# FMM application during COVID-19?



## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

Our family's best friends are living in Mexico on an FMM that expires in less than two weeks. They recently moved there (I think this might be only their second FMM) and are still working towards a proper visa.

Neither they nor we have had any luck finding out if INM is issuing new FMMs for people like them during the COVID-19 border shutdown. I know there are gobs of people living full-time in Mexico on FMMs, making a border run every six months, so our friends can't be the only ones in this boat. Has anyone here heard what the situation is? Do you know if they'll be able to get new FMMs, assuming the border shutdown will still be in effect? Or will they have to stay in the USA until the border shutdown is lifted?


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## TurtleToo (Aug 23, 2013)

Twelcome to the forum, kphoger!

As of April 13, there is a process for applying for a new FMM without leaving Mexico IF the FMM expires while you are in Mexico. There is a fine of 1,737.60, a "review fee" of 1,365, and the new card fee of 575, so it is not inexpensive. But cheaper (and no doubt safer) than traveling to the border at this time.

I'll look for the source and try to link it; I can't locate it just now. Good luck to your friends!


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## Stevenjb (Dec 10, 2017)

This YouTube video may help.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

The INM will extend a 180 day tourist card at local INM offices if it expires between Jan. 20th. 2020 and April 30th. 2020 for another 180 days and people 60 or older for one year with the option of applying for a Residente Temporal visa/card locally inside Mexico skipping the need to apply at a Mexican Consulate. If not they will not help you at this time. 

The date might be extended to May 31st. because the Mexican federal government shutdown date was extended from April 30th. to May 31st.. I was there yesterday with a friend and they told us this. His expires May 3rd.. They did not say anything about extending the cutoff date to May 31st.. That comment came from Spencer in Lake Chapala - Intercasa - a lawyer.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

AlanMexicali said:


> The INM will extend a 180 day tourist card at local INM offices if it expires between Jan. 20th. 2020 and April 30th. 2020 for another 180 days ... The date might be extended to May 31st. because the Mexican federal government shutdown date was extended from April 30th. to May 31st.. I was there yesterday with a friend and they told us this. His expires May 3rd.. They did not say anything about extending the cutoff date to May 31st.. That comment came from Spencer in Lake Chapala - Intercasa - a lawyer.


Thank you so much for the quick reply! I just called our friends to relay the message and brightened their day. He had called several INM offices recently for answers and been put on hold every time, with nobody ever coming back on the line. (I even think he called the emergency US Consulate number in CDMX last week and just annoyed the man who answered the phone by his asking.) With your somewhat-promising report, they'll head out early tomorrow morning for the two-hour drive to the INM office in Saltillo. I figure, even if it doesn't pan out there (their cards expire after 30-APR-2020), at least they should have some more answers and the only thing wasted will have been a tank of gas and two highway tolls.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

... and then they'll make a border run anyway, because they'll have to get a new TIP ...


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

kphoger said:


> AlanMexicali said:
> 
> 
> > The INM will extend a 180 day tourist card at local INM offices if it expires between Jan. 20th. 2020 and April 30th. 2020 for another 180 days ... The date might be extended to May 31st. because the Mexican federal government shutdown date was extended from April 30th. to May 31st.. I was there yesterday with a friend and they told us this. His expires May 3rd.. They did not say anything about extending the cutoff date to May 31st.. That comment came from Spencer in Lake Chapala - Intercasa - a lawyer.
> ...


As of today Spencer, the lawyer, has not posted INM has extended the offer until May 31st.. So going until it is extended from April 30th. they will get same answer we got on Tuesday here in San Luis Potosí, probably but not certain, which was they could not give him a 1 year FMM tourist card or a 180 day one after his expired on May 3rd. and then 30 days before the 1 year process a Residente Temporal for him - he is 70. They need the current FMM card to expire before issuing a new one not an unexpired FMM and only if it expires on April 30th. or before and not before Jan. 20th. They told us now under these circumstances they will not be enforcing detainment for expired FMM inside Mexico until further notice. When you " can " get a new one. Insinuating there is no need to travel to the border to do it now or in the near future.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

Ah, great, so that leaves them in the lurch with their vehicle, then?

