# RT renewal



## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I had a good day at the INM in Cancun today. 

My first-year RT expired last september, and I applied for an extension just before it expired. They tried to tell me it was unlikely I'd be approved for a 3-year extension, but I had a bank statement showing $300k from the sale of my house in an account that hadn't been touched for 9 months and went ahead with the 3 year application and they accepted the paperwork on 9/19. On 9/22 they assigned the case to someone according to the online status. On 10/16 they updated it and said "Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio". Since then nothing.

Because the lines are so long I really let it go as long as I could before I went down to ask what was up. That was today. I got there just after they opened, and the building was already full with the line extending across the courtyard. 40 minutes later the line had moved up enough that I could get in the building, and sit down out of the sun. I am glad I didn't take my blood pressure medicine this morning because I came close to fainting as it was from standing outside. Anyway, after another 30 minutes wait sitting down inside in the semi-air-conditioning, I got to the front of the line.

They never said what the hold up was, or if in fact they were waiting on me. They simply made an appointment for me to come back to get fingerprinted, in 15 days. They gave me the paper saying to bring photos and my payment receipt, but didn't give me the form to take to the bank until I asked for it.

So in two weeks I'll get fingerprinted, and based on last year two weeks after that I'll be able to go back and pick up the card. I think last year they said they would notify me when the card was ready, but didn't, so the two weeks was how long I waited before I went back, and they just handed me the card without an explanation for why I hadn't been notified it was ready.

They really need more capacity at the Cancun office, it's a total zoo. More space, more employees, they could do with another entire office somewhere else in town, really.

I envy all of you who have sleepy little INM offices to go to with nobody waiting and 2 day turnaround on the whole process.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

eastwind said:


> I had a good day at the INM in Cancun today.
> 
> My first-year RT expired last september, and I applied for an extension just before it expired. They tried to tell me it was unlikely I'd be approved for a 3-year extension, but I had a bank statement showing $300k from the sale of my house in an account that hadn't been touched for 9 months and went ahead with the 3 year application and they accepted the paperwork on 9/19. On 9/22 they assigned the case to someone according to the online status. On 10/16 they updated it and said "Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio". Since then nothing.
> 
> ...


Glad it's moving along for you. I'm permanente now, but back when I had to go for RT renewals, it was always a zoo in PV and then in Bucerias and then in Nuevo Vallarta for those whose renewals came up between November and April, when all the "it's too hot for me in the summer here" wimps were back. Those who were lucky enough to have made their original applications (and therefore subsequent renewals) in the summer months enjoyed a virtually empty office with no line-ups. 

And I clued in at some point that everyone went early and then had to take a number and wait for hours. I started going about 45 minutes before closing time and the office was pretty much empty.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Wow, they had numbers? 

In Cancun, the office closes at 2:00 pm every day for the rest of the day. If you are waiting in line outside and haven't made it inside yet, you are turned away. Come back tomorrow. If you make it inside before 2:00, they finish off the people waiting, but unless you have everything in order you'll get sent off to get something and come back another day anyway.

Cancun has separate lines for people with appointments. Also when you go through the long line and they finally agree you have your paperwork all together they give you a card with a number which is your place in the shorter line to turn in the paperwork. But they don't do numbers for the long line. They have a system of ordering for the seats inside, and you slide from one seat to the next to maintain your place in line once you get in the building.

Overall it was a good day today. The end of this go-round is now in sight, and I'm really happy that it looks like they're going to give me 3 years.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

When I first got a temp visa about 16 years ago, the only INM office south of Tepic was in PV. They had a number machine. I'd walk in, pull a number, it would be like #286 and the board on the wall said they were on #74. I'd leave, do my shopping for an hour or two, then come back, at which point they'd be on maybe #206, so I only had an hour or so to wait. And yes, they closed at 2. I think they all do.
Then they opened an office in Bucerias, so I only had a half hour drive instead of an hour. That office was good, they also had a number system. Plus there was a great little second hand store on the next corner I could check out while waiting. After a few years, they moved that office to Nuevo Vallarta, with the same staff, most of whom were great. There was one young woman who was always laughing and made things really easy for everyone. I was always hoping that when my number came up I'd get her wicket. Now at the Nuevo office you sign in at the door, and they give you a number. At least that's how it worked a few years ago, which is the last time I had to go (yea!)


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

That is the first time I have read or have experienced that a 1 year RT renewal would not be offered the option of a 1,2, or 3 year renewal. I have helped 7 people and all were offered the 3 years.

When an INM Clerk occasionally said something out of the ordinary I always asked them to check with the Licenciado/a in charge that reviews and approves all applications to verify their statement and the INM clerks phoned their supervisors and took back their misinformation every time. This happened several times years ago when they were still new at the game but has happened this year in Puerto Vallarta.

It sounds like you were just being jerked around for no reason. IMO This happens sometimes in government offices. Middle class and upper middle class educated people will often report government employees that are incompetent or ones asking for a bribe to do thier job by going to their administration office and filing an incident report. I did it once and it took 30 minuted to complete.


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