# Long Term Visa Options



## fifthhouse (Jul 29, 2016)

Hello everyone. I am traveling to Mexico city to explore options to live there longer term. I have been reading online about visas, but am still not clear on my options.

I practice a form of manual therapy that helps people get relief from chronic pain. Business issues aside, I want to fully understand what are the options for someone in a freelancer type field such as mine. 

is is simply a matter that I have to find someone to hire me? Or is there a visa that will allow me to set up on my own as a freelancer?


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

You would start by visiting the closest Mexican Consulate in Canada / Germany, they can explain everything...
When you say "I practice a form of manual therapy" does that mean like a Chiropractor or a massage specialist?


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

fifthhouse said:


> Hello everyone. I am traveling to Mexico city to explore options to live there longer term. I have been reading online about visas, but am still not clear on my options.
> 
> I practice a form of manual therapy that helps people get relief from chronic pain. Business issues aside, I want to fully understand what are the options for someone in a freelancer type field such as mine.
> 
> is is simply a matter that I have to find someone to hire me? Or is there a visa that will allow me to set up on my own as a freelancer?


I'd have the same questions about your profession as chico, the Mexican consulate will surely want to know the same, and will require lots of certification. I'd say the chances of getting a resident visa with the right to work by declaring your intention to go free-lance are approximately zero. Foreign professionals are invariably requested by their employer. Lots of ex-pats have a business on the side, often as a hobby, but that's after they worked their way through non-lucrativo temporary resident status-- which requires 2-5 years during which you'll need some income generated _outside_ Mexico. There's probably a way to achieve your goal, but it likely requires a good immigration lawyer.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

With a Residente Permanente visa, an expat may work in Mexico with simple notification to INM. That visa status may be applied for at the nearest Mexican Consulate in your current country of residence; not in Mexico. It will require that you have significant financial resources to support yourself for an indefinite period of time; something like $100,000.00 USD untouched, in the bank for a year, for example. The consulate can provide you with the details on how to become Residente Permanente.
Other than that, your chances are very, very slim, as mentioned above; unless you were retired and had a secure monthly income sufficient for a Residente Temporal visa, and could live for four years without working, in order to transition to Residente Permanente without further proofs.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

perropedorro said:


> I'd have the same questions about your profession as chico, the Mexican consulate will surely want to know the same, and will require lots of certification. I'd say the chances of getting a resident visa with the right to work by declaring your intention to go free-lance are approximately zero. Foreign professionals are invariably requested by their employer. Lots of ex-pats have a business on the side, often as a hobby, but that's after they worked their way through non-lucrativo temporary resident status-- which requires 2-5 years during which you'll need some income generated _outside_ Mexico. There's probably a way to achieve your goal, but it likely requires a good immigration lawyer.


That's simply not true. My very first Temporary resident visa, about 14 years ago, was "Lucrativa" based on starting my own business. Nor did I have to prove I was going to hire Mexicans as employees, another false notion some people have. My business is free-lance, and I have no employees.
And I know plenty of foreigners who have Lucrativa Visas who run their own businesses.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

surabi said:


> That's simply not true. My very first Temporary resident visa, about 14 years ago, was "Lucrativa" based on starting my own business. Nor did I have to prove I was going to hire Mexicans as employees, another false notion some people have. My business is free-lance, and I have no employees.
> And I know plenty of foreigners who have Lucrativa Visas who run their own businesses.


I stand corrected. I'm no expert on current Mexican immigration law, and have even less knowledge of the rules as they were 14 years ago. Just the anecdotes of friends and acquaintances, none of whom came here on their own with the specific intention of working free lance. As mentioned, I know a few who ended up doing that _after_ establishing permanent residence or citizenship on some other pretext. 
Your experience might be more helpful to the OP if you could find the name/number of the specific temporary resident _con lucrativa_ visa that would apply to his situation and give him some tips on what immigration officials will require.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Rules have changed a great deal in 14 years, in fact, they have changed a lot in the last five years, when I received my Residente Permanente visa. I do know that you need to apply for whatever visa you are eligible for while you are still in your home country. Check with your nearest Mexican Consulate for details.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

perropedorro said:


> I stand corrected. I'm no expert on current Mexican immigration law, and have even less knowledge of the rules as they were 14 years ago. Just the anecdotes of friends and acquaintances, none of whom came here on their own with the specific intention of working free lance. As mentioned, I know a few who ended up doing that _after_ establishing permanent residence or citizenship on some other pretext.
> Your experience might be more helpful to the OP if you could find the name/number of the specific temporary resident _con lucrativa_ visa that would apply to his situation and give him some tips on what immigration officials will require.


