# Leaving Mexico without getting fined



## Guest

My FM3 is being processed, but i need to leave the country indefinately (death of an immediate family member. already missed the memorial services for financial reasons, but now my way is being paid to go home, which i plan to do by bus).

I've been told by my employer that I may be fined, but I'm leaving for very personal reasons. There may be a way they can ask permission for me to leave, but that may only be the case of me returning, which I'm not going to do.

How can I leave the country for personal/family reasons without getting fined? I've crossed the border by bus before and no one even thought to check my tourist visa, so I'm wondering if I'm worrying over nothing. Aside from that, it's been more than three months since the paperwork was turned into the lawyers, and I was told that the entire process was only going to take 8 weeks. Put another way, they're the one's taking so long, why should I have to pay for their delays?

Any suggestions would be helpful.


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## RVGRINGO

If you had gone to immigration yourself, to renew, you could return to them and get a letter of permission to enter/exit Mexico while your FM3 is in process. Now, you'll probably have to work that out with the lawyer, who should have been able to renew your FM3 in a week. I don't recommend just leaving the country and abandoning your FM3; you should cancel it if you don't have plans to return soon; otherwise, if your plans change, it could be difficult to get another one in the future.


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## Guest

Thanks RV

This was the first FM3 I had applied for. Basically the lawyers are waiting for the appointment, so the process is in the last stages, so I really don't think asking for permission to leave would be a problem except for the fact that I'll be taking my passport with me.

Would I still be fined if I cancel it?


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## RVGRINGO

That appears to change things. If an FM3 has not been issued yet, you are still without an immigration document since your application has your FMT attached. You should have the FMT to travel. If it has expired, you can still get a letter of permission while the FM3 is in process. If none of that applies, I suppose you could simply walk out of Mexico and re-enter the USA with your passport, call the lawyer and cancel your application. Of course, you can't fly out without a current immigration document, so you will probably have to take a bus to the border and walk across. I know nothing of fines going out and you wouldn't be stopping at Mexican immigration, outbound, unless you had an FM3 to be stamped.


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## Guest

i've got a copy of my fmt (weird how that little voice inside told me to ask for a copy). if i'm stopped for whatever reason, at least i have that...although i'm sure they'll try to fine me because it's not an original.

thanks rvgringo. your input was quite helpful.


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## RVGRINGO

A copy is not acceptable and your lawyer should cancel your FM3 application and return your FMT. If he has submitted the application, he will have a receipt for the FMT and you can get the letter of permission for about 250 pesos. As before, you do need to have a current immigration document when you travel. I trust that your FMT has not expired.


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## maesonna

You need to get a _Permiso de Salida y Regreso_; which is basically just a letter saying that your FM3 is _en trámite_ and you are allowed to leave Mexico and return using the letter itself as your exit and entrance document. As RVGRINGO said, it costs around 250 pesos. You can probably find a list of the documents you need to apply for the letter if you search the website www(dot)inm(dot)gob(dot)mx for "Salir de México permiso de salida y regreso".

Basically you need the usual identification documents (passport), the copy of the application form for your pending FM3 process (i.e. the receipt they gave you or your lawyer when the submission for the process was made), any documentation you might have showing your need to leave the country at this time (airplane ticket [bus ticket in your case?]; possibly any documents you might have about the bereavement, if any), the completed payment form showing that you've paid the appropriate fee at the bank, and a letter you've written attesting that you aren't subject to any pending legal process (i.e. you're not fleeing arrest). And of course copies of everything.

Your lawyer ought to be able to help you with this. If you can get this letter, there should be no need either to cancel your pending FM3 process or run the risk of using your expired/canceled FMT.


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## Guest

Thanks RV and Mae,

No, my FMT is good for another two months.

I've recently been told by the lawyer's secretary that there may be a chance of me getting fined over $100usd if I leave Mexico before the visa is processed (which she said may be ready by July 30). I'm not sure if she was just giving me the worst case scenario, but I'm supposed to meet with the lawyers tomorrow morning. 

My question now is: Will they let me leave the country without paying whatever fine I'm being told I might have to pay? I seriously don't have the money; and if I did I'd still have a problem paying based on having to wait six weeks for an appointment to get the visa.


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## maesonna

As far as I know, the lawyer's secretary is right. The reason is that your application for FM3 superceded your FMT, and it's no longer valid, regardless of the expiry date on it. The practical question, though, is whether you would get caught, and I honestly don't know what the chances are.

If I was in your position, I would just go ahead and get the _Permiso_. It's not hard to do nor expensive, and it doesn't affect your FM3 process at all. Then you could travel with the assurance that you _will_ be allowed to leave the country.


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## Guest

Is there any reason why I couldn't get a _Permiso_? I'm not fleeing any pending legal process.

I wasn't even asked to present my expired FMT when i crossed the US/Mexico border (via bus) in March. Do you think I'd be somehow marked/followed to the border now that they "know" me? Even though I'll be taking the bus again, I'm starting to get paranoid.


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## maesonna

kdaca said:


> Is there any reason why I couldn't get a _Permiso_?


Not as far as I know. In fact, I'm suggesting that it's the easy (and legal) way out of your dilemma. You will need to get the receipt for the FM3 process from the lawyer if s/he has it, and you'll need to check the exact amount of the fee so you can pay it at the bank. The lawyer ought to be able to help you with that, and tell you how to fill out the fee form, too.


