# How to move to Mexico and Marry a Mexican National



## woolphotos (Aug 4, 2017)

Hello all. My first time here. I've had a hard time finding the exact steps online for Marrying a Mexican and living in Mexico. 
-What do I have to do 
-What forms do I need
-How long does the process usually take
-Any preparations in the US before I move down there

And any tips for moving there, things I need to know law wise while bringing my belongings there?

And if this has already been answered, a link to the previous forum so as to not waste anyone's time. 
Thank you!


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## TurtleToo (Aug 23, 2013)

woolphotos said:


> Hello all. My first time here. I've had a hard time finding the exact steps online for Marrying a Mexican and living in Mexico.
> -What do I have to do
> -What forms do I need
> -How long does the process usually take
> ...


Do you have a particular Mexican in mind to marry, or do you plan to move to Mexico and search for one? 

.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

The answers to all of your questions could easily fill a small book.

Could you give a little more information about your situation and then try to start with maybe one or two more specific questions that we could answer here in a forum format?

Many of us here are married to Mexicans and we can surely help but we need to know more about your situation to give any useful advice.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

TurtleToo said:


> Do you have a particular Mexican in mind to marry, or do you plan to move to Mexico and search for one?
> 
> .


That was my first thought:

Step #1 -- find a Mexican that wants to marry you.

You found a less wise acre way of saying it...


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## woolphotos (Aug 4, 2017)

Lol, sarcasm I hope! Yes, I have a Mexican in mind. I'm planning on moving to Puerto Vallarta and I don't know the steps of how to be in the country legally before the actual marriage. Documents I need, etc... then, how to get married (I know where to go in the US and all that, but not in Mexico).
What are the steps of getting to the marriage, what to do after the marriage, etc...


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

circle110 said:


> That was my first thought:
> 
> Step #1 -- find a Mexican that wants to marry you.
> 
> You found a less wise acre way of saying it...


"acre" ?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

woolphotos said:


> Lol, sarcasm I hope! Yes, I have a Mexican in mind. I'm planning on moving to Puerto Vallarta and I don't know the steps of how to be in the country legally before the actual marriage. Documents I need, etc... then, how to get married (I know where to go in the US and all that, but not in Mexico).
> What are the steps of getting to the marriage, what to do after the marriage, etc...


Is your Mexican in Mexico or the US? Are you planning on marrying before moving to Mexico or after?


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

My wife was born in Mexico and had both Mexican and U.S. citizenship when we met. We came in February 2013; she as a citizen and me on a tourist permit. We were married on February 27, 2013 in Mexico. I got my Residente Temporal about a month later and, two years after that, my Residente Permanente.

Here are the things I needed here in Colima. I mention the state because the marriage part is mostly controlled at the state level so, YMMV. I needed a copy of my birth certificate and a apostille for it. Also, since I had been previously married, I needed a copy of my divorce decree and that also had to be apostilled. And both of those two documents had to be translated into Spanish by a translator approved by the local courthouse, where we got married. Also, since my wife was also previously married, she needed her divorce decree as well. The only other thing we needed in order to get the marriage license was a blood test that we had done at Red Cross (Cruz Roja).

Note that we were married at the courthouse and that she and I each needed to bring two witnesses. If you or your betrothed want a church wedding, fine. But, get one done at the courthouse first because you will need the paperwork they provide for the next step, getting your Residente Temporal.

For that, you need your passport, your marriage certificate and a few pesos (about $4,000 in total if I recall correctly). You start that process online at INM. There is an online form you fill out then print and take to the nearest INM office. They will take your application, have you fill out some additional forms, get some pictures and make the payments. If all is in order, you should have your RT card in about a month or so.

So, the things you should take care of before you leave are getting your birth certificate and, if appropriate, divorce decree; and the apostilles for both of those documents. Otherwise, since you will be marrying a Mexican and applying for a residency visa under vinculo familiar, it is not necessary for you to start the immigration process in your home country.


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## woolphotos (Aug 4, 2017)

dwwhiteside said:


> My wife was born in Mexico and had both Mexican and U.S. citizenship when we met. We came in February 2013; she as a citizen and me on a tourist permit. We were married on February 27, 2013 in Mexico. I got my Residente Temporal about a month later and, two years after that, my Residente Permanente.



