# Please help. Problem with child's visa and schools



## Mtriverqueen (Jun 15, 2015)

Ok we are pretty much set to move to the Yucatan on October 5 th. Driving down so only thing we are still working on is temporary resident visas. Talked to Mexican consulate today. My husband and I are good to go. The problem is our 16, almost 17 year old son. They are saying he needs a student visa. The student visa entails getting a letter of confirmation from a school that they have accepted him as a student. The guy from the consulate says he can't get a regular temporary visa because without the student visa he can't attend school unless he is Mexican born. First I ever heard of that.the problem is, well several. The private schools we are looking at require an in person meeting and an entrance exam before accepting a student. Kind of a catch 22 there since we can't get that without the student visa which we can't get without the acceptance. Second we hadn't even decided on a place yet. We planned on spending a little time in two different places and checking out the atmosphere, real estate and of course, schools. This would make us have to decide on a specific place ahead of time without even seeing it. The consulate said, school has already started here. Well, yes I'm aware of that. My son is extremely smart and we didn't think a month out of school would hurt him. I don't know how we are suppose to pick out a school and be accepted without even going there. I knew things were going too smoothly. Can anybody give me any advice or help me figure this out. I would be so appreciative. Thank you in advance.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

I do not think you are getting the correct info. I believe that your son can pay to attend private school, if he has a RT. You need to tell them that you will select a private school next semester, when you get settled.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

I read the rules as this: If your son is under 18 you can have him apply for a RT visa inside Mexico under the "Vinculo Familiar" law when you get your RT visa/card in hand. But he would have to get a 180 day FMM tourist card entering Mexico and then what coondawg said to attend school there. When he turns 18 he might need to be in school to renew his 1 year RT visa if he isn´t able to renew it for 2 or 3 years for some reason before he turns 18 as you will be supporting him as a student then and if he stays in school until he reaches 26 he will not be able to be a supported student any longer. 

On the other hand there are RT student visas/cards. Maybe the reason the Mexican Consulte can´t give him a status under the "Vinculo Familiar" law is because you do not have your RT visa/card in your hand yet. You have to finish the process at your local INM [Mexican Immigration] office first.


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## Mtriverqueen (Jun 15, 2015)

I kind of put your two answers together and sent them to the guy at consulate. Hopefully this will get it worked out. He actually doesn't even have to have a visa to cross the border with us does he? We will have ours and he will have a passport. But the last thing I want is trouble at the border.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Mtriverqueen said:


> I kind of put your two answers together and sent them to the guy at consulate. Hopefully this will get it worked out. He actually doesn't even have to have a visa to cross the border with us does he? We will have ours and he will have a passport. But the last thing I want is trouble at the border.


When I recieved my 2 year Residente Temporal visa/card over 2 1/2 years ago the form my card was taped to stated my rights as a RT and the two most important of these were to be able to use socialized medicine and the public school and university systems in Mexico. The third was full access to the Mexican justice system. The fourth was access to social programs. So coondagw is correct. With a RT visa your son could enroll in any school he is accepted at. He needs to get a 180 day FMM tourist card at the border entering Mexico to travel past the limited "Free Zone".


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

I checked with friends in SMA and both told me that a child can attend a private school with just a tourist card, birth certificate and passport. Once the parents are RT, the child can become an RT and then can even attend public school, if they desire. They know several under these situations. Hope this helps. Just get that tourist card for you son, and the applications for yourselves. Then add him later.


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