Can't get a new FMM until the old ones expire,
old TIP expires at the same time as the FMM,
can't get a new TIP without a current FMM,
can't get a TIP except at the border office.

So..... let both FMM and TIP expire, drive 150km with expired FMMs and TIP to the INM office in Saltillo, get FMM extension, then drive another 375km with an expired TIP to the customs office in Allende for a new TIP. ??

Welcome back, stress.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

They will only get new FMM cards in Saltillo after their other ones expire if INM extends the offer to May 31st.. INM might not do this. If not they will have to go to the border before they expire which also would give them the chance to get another TIP and turn the one they have in. 

Whether they get back in as tourists now I have no idea. One thing I did pick up from the INM clerk on Tuesday was she had no problem with my buddy showing her his CFE bill and title to the apartment he just bought here and asking for a back to back 180 day FMM tourist card.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

Well, yes, that's certainly a possibility that's impossible to know yet.

They rent their house but the utilities are in the landlord's name. However, their lease agreement has both names on it, which would match their name up with the one on the CFE bill.

*uggh*


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

kphoger said:


> Well, yes, that's certainly a possibility that's impossible to know yet.
> 
> They rent their house but the utilities are in the landlord's name. However, their lease agreement has both names on it, which would match their name up with the one on the CFE bill.
> 
> *uggh*


This is dated information now. But at one time I lived in a rented space with the utility bill in my landlord's name. To renew my visa, I gave INM a copy of the utility bill together with a copy of a letter signed by my landlord saying I was living there, and a copy of both sides of the landlord's IFE card.


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## a.shutterbug (Apr 24, 2020)

We are the family referred to in this thread. Will update when we've spoken to INM un Allende. We are praying the Mexican govt will change the extension date to May 31 by the time we arrive. If not, we'll figure it out from there, I guess.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in with what info you have!


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

a.shutterbug said:


> We are praying the Mexican govt will change the extension date to May 31 by the time we arrive. If not, we'll figure it out from there, I guess.


You really don't need to stress out about it. The worst that will happen is that you'll be asked to pay for another tourist card when you drive out and will lose your deposit on your vehicle TIP. You aren't going to get thrown in jail or anything.


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## a.shutterbug (Apr 24, 2020)

We were able to cancel our FMMs and vehicle permits yesterday, then apply and receive our new ones today. No problems at the INM at all. We were questioned 4 times on our journey home, our highly contagious outer tire surfaces were spritzed with bleach twice, along with our temps taken (with Harbor Freight type IR thermometers) twice. Good intentions with bad execution...

But I still can't figure the tire bleaching...


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

a.shutterbug said:


> We were able to cancel our FMMs and vehicle permits yesterday, then apply and receive our new ones today. No problems at the INM at all. We were questioned 4 times on our journey home, our highly contagious outer tire surfaces were spritzed with bleach twice, along with our temps taken (with Harbor Freight type IR thermometers) twice. Good intentions with bad execution...
> 
> But I still can't figure the tire bleaching...


You mean you aren't in the habit of licking your tires? But what if someone else does ?  The temp taking is definitely pointless. Not only can people have an elevated temperature for all kinds of reasons, doctors in NY have reported that 70% of their COVID patients had no fever whatsoever.
You sure it was bleach? There are some places in Mexico, when you cross state lines, where they will spray your tires with insecticides to keep from spreading insect-borne crop diseases.
Anyway, glad you got it all easily sorted.


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## a.shutterbug (Apr 24, 2020)

At the second checkpoint, I know it had bleach in it because it was a strong odor with our windows down while he was spritzing, but not before or long after. The first may have been insecticide, now that you mention it, but we were at a toll booth within the state of Coahuila, who knows? I didn't smell that one.