Thank you! So it looks like i can get the permit online, print it, and they stamp it when I go through customs at the airport. I plan to be married in Mexico within that 180 days (as soon as possible, really). So I'm wondering, do you know, what I need to do in order to work? I will have some funds to work with, but I will be needing a job. 

On a side note, are there even any available jobs for Americans while they're still learning Spanish?


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

woolphotos said:


> Thank you! So it looks like i can get the permit online, print it, and they stamp it when I go through customs at the airport. I plan to be married in Mexico within that 180 days (as soon as possible, really). So I'm wondering, do you know, what I need to do in order to work? I will have some funds to work with, but I will be needing a job.
> 
> On a side note, are there even any available jobs for Americans while they're still learning Spanish?


Actually, when you come to Mexico on a tourist permit, the permit is issued when you pass immigration in Mexico; there is nothing you need to do online. And you cannot legally work in Mexico on a tourist permit. If fact, you cannot work on a temporary residence visa unless you also get a lucrativa. I never had one of those so I do not have any idea how that works.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

To work in Mexico, you will have to apply for a lucrativa endorsement to your Rewsidente Temporal visa. Without it, you cannot work in Mexico. Violation can get you deported. So, be prepared to support yourself for some indefinite period of time. Does your wife have income that might suffice for a while? There are no safety nets for you in Mexico.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> To work in Mexico, you will have to apply for a lucrativa endorsement to your Rewsidente Temporal visa. Without it, you cannot work in Mexico. Violation can get you deported. So, be prepared to support yourself for some indefinite period of time. Does your wife have income that might suffice for a while? There are no safety nets for you in Mexico.


I agree with RV's advice. A question, what sort of work will you be looking for?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

RVGRINGO said:


> To work in Mexico, you will have to apply for a lucrativa endorsement to your Rewsidente Temporal visa. Without it, you cannot work in Mexico. Violation can get you deported. So, be prepared to support yourself for some indefinite period of time. Does your wife have income that might suffice for a while? There are no safety nets for you in Mexico.


I think the poster will have a husband. At least, one post mentioned a boy friend, rather than a girl friend.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Isla Verde said:


> "acre" ?


It must be a midwestern thing. Acre substitutes for a 3 letter word starting with the same letter.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> To work in Mexico, you will have to apply for a lucrativa endorsement to your Rewsidente Temporal visa. Without it, you cannot work in Mexico. Violation can get you deported. So, be prepared to support yourself for some indefinite period of time. Does your wife have income that might suffice for a while? There are no safety nets for you in Mexico.


"Inmigrante: [ Immigrant Charateristics: ]

Rentista
Inversionista
Profesional
Cargo de confianza
Científico
Técnico
Familiar
Artista
Deportista
Asimilado

Google Translation:

Immigrant Charateristics:

Pensioner
Investor
Professional
Trust charge
Scientific
Technical
Family
Artist
Athlete
Assimilate"


http://www.inm.gob.mx/static/marco_juridico/pdf/Presentacion_generalidades_Ley_Migracion.pdf

I went through the process of getting a "Permiso para Trabajar" [Work Permit] under the "Vinculo Familiar" law when I had a 2 year Residente Temporal. They didn´t recognized what they first told me I would be processed as under a family member not needing a special characteristic to be approved for the work permit because of being married to a Mexican National and living in Mexico. They said I could apply for any job and be approved - had to pay bills. 

But they processes me by the "point system" all immigrants are processed under above if you apply for a work permit you need to be classified under one of the above characteristics that allows working in Mexico to be approved. 

Professional is what I was appoved under. You need university diplomas and other reference documents to prove you are an educated professional first then a job offer in writting that meets the same criteria as your education and experience.

I don´t know if only our INM office is/was doing this or if all INM offices are doing this.

There are rules in place that prohibit foreigners from taking jobs away from Mexican citizens when a citizen can do the job.

Pensioners in the above list do not qualify for a work permit. Niether does Family as in Residente Temporal using the "Vinculo Familiar" law. They give you a 1, 2, 3, or 4 year Residente Temporal visa/card with no work permit. Then after 2 years on a RT you can apply for a Residente Permanente visa/card which includes permission to work.


