# FM2 Revisited: 180 days or 18 months?



## popotla (Feb 6, 2009)

I’d really like to try to clarify the matter of how long is allowed out of the country with an FM2. More Liana (who was asking a question, I think) noted on another board that it was 180 days in five years. RVGRINGO and Rodrigo 84 seem pretty adamant that this is correct. HOWEVER, the law states, doesn’t it, that it’s eighteen months in five years (see below). I dare say quite a few people reading this board would like to know for sure where they stand. I’d like to ask RVGRINGO and Rodrigo 84, if I may, the source of their information and open up this matter for further discussion and comment.

From More Liana @ Nov 12 2008, 11:46 AM) 

If you have an FM-2, you are not allowed to be outside Mexico for more than 180 days over a five year period.
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Is that meaning that you can not be out of Mexico for more than 180 TOTAL added all together over a five year period? That would be hard for us as we plan to spend several weeks at a time in the US several times each year. 
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RVGRINGO replied to the above on Nov 12 2008, 11:09 AM

That is exactly what it means. If the total amount of your time outside of Mexico would exceed 180 days over the entire five year period, you should remain on FM3 status.

Intercasa

I'm not seeing the 180 day rule and that may be a "made up" rule at the whim of an immigration officer. Below is the law of population and I'll translate the relevant parts:

Artículo 47.- El inmigrante que permanezca fuera del país más de dieciocho meses en forma continua o con intermitencias, no podrá solicitar el cambio de su calidad a Inmigrado, en tanto no transcurra de nuevo íntegramente el plazo que exige el artículo 53. Cuando el Inmigrante permanezca más de dos años fuera del país, perderá su calidad migratoria, salvo en los casos excepcionales que determine la Secretaría de Gobernación.

The immigrant who remains outside the country more than 18 months continuously or intermittently cannot apply to be Inmigrado.... When the immigrant remains outside the country more than 2 years he will lose his immigration status except in exceptional cases. 
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seewee
Nov 12 2008, 10:12 PM

That is exact Intercasa. The law makes sense. You either want to live in Mexico permanently or you don't. Allowing 18 months in five years is quite lenient. It is a bit more than 3 months a year. If one year you decide that you need more, there is no problem, you can take longer but you will have to cut it off from the following years.

Only five years of that and than you are an immigrant. 
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seewee
…….. you should know that the time allowed outside the country is limited with an FM-2. You are permitted 18 months thru the 5 years (divided at your discretion), which is an average of a bit more than 3 months a year.
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Rodrigo 84 noted that :

180 days in a 5 year period, not 18 months.

I know of no stated maximum regarding 1 years, just the prohibition regarding 5 years.

My cousin did a lot of business travel and took the FM3, which has no such restrictions.

Valenciana posted that:

I came across the following, from the Instituto Nacional de Migracion website. (my emphases).
There appears to be no date. 
If help's needed with translation, please ask me.

TMI-E-42 EXENCIÓN DEL COMPUTO DE AUSENCIAS 

(Artículo 47 de la LGP)

Para el cómputo de ausencias que el artículo 47 de la Ley autoriza a los inmigrantes, se aplicarán las reglas siguientes:

I. *Podrán ausentarse del país hasta dieciocho meses en forma continua o con intermitencias dentro de sus cinco años de estancia*;

II. El Inmigrante que permanezca fuera del país *más de dieciocho meses*, no podrá solicitar su calidad de Inmigrado, hasta en tanto no transcurra de nuevo íntegramente el plazo que exige el artículo 53 de la Ley;


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

My error. I think Intercasa is correct and that the limit is 18 months. Sorry.
Remember, we're neither immigration officers nor customs agents and can only try to give you advice based on our experience of living here. Then, of course, all is subject to change. For example: In some areas the immigration agents are being very strict and even requiring volunteers for charitable organizations to pay the fees and apply for working permission on their visas, renewable annually.


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