# Want to move to Mexico.......Now What?



## TAdams (Oct 26, 2015)

Hello All,

We are interested in making the move to Mexico but have found mass confusion and I am hoping that some of you good folks might point us in the right direction. I will pose my questions below for all to review and I want to thank you in advance for your assistance.

Selling everything and dragging a small trailer with our personal belonging, couple of dogs, few electronics (TV and Laptops).................Are there any issues with this?

Will be driving a small vehicle from the states into Mexico.

We are interested in Temp Residency but not certain how to do this. Have heard that it needs to be started from the states and completed in Mexico.................. what might the details be?

We are located in Montana, USA and there is not a consulate even remotely close to us, in fact not even in the state................what to do?

What permit/visa should I be expecting at the border?, we have a long trip just to get to the border and don't want any surprises.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and I am sure comments will generate more questions


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

You must apply for residence visas at a Mexican consulate in your home country. No other option. There are financial requirements to be proven by your bank statements for the last year, etc.
Hauling a trailer: It becomes part of your car‘s temporary importation permit and deposit. They must leave Mexico together. You cannot sell them in Mexico, nor permanently import them. Temporary residents may maintain a foreign plated car, but permanent residents may not, so before the temporary residence permit ends in 4 years, you must remove the foreign vehicle & trailer, in favor of purchasing replacement vehicle in Mexico. There are no unusual issues in taking used personal items into Mexico.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

In case you‘re wondering where to find a Mexican consulate near you, here is the list.


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## TAdams (Oct 26, 2015)

RVGRINGO said:


> You must apply for residence visas at a Mexican consulate in your home country. No other option. There are financial requirements to be proven by your bank statements for the last year, etc.
> Hauling a trailer: It becomes part of your car‘s temporary importation permit and deposit. They must leave Mexico together. You cannot sell them in Mexico, nor permanently import them. Temporary residents may maintain a foreign plated car, but permanent residents may not, so before the temporary residence permit ends in 4 years, you must remove the foreign vehicle & trailer, in favor of purchasing replacement vehicle in Mexico. There are no unusual issues in taking used personal items into Mexico.


Thank you. The problem is I am in Montana and the nearest Consulate is the next state over.

What permit/visa should I be expecting at the border?, we have a long trip just to get to the border and don't want any surprises.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

At the border, you can only get a 180 day tourist permit, which is not renewable in Mexico. You, the car and the trailer would all have to leave by the 179th day. No options. So, it looks like you have a trip or two to make to the nearest Mexican consulate if you want to reside in Mexico. This is all new since 2012. You might try calling the consulate, but most are not known for responding to calls or e-mail. Mexico is a face-to-face culture; always with a smile and a lot of patience.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

To elaborate on what RVGringo said, if you do make your application for residency at the Mexican consulate before you go, you will enter Mexico with the papers that they give you at the consulate. You then to go to an immigration office in Mexico to complete the process of obtaining your resident visa. You have to start this within your first 30 days in Mexico. If you do it this way, the 180-day tourist limitation doesn’t apply to you.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Good point. One must enter Mexico within 180 days of approval by the consulate, with the “Canje“ stamped in their passport. From the date of entry, they then have 30 days to report to INM with proofs of residence, etc. That begins the process of getting the actual visa card, which can take a couple of months. One may travel within Mexico but not outside, without special arrangements during that processing (tramite) period.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

TAdams,

I went through this process last year. I went via the Consulate in New York City, and there, you needed an appointment, which can be made on the Consulate's website. Theoretically, you could make the appointment on your way to Mexico. However, the process can be confusing. Even though I have a lot of experience in Mexico, the requirements were confusing to me.

It turned out I had not filled out all the forms required. The Consular official kindly printed out the forms I needed and allowed me to complete everything that day. There were others who had come long distances and were not permitted to finish on that same day. 

Do you have experience dealing with Mexican officials? RVGringo's advice of "always with a smile and a lot of patience." is key. There was a European guy the same day who had an airtight case for residency as he was married to a Mexican, but he was very abrasive and loud. The official was unmoving that he must come back. Since I had already been there a while and had been chatting with the official in Spanishl, she smiled wickedly at me after she dispatched him.

It was the same experience once in Mexico City at immigration. They have prominent signs that they accept no gratuities, but they still are sticklers. Two or three times, I had to fill out more forms, but they wouldn't print them out. They did give me a copy of the website, and I had to go to nearby Office Depot, etc. each time to print out the forms and fill them in by computer.

Then, they communicate with you by email, which is great ... but it's not necessarily rational. The residency card was not ready for more than two months, by which time I was happily flopped out on a beach in Oaxaca state. I had to trudge back to Mexico City to pick up the card, but it was ready when I arrived. No hints at bribes at any point. In fact, trying would get you into trouble, I'm sure. You just have to have patience and provide exactly what they request.

At the border, you just fill out the regular tourist card, which you turn in to immigration when you go to get your residency card.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

At the border, you fill out an FMM (Forma Migratoria Multiple), which is used for many purposes. FOr someone who has been approved for residency by a consulate, it is imperative to NOT fill it out as a tourist. You MUST indicate your correct status as holder of a CANJE in the space marked “other“.
Once a person has an actual residence card and crosses the border, he must indicate his status as either Residente Temporal or Residente Permanente. An error can void your visa, and that would be a disaster.


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## Playaboy (Apr 11, 2014)

RVGRINGO said:


> Good point. One must enter Mexico within 180 days of approval by the consulate, with the “Canje“ stamped in their passport. From the date of entry, they then have 30 days to report to INM with proofs of residence, etc. That begins the process of getting the actual visa card, which can take a couple of months. One may travel within Mexico but not outside, without special arrangements during that processing (tramite) period.


What is a "Canje" stamp in a passport? Never heard of that before. Where did you hear that? Please explain what a canje stamp in my passport is?


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## buzzbar (Feb 9, 2013)

Playaboy said:


> What is a "Canje" stamp in a passport?


The Consulate or Embassy in your own country that approves your residency sticks a visa in your passport. It allows you to enter Mexico for the purpose of visiting INM to change your status to that which is recorded on the visa, in my case Residencia Temporal.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

It is the consular authorization to be exchanged for a visa by INM.
Canje = Exchange


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## RTL44 (Nov 26, 2013)

TAdams said:


> Thank you. The problem is I am in Montana and the nearest Consulate is the next state over.


I feel your pain. We live in Ohio - and there are no consulates here, either. The closet to us is Indianapolis. Before you go, just MAKE SURE you have everything (papers, documents, etc.) they ask for.


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