to drive it. However, it is a good idea to have proofs of those relationships in the car at all times. Otherwise, confiscation is a possibility and it is often very difficult to reclaim the vehicle.

You, on the other hand, may drive any Mexican plated car. Of course, in both cases, it is very wise to have all possible drivers named on the insurance policies.

All of your other assumptions seem to be correct.


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