I'm not sure what you mean by "name and number of specific.......visa". As far as I'm aware, there is no "name and number". It's just called Temporal Lucrativa. 
Requirements change all the time, and seemingly from consulate to consulate. The OP would have to inquire at the consulate closest to where he lives for that info.


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## fifthhouse (Jul 29, 2016)

chicois8 said:


> You would start by visiting the closest Mexican Consulate in Canada / Germany, they can explain everything...
> When you say "I practice a form of manual therapy" does that mean like a Chiropractor or a massage specialist?


Thanks for the tip. I practice Rolf Structural Integration.


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## fifthhouse (Jul 29, 2016)

Ok, thanks for this information. Some differing views posted below, looks like it's not a simple answer in any case.


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## fifthhouse (Jul 29, 2016)

Isla Verde said:


> Rules have changed a great deal in 14 years, in fact, they have changed a lot in the last five years, when I received my Residente Permanente visa. I do know that you need to apply for whatever visa you are eligible for while you are still in your home country. Check with your nearest Mexican Consulate for details.


Thank you!


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## fifthhouse (Jul 29, 2016)

surabi said:


> That's simply not true. My very first Temporary resident visa, about 14 years ago, was "Lucrativa" based on starting my own business. Nor did I have to prove I was going to hire Mexicans as employees, another false notion some people have. My business is free-lance, and I have no employees.
> And I know plenty of foreigners who have Lucrativa Visas who run their own businesses.


Thanks for this. Glad you were able to able to start your own business, there's hope for my situation. Do you care to provide more details, or I'll send you a pm.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Starting a business is one thing. Starting the practice of a new-age, un-recognized technique without a Mexican 'Cedula', would be quite another.

Massage is readily available in Mexico at anything from $50 and up; pesos of course, so you could be starting at something like $3 USD and a daily income of maybe $25 USD, which would not be an unusual wage for many in Mexico.

It assumes that you are fluent in Spanish and familiar with the culture, and how 'foreign competition' could be 'handled' on a local basis.

"Coals to Newcastle", pops into my mind.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

fifthhouse said:


> Thank you!


The new law requires you to have a confirmed job offer in Mexico from a company registered to hire foreigners with proof and salary offer etc. at a Mexican Consulate. To move to Mexico and open a business you first need to apply at a Mexican Consulate and meet the mínimum financial requirements for a Residente Temporal visas. Then once you have that you can apply for a "work permit" again with proof of a job offer in Mexico with a company registered with the INM to hire foreigners. I see no way to start a business in Mexico without first immigrating legally and then convincing INM that you are a professional with proof of diplomas etc. and then you need to have money to set up a business. This is what the INM point system is all about. If you are not a professional with proof the chances are they will not allow you to work independantly or at starting a business. If you immigrate and have financial solvency proof to get a Residente Permanente visa at a Mexican Consulate then you can open a business or work independently without using the INM point system and need no proof of being a professional. This is the way I understand the new INM law.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

RVGRINGO said:


> Starting a business is one thing. Starting the practice of a new-age, un-recognized technique without a Mexican 'Cedula', would be quite another.
> 
> Massage is readily available in Mexico at anything from $50 and up; pesos of course, so you could be starting at something like $3 USD and a daily income of maybe $25 USD, which would not be an unusual wage for many in Mexico.
> 
> ...


FYI Rolfing Structural Integration is not anywhere in the same ballpark as a 50 peso massage, nor is it an un-recognized technique- it's been around for probably at least 20 years. It's quite a specialized profession.
There is a woman in my area who practices this. She charges at least 800 pesos an hour and has a full roster of clients.
You're comparing a Tsuru with a Ferrari.


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