# La tercera edad, advantages of



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Apart from making you eligible for an INAPAM card, which gives you all sorts of discounts, today I learned that being a senior citizen in Mexico (after having reached the age of 60 or beyond) can help you whiz through at least one of lines at the Mexico City INAPAM office.

I went there this morning to give my fingerprints, the last step (I hope) before getting my RP card. There was a huge mob of people sitting and standing, both in lines and in grouplets, in front of the "huellas" counter, where you wait to have your name called. I had edged my way to the front of the waiting area, when a nice guard asked me for my passport. I handed it over and then wondered why I hadn't asked what he wanted it for. He came back and told me I would be taken care of soon. When I asked why me, he said "Por la edad". Apparently anyone waiting around who looks to be 50 or over gets preferential treatment! How nice. It took about 10 more minutes of waiting and then I was called to approach the counter and give prints of all my fingers. Now I just have to wait 2 or 3 more weeks, and my card should be ready :clap2: !!


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> Apart from making you eligible for an INAPAM card, which gives you all sorts of discounts, today I learned that being a senior citizen in Mexico (after having reached the age of 60 or beyond) can help you whiz through at least one of lines at the Mexico City INAPAM office.
> 
> I went there this morning to give my fingerprints, the last step (I hope) before getting my RP card. There was a huge mob of people sitting and standing, both in lines and in grouplets, in front of the "huellas" counter, where you wait to have your name called. I had edged my way to the front of the waiting area, when a nice guard asked me for my passport. I handed it over and then wondered why I hadn't asked what he wanted it for. He came back and told me I would be taken care of soon. When I asked why me, he said "Por la edad". Apparently anyone waiting around who looks to be 50 or over gets preferential treatment! How nice. It took about 10 more minutes of waiting and then I was called to approach the counter and give prints of all my fingers. Now I just have to wait 2 or 3 more weeks, and my card should be ready :clap2: !!


That´s good news and only about 6 weeks, so far.

I might ask, how old was the nice guard?


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

I was visiting the new zoo in Chetumal and at the ticket booth the lady asked my age and I said 65 and she said entrance was free and included a bilingual guide...


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> That´s good news and only about 6 weeks, so far.
> 
> I might ask, how old was the nice guard?


For me, so far 8 weeks and two days. The nice guard was maybe 35 or 40.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> Apart from making you eligible for an INAPAM card, which gives you all sorts of discounts, today I learned that being a senior citizen in Mexico (after having reached the age of 60 or beyond) can help you whiz through at least one of lines at the Mexico City INAPAM office.
> 
> I went there this morning to give my fingerprints, the last step (I hope) before getting my RP card. There was a huge mob of people sitting and standing, both in lines and in grouplets, in front of the "huellas" counter, where you wait to have your name called. I had edged my way to the front of the waiting area, when a nice guard asked me for my passport. I handed it over and then wondered why I hadn't asked what he wanted it for. He came back and told me I would be taken care of soon. When I asked why me, he said "Por la edad". Apparently anyone waiting around who looks to be 50 or over gets preferential treatment! How nice. It took about 10 more minutes of waiting and then I was called to approach the counter and give prints of all my fingers. Now I just have to wait 2 or 3 more weeks, and my card should be ready :clap2: !!


But Isla...you dont look a day over 40. I think you are playing the game too easily.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

conorkilleen said:


> But Isla...you dont look a day over 40. I think you are playing the game to easily.


Are you sure you aren't Mexican? Anyway, I appreciate the compliment  .


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> Are you sure you aren't Mexican? Anyway, I appreciate the compliment  .


I'm about a close as you can be without actually being.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

conorkilleen said:


> I'm about a close as you can be without actually being.


Your wife has taught you well . . .  .


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

Reaching "La Tercera Edad" is indeed a mixed blessing but one advantage of being an old goober in my 72nd year is that I have ambition to advance from "Inmigrado" (now superceded by "Residents Permanente" status - but hopefully not requiring an imperative change of visa cards any time soon) to Mexican citizenship, perhaps this summer. I understand that, once one advances to 65, can apply for citizenship without taking the written Mexican history, politics and geography test and, while I believe I could pass that test if required, being allowed to forego the test would be a nice advantage for being an anciano. Now I just have to determine whether it is better to approach SRE in Jalisco or Chiapas to find the most sympathetic bureaucrat with whom to deal. I hear they can be pretty rough in Chiapas but we'll see.

An earlier post about polite functionaries caught my atttention and reminded me of when I went in to get my Chiapas driver´s license in San Cristóbal a few years ago. Since I already had a Jalisco license, I was not required to take a driving test but a written test was necessary. The man administering the test, upon discerning that my Spanish was, shall we say, at a somewhat elementary level, announced, " Well, your Spanish needs some work so I´ve decided to give you the easy test." which he proceeded to administer and I passed with flying colors. I even passed the eye exam which had to have been designed for people in their 60s or older. 

After dealing with the dreaded INM in Chapala and Guadalajara for many years, meeting a nice governmental functionary was a real pleasure.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Hound Dog said:


> Reaching "La Tercera Edad" is indeed a mixed blessing but one advantage of being an old goober in my 72nd year is that I have ambition to advance from "Inmigrado" (now superceded by "Residents Permanente" status - but hopefully not requiring an imperative change of visa cards any time soon) to Mexican citizenship, perhaps this summer. I understand that, once one advances to 65, can apply for citizenship without taking the written Mexican history, politics and geography test and, while I believe I could pass that test if required, being allowed to forego the test would be a nice advantage for being an anciano. Now I just have to determine whether it is better to approach SRE in Jalisco or Chiapas to find the most sympathetic bureaucrat with whom to deal. I hear they can be pretty rough in Chiapas but we'll see.
> …


I have the same ambition, to apply for citizenship that is. I have read varying things about the time required before qualifying for citizenship by residence. The application only asks about your comings and goings for the previous two years and it doesn't say anything about your status during those two years. I plan to visit the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores soon to see what they say about it.

PS The list of requirements doesn't say anything about exempting seniors from the culture test. It just says that you have to certify that you speak Spanish, know Mexican history and are integrated into the culture.


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## kcowan (Jul 24, 2010)

I was pleasantly surprised to find parking spots right by the door in Mega parking lots for anyone over 60.


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