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

a.shutterbug said:


> We were able to cancel our FMMs and vehicle permits yesterday, then apply and receive our new ones today. No problems at the INM at all. We were questioned 4 times on our journey home, our highly contagious outer tire surfaces were spritzed with bleach twice, along with our temps taken (with Harbor Freight type IR thermometers) twice. Good intentions with bad execution...
> 
> But I still can't figure the tire bleaching...


So glad to hear you guys got everything worked out, brother. And without too much hassle, too.



surabi said:


> You sure it was bleach? There are some places in Mexico, when you cross state lines, where they will spray your tires with insecticides to keep from spreading insect-borne crop diseases.


Not only does that route not cross any state lines, I don't even think there's so much as an abandoned "fitosanitario" checkpoint along the way, let alone an active one.


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## sbeech (Apr 3, 2014)

AlanMexicali said:


> As of today Spencer, the lawyer, has not posted INM has extended the offer until May 31st.. So going until it is extended from April 30th. they will get same answer we got on Tuesday here in San Luis Potosí, probably but not certain, which was they could not give him a 1 year FMM tourist card or a 180 day one after his expired on May 3rd. and then 30 days before the 1 year process a Residente Temporal for him - he is 70. They need the current FMM card to expire before issuing a new one not an unexpired FMM and only if it expires on April 30th. or before and not before Jan. 20th. They told us now under these circumstances they will not be enforcing detainment for expired FMM inside Mexico until further notice. When you " can " get a new one. Insinuating there is no need to travel to the border to do it now or in the near future.


Alan, 
I live just north of SLP and my FMM expired last week......do you know if the INM office there is still renewing FMMs, ....If so, which office is it there, found 3 INM offices there including the one in the airport....the other 2 were on Prolongación Muñoz 162 and German Gedovius 175, Col del Valle
Cheers
Steve


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

sbeech said:


> AlanMexicali said:
> 
> 
> > As of today Spencer, the lawyer, has not posted INM has extended the offer until May 31st.. So going until it is extended from April 30th. they will get same answer we got on Tuesday here in San Luis Potosí, probably but not certain, which was they could not give him a 1 year FMM tourist card or a 180 day one after his expired on May 3rd. and then 30 days before the 1 year process a Residente Temporal for him - he is 70. They need the current FMM card to expire before issuing a new one not an unexpired FMM and only if it expires on April 30th. or before and not before Jan. 20th. They told us now under these circumstances they will not be enforcing detainment for expired FMM inside Mexico until further notice. When you " can " get a new one. Insinuating there is no need to travel to the border to do it now or in the near future.
> ...



I haven't read anything about getting FMM tourist cards at local INM offices when yours has expired since June 10th. so imagine the program is now over. The INM office is the one on Muñoz and their hours are from 9 to 1 Mon. to Fri.. Their phone number is 444 833 1959 and 444 833 2481. They might still do it.


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## sbeech (Apr 3, 2014)

AlanMexicali said:


> I haven't read anything about getting FMM tourist cards at local INM offices when yours has expired since June 10th. so imagine the program is now over. The INM office is the one on Muñoz and their hours are from 9 to 1 Mon. to Fri.. Their phone number is 444 833 1959 and 444 833 2481. They might still do it.


My apologies Alan, I thought you were saying that FMMs could be renewed locally in SLP, without trekking to the border.......we tried Munoz 362 today and there was heavy security everywhere (no idea why they needed 20 odd heavily armed military?) but they said I needed to take my normal 6-monthly trip to the border....According to Sonia Diaz on FB and Chapala.com, they are still processing new FMMs in San Miguel De Allende, but it's for "Humanitarian Reasons" and their financials are out of my ballpark.....I might try SMA again, or do my normal visit to the FreeZone on the Belize border (though their prices for a quick stamp are getting more expensive by the visit!!)
No idea if Belize are even letting "tourists" in though....life is never easy huh.
C'est La Vie.
Thanks anyway.
Steve


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