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## costaricamex (Jul 7, 2017)

You can earn money by writing an e-book on "How to marry a Mexican" 
All the details and legal steps to live in Mexico. 

Start keeping notes.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Woolphotos,

Here is what you hope to be able to do:

Fill out a form online and get permission to enter Mexico and marry your boyfriend, get a job and work in Mexico. Then you simply fly to PV and do all of the above. Sounds fun.

Unfortunately, the possibility of that happening is 0%.

Here is what you might actually be able to do:

1. Fly to Mexico and receive an FMM tourist permit upon entry. That gives you permission to stay 180 days but no work is allowed. 
(You could apply for permanent or temporary residency while still in the US but I suspect you don't have the financial resources necessary for that. Remember Mexico wants you to bring your own money to live on; they don't want you to work here and take a job away from a Mexican.)

2. You apply to the Mexican government to get permission to marry a Mexican citizen. This is a requirement in Mexico. It costs roughly $500-600 USD as I recall. 

3. You apply for a civil marriage license (church weddings don't count in Mexico like they do in the US).

4. You get married and have a hell of a fun party afterwards.

5. You go to immigration in PV and apply for temporary residence via what is called "vinculo familiar". That means "family link" and you are eligible due to your marriage to a citizen. While you are there, ask what their requirements are for the lucrativa endorsement. Hopefully you will qualify in some way. If you are eligible, apply for that endorsement. If not, start looking for a plan B.

6. In 2 years you will be eligible for permanent residency due to your marriage plus 2 years as a temp resident; so go back to immigration, apply and receive that. Then you will have the right to work no matter what -- no special endorsement required any longer. 

All of 1-5 will take many months and you will not be able to work in Mexico during that time. In the meantime you may want to grab a second job and save what you will need for 4-6 months of living expenses in Mexico (it is less than you'd think).
Or, set up an online business of some kind so you will have some cash flow during those lean months.

Suerte!


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## TurtleToo (Aug 23, 2013)

circle110 said:


> It must be a midwestern thing. Acre substitutes for a 3 letter word starting with the same letter.


Not just midwestern! I grew up with the same term in New England. In our neck of the woods, its pretty much a synonym for "smart alec" (or aleck, both spellings are in dictionary.)

.


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## Tinaco (Jun 4, 2017)

You can get married in the US and your marriage licence will be recognized in Mexico.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Tinaco said:


> You can get married in the US and your marriage licence will be recognized in Mexico.


That's what we did. It was a fraction of the cost and took less than an hour. We then did the ceremony and fiesta in Guanajuato.

The piece I will add is that it will serve you a hundred times over to register your US marriage in Mexico. Although it is "recognized" it can't be used for much of anything if you haven't registered it with the Registro Civil. 

The OP doesn't state whether her boyfriend has a visa to visit the US or not. If he doesn't, this plan would be a moot.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

circle110 said:


> Woolphotos,
> 
> Here is what you hope to be able to do:
> 
> 2. You apply to the Mexican government to get permission to marry a Mexican citizen. This is a requirement in Mexico. It costs roughly $500-600 USD as I recall.



I had to get permission from INM [Mexican Immigration] almost 8 years ago [about $2,500 pesos] also, same as you did, however the law now is INM does not get involved in marriages to foreigners in Mexico anymore and this law is not on the books anymore. No need now to get an "Autorización para que un extranjero pueda contraer matrimonio con Mexicano".

This link below is what you are talking about.

http://www.inm.gob.mx/static/tramit...ciones/AutorizacionparacontraerMatrimonio.pdf

Notice that the date on this INM webpage is Jan. 29th, 2010.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

AlanMexicali said:


> I had to get permission from INM [Mexican Immigration] almost 8 years ago [about $2,500 pesos] also, same as you did, however the law now is INM does not get involved in marriages to foreigners in Mexico anymore and this law is not on the books anymore. No need now to get an "Autorización para que un extranjero pueda contraer matrimonio con Mexicano".
> 
> This link below is what you are talking about.
> 
> ...


That's good news for woolphotos. That was such a ridiculous rule. We wound up getting married in Texas so it didn't affect me but I still thought it was a dumb law.


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## josekoko (May 25, 2017)

I thought love was more an act of fate or serendipity or a gift....I guess marriage is different than love. I hope you find both!


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