# Work Visa



## susanita (Nov 20, 2011)

I have searched recent threads, but I was unable to find a list of the doucments needed to obtain a work visa ( for teaching, which is different that other professions, I was told). I visited the immigration office here in Cuernavaca, but the employee was unwilling to give me a copy or tell me exactly what I need. I believe I need a letter stating why I have moved to Mexico, last 3 months bank statements and a letter from a school wishing to hire me. Do I need proof of my current address?

Once I receive a work visa, will I have to show proof of a certain income level to renew? I am concerned about this since, I will not have a monthly income, just a lump savings account. Thank you for any other information.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Do you have a job offer from a school? If so, most of the legitimate schools I have heard about will help you with the process, many of them practically take care of it for you.

To renew you each year you will have to show that you still are employed by that employer. You work permit and visa are tied to that employer unless you get an independent work permit - one not tied to an employer. Those are a little more rare but one of the regular posters here obtained her independent work permit as a teacher and she'll be able to tell you much more about that than I can.

If you have a job, you do not need the proof of income from outside Mexico. That is just for "rentista" status and you would have employee status.

Yes, you always need to keep INM informed of any address change.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> To renew you each year you will have to show that you still are employed by that employer. You work permit and visa are tied to that employer unless you get an independent work permit - one not tied to an employer. Those are a little more rare but one of the regular posters here obtained her independent work permit as a teacher and she'll be able to tell you much more about that than I can.


I am that regular poster with a visa that allows me to work "de manera independiente" as an English teacher, and they're not that rare or hard to get. Feel free to send me a PM with any questions you may have. You can also post a query at Dave's ESL Café: Job Discussion Forums :: Index. Scroll down to get to the Mexico Forum.


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## joelpb (Nov 23, 2009)

I do not know why people need any thing other than a tourist visa. Just make a
trip to the USA once a year. No hassle. No money requirments. Tell me why you 
would want or need to have any other.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

joelpb said:


> I do not know why people need any thing other than a tourist visa. Just make a
> trip to the USA once a year. No hassle. No money requirments. Tell me why you
> would want or need to have any other.


A tourist visa is good for only 6 months (180 days) not 1 year. So for me, every six months, I would spend over 2,500 pesos to go to the border and get a new FMM. This is a no-brainer.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Caution: 180 days is not quite six months. So, if you aren't careful, you could overstay your FMM by a day or two and lose the deposit you paid for your car. Be careful, if you are playing it close. They won't listen to your sob story.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Isla Verde said:


> I am that regular poster with a visa that allows me to work "de manera independiente" as an English teacher, and they're not that rare or hard to get.


It is probably because I don't know that many English teachers here, but you are the only one I know of that has managed to secure an independent work visa. Hence, my using the phrase "a little rare". To those in the field it may not seem so unusual. Every other person I know with a work permit has gotten it through an employer (including the English teachers I do know) so that seemed much more common to me... an impression no doubt caused my myopic perspective.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

circle110 said:


> It is probably because I don't know that many English teachers here, but you are the only one I know of that has managed to secure an independent work visa. Hence, my using the phrase "a little rare". To those in the field it may not seem so unusual. Every other person I know with a work permit has gotten it through an employer (including the English teachers I do know) so that seemed much more common to me... an impression no doubt caused my myopic perspective.


I also have a visa with permission to work that is not tied to a particular employer. However, I have to demonstrate adequate resources to support myself every time I renew it. So it is like a rentista status in that regard. The


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> I also have a visa with permission to work that is not tied to a particular employer. However, I have to demonstrate adequate resources to support myself every time I renew it. So it is like a rentista status in that regard. The


That's unfortunate for you. When I renew my visa, I only have to show proof that I paid taxes the month preceding my renewal application, and I can assure you that the portion of my income that comes from teaching is not enough to pay all my bills!


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

TundraGreen said:


> I also have a visa with permission to work that is not tied to a particular employer. However, I have to demonstrate adequate resources to support myself every time I renew it. So it is like a rentista status in that regard. The


Well, that shows what I don't know. It is obviously more common than I realized.

Isla Verde, does your visa work the same way as TundraGreen's? 

If I had such a visa with permission to work independently as a musician it would open a lot of opportunities for me.

I imagine I would need to show evidence of expertize in my field -- maybe my music school degree plus evidence of continued professional experience?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> That's unfortunate for you. When I renew my visa, I only have to show proof that I paid taxes the month preceding my renewal application, and I can assure you that the portion of my income that comes from teaching is not enough to pay all my bills!


I too had to demonstrate that I paid taxes. But they also wanted proof of income.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> Isla Verde, does your visa work the same way as TundraGreen's?
> 
> If I had such a visa with permission to work independently as a musician it would open a lot of opportunities for me.
> 
> I imagine I would need to show evidence of expertize in my field -- maybe my music school degree plus evidence of continued professional experience?


See my previous post. Mine works quite differently than TundraGreen's does. If you are a musician and earn your living in Mexico that way, there might be a way to apply for the kind of visa I have. Your music school degree would certainly help plus your experience. You should check at your local INM office and ask. I think there is a special category for artists and that could include musicians.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> See my previous post. Mine works quite differently than TundraGreen's does. If you are a musician and earn your living in Mexico that way, there might be a way to apply for the kind of visa I have. Your music school degree would certainly help plus your experience. You should check at your local INM office and ask. I think there is a special category for artists and that could include musicians.


Just for clarity, my visa is Calidad:Inmigrante, Caracteristica: Tecnico. They never seem to be concerned about who I work for but they do want proof of income or bank balance. And they want proof that I have paid taxes.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> Just for clarity, my visa is Calidad:Inmigrante, Caracteristica: Tecnico. They never seem to be concerned about who I work for but they do want proof of income or bank balance. And they want proof that I have paid taxes.


Let's compare: Mine is Calidad: NO INMIGRANTE (formerly FM3). 
Característica: Visitante 
Modalidad: Técnico o Científico - Lucrativa

My FM3 booklet clearly stated that I had permission to work "de manera independiente" as an English teacher. This is not stated on the little plastic card that has replaced the booklet.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks, TundraGreen and Isla Verde. I'll ask at INM in San Miguel when I go on Friday.

I don't currently earn my living as a musician. I can't anyway since I don't have a work visa but I don't _need_ to either since I have enough income from my investments to qualify for a "no-inmigrante" rentista. I think I may be after what TundraGreen has: basically a rentista visa with added permission to work.

It's just that I have missed musical opportunities because of my lack of a work visa and if I could get one it would open more possibilities. I thought it was very difficult to obtain but this thread has shown me that it isn't as hard as I imagined.

I'll see what they say at INM on Friday.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> Thanks, TundraGreen and Isla Verde. I'll ask at INM in San Miguel when I go on Friday.
> 
> I don't currently earn my living as a musician. I can't anyway since I don't have a work visa but I don't _need_ to either since I have enough income from my investments to qualify for a "no-inmigrante" rentista. I think I may be after what TundraGreen has: basically a rentista visa with added permission to work.
> 
> ...


Let us know what they say.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> Let's compare: Mine is Calidad: NO INMIGRANTE (formerly FM3).
> Característica: Visitante
> Modalidad: Técnico o Científico - Lucrativa
> 
> My FM3 booklet clearly stated that I had permission to work "de manera independiente" as an English teacher. This is not stated on the little plastic card that has replaced the booklet.


Interesting. My current plastic card is brand new as of this afternoon. I just finished renewing it. It has no Modalidad notation on it. Just Característica:Técnico and Calidad:Inmigrante. Maybe different offices do it differently. But with different forms?


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