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## RVGRINGO

Relax, get on the bus and, assuming you have your passport, go to the USA. This also assumes that you don't plan to return to Mexico. If you do plan to return to Mexico, get the letter of permission.
There is no excuse for not being able to go to an immigration office in the capitol of your Mexican state and getting an FM3 processed in a matter of days. I suspect that your lawyer has really dropped the ball in your case.


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## Guest

Fabulous news! I _just_ got an appointment with immigration this week, where I'll meet one of the lawyers who'll accompany me to the visa appointment.

Mil gracias a uds. for your input. I really appreciate it.


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## Guest

Hello again, RV and Maesonna.

I'm all set and ready to leave Mexico (but not without almost missing my appointment because the lawyer never showed up at the immigration office...give thanks I speak Spanish or I would'nt have been able ask and find where I needed to go for my visa.). I've got the proper documents to leave, so I'm feeling stress-free. Now I can stress-out about packing all we've accumulated over the past year!

I wanted to thank the both of you again for your quick responses to my queries. You were a major help in keeping my head on straight.


Sincerely,
K.


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## RVGRINGO

Now that you have your FM3, remember that you must stop at Aduana on the way out of Mexico (even if it is hard to find or the bus makes it inconvenient) and have your FM3 stamped on the 'Salida' page. Then, when you return you will have it stamped again on the 'Entrada' page.
Have a good trip.


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## jlms

*Please get rid of that lawyer.*



kdaca said:


> Hello again, RV and Maesonna.
> 
> I'm all set and ready to leave Mexico (but not without almost missing my appointment because the lawyer never showed up at the immigration office...give thanks I speak Spanish or I would'nt have been able ask and find where I needed to go for my visa.). I've got the proper documents to leave, so I'm feeling stress-free. Now I can stress-out about packing all we've accumulated over the past year!
> 
> I wanted to thank the both of you again for your quick responses to my queries. You were a major help in keeping my head on straight.
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> K.


He is a completely incompetent nitwit ....


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## bigmutt

1. it's not Aduana but rather Migracion where you have to stop to get your FM3 stamped. (sometimes they're the same guy but not always)
2. If you DON'T get it stamped for some reason, don't worry: they'll just get annoyed with you when you re-enter but will correct it for you; this has happened to me numerous times.
3. you CAN in fact leave via air without a FMT or FM3: or rather, they'll write one up for you at airport migracion but charge you a fee, I seem to remember about $25. Again, they'll get annoyed with you but will accomodate you. After all, what can they do? physically hold you here for trying to leave? this is not China or Russia.

There's so much exaggerated and incorrect information about mexican procedures, regulations and customs, probably from lots of urban legends out there. Get the facts from people who've experienced it and gone through it.


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## RVGRINGO

Thanks for the correction; that should have been 'migracion' for the FM3 to be stamped.
The caution on having to have your document to leave by air is because you may miss your intended flight by the time you find INM and get their blessing.


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## Guest

Thanks, *Bigmutt* and *RV *******.

I crossed the border a few days ago. When we got to the Tijuana bus terminal, I didn't have time to get my Mexican FM3 or US passport stamped, nor did I have time to turn in my son's FMT. I had so much (heavy) luggage to put through the security machine just to walk a few steps to purchase my tix and pull the luggage back outside, that the folks at Crucero were more than willing to get me on the bus that was leaving for the US just a few minutes after we arrived so I could just leave our stuff near the bus.

I'm not too concerned with the consequences upon returning. If we do return to Mexico, it'll be after the visa expires. I'm sure we can re-enter on FMTs without a problem seeing how I don't plan on working down there anymore.

And you're right *jlms*, the lawyers for this organization could've been a bit more professional (if any of you are teachers, I'd be more than happy to give you the scoop on these guys via PM). Needless to say, I was quite frantic when then didn't show up for the appointment at immigration. They knew perfectly well I why I had - not wanted to, _had to_ - leave the country, and that I wouldn't have the money to pay a fine if I wasn't able to produce valid documentation should an official have asked for it (which they did on two of our seven mandatory anti-drug/"illegal alien" checks).

Anyhoo, it's over. I'm back home. All is as well.


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## bigmutt

yes, the consequences of not getting your FM3 stamped are nothing to worry about.
Glad you're back home; wish I was there also. REALLY WISH I WAS THERE!


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## Rodrigo84

My cousin and I would drive across the U.S. border to San Antonio many times. I as a Mexican didn't need to worry when I went back into Mexico (I have my U.S. visa for going the other way), but he never bothered to stamp his going out and never had a problem coming back. Only times he had to make sure to do this was when he traveled by plane.


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## Guest

Hi Rodrigo84,

My not looking like a "typical" ******, my ability to speak Spanish without a noticeable English accent, and often being misidentified as Cuban, Hatian, Nicaraguan or whatever (without even saying anything in any language) made racial profiling by law inforcement and immigration officials quite common for me in Mexico before my true ethnicity and motives for being in the country were known.

That was why I was so concerned about crossing the border without proper documentation; and my concerned proved valid from the time our bus tickets were checked before boarding the bus until our last drug-smuggling check in Baja.


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