Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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I ran into one of the local Mexican immigration guys and he asked me how it was going with my tramites. I finished with it several years ago. I am an imigrado completing the FM-3 process and the FM-2 process. He suggested I start the Nationalization process with the Foreign Ministry. Mexican Immigration is with the Interior Ministry. Has any body else gotten this far and tried to take the next step?

mazbook1

Jan 24, 2011, 4:29 PM

Post #2 of 27 (4261 views)

Re: [surebought] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Started my naturalization process in the spring of 2007 and became a proud Mexican citizen in late January of 2009. Voted in the last election too!!! Not really a piece of cake, but not ridiculously difficult either (only took ONE extra trip to the S.R.E. office).

About the only real advice that I can give is that (at least at the S.R.E. office in Culiacán) you should NEVER show up with someone fluent in Spanish to help you, Mexican spouse, Mexican attorney, Notario, or even just a Mexican friend, or else you can expect to have the application denied. There is NO official Spanish-language test, but if don't don't have the ability in Spanish to handle it yourself, the assumption is that you don't have sufficient Spanish to become a Mexican citizen.

There IS a 5 question written test on Mexican history and culture that you can only read in Spanish and answer in Spanish, but the S.R.E. posts a list of 100 possible questions on their website that you can study ahead of time. Any given list has an expiration date and WILL change to a new list after that time. The 5 questions on the written test are taken from the list of 100 possible study questions that are current at the time you take the test.

(This post was edited by mazbook1 on Jan 24, 2011, 4:34 PM)

Jan 24, 2011, 4:51 PM

Post #3 of 27 (4252 views)

Re: [surebought] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Citizenship is attained via the SRE, usually need to apply at the office in the capital of the state you live in. You (probably) need to prove you can speak at least some spanish, and you definatly need to take a test on the history and government of Mexico. That is at the end of the process of course. At the beginning, you will need the usual paperwork. Process should take 6 months to 1 1/2 year.

I believe the SRE website has most of the details and a 100 question studyguide for the exam. I dont have the exact webpage but I am sure somebody will post it.

As with everything in Mexico, your experiance will probably differ depending on which state you live in.

robt65

Jan 24, 2011, 7:54 PM

Post #4 of 27 (4225 views)

Re: [mazbook1] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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What happens if you fail the test? Can you reapply after a certain amount of time? What happens to one's FM 2 if you decide not to take the test?

robt65

Jan 24, 2011, 8:09 PM

Post #5 of 27 (4220 views)

Re: [robt65] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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"What happens to one's FM 2 if you decide not to take the test?"
At the end of the fifth year on an FM2, you have three choices:
go for citizenship, change in Inmigrado, or go back to FM3 and start all over again.

Rolly Pirate

mcm

Jan 25, 2011, 10:21 AM

Post #6 of 27 (4161 views)

Re: [surebought] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Surebought -- FYI -- the process of becoming a citizen is called NATURALIZATION, not nationalization. Nationalization is used to refer to the process of changing the foreign title of a car to a Mexican title.
Also, in its latest iteration, the history/culture test offered by SRE is in multiple choice format, which makes it fairly simply for someone with a working, although not fluent, knowledge of Spanish to complete.

mazbook1

Jan 25, 2011, 2:34 PM

Post #7 of 27 (4123 views)

Re: [mcm] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Multiple choice? WOW! I would have hardly had to study for that, as it was, the list of 100 questions I had to study was, by consensus of all who were taking it at the time, the toughest one ever posted. I was still studying on the bus to Culiacán where I was going to take the test. Aced it though!

Jan 25, 2011, 4:07 PM

Post #8 of 27 (4102 views)

Re: [mazbook1] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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I showed one of the study lists to my friend Nery. He could answer about half of the questions

Rolly Pirate

chinagringo

Jan 25, 2011, 4:26 PM

Post #9 of 27 (4088 views)

Re: [Rolly] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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That is probably a great deal better than an average American citizen would do on the US citizenship test.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Jan 25, 2011, 7:51 PM

Post #10 of 27 (4064 views)

Re: [mcm] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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When I took it it definatly was not in multible choice..... but it is my understanding, that although now the GUIDE listed on the SRE website is in multible choice format, the test itself is NOT in multible choice. They simply just made the guide a little more research friendly.

gpkgto

Jan 26, 2011, 5:10 AM

Post #11 of 27 (4020 views)

Re: [bammazmx] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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I took the test about 4 years ago before the practice/study questions were on the SRE website. I was told to study the 5th and 6th grade Mexican history books, and my 5 questions were a combination of multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank.

mcm

Jan 26, 2011, 10:48 AM

Post #12 of 27 (3972 views)

Re: [bammazmx] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Whether you're planning the naturalization process or not, the SRE study guide, with its multiple-choice answers, is a great way to get an idea of where the gaps in your knowledge of Mexican history/culture lie. Like any test, the coverage is spotty, but if you can answer most of questions (or make an educated guess from the multiple choices), I'd say you have a reasonable knowledge, probably at least equivalent to that of most native-born citizens (see, for example, Rolly's comment).
As far as determining the correct answers, Google makes that a breeze (almost too easy, since many links take you to a specific answer, rather than forcing you to work through the context), but it still helps the learning process.

Jan 26, 2011, 12:17 PM

Post #13 of 27 (3950 views)

Re: [mcm] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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A July 2009 version of the 100 question study guide is here.

Rolly Pirate

eyePad

Jan 26, 2011, 4:48 PM

Post #14 of 27 (3913 views)

Re: [Rolly] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. Very informational.
apáñatelas como puedas

Ustlach

Jan 27, 2011, 12:20 PM

Post #15 of 27 (3825 views)

Re: [Rolly] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Rolly,

You wrote: "At the end of the fifth year on an FM2, you have three choices:
go for citizenship, change in Inmigrado, or go back to FM3 and start all over again."

Can you tell me in what sense someone who chooses to not go for citizenship nor Inmigrado status, and went back to FM3's who have "to start over again?"

I did the FM3 thing for almost three years, then I switched to an FM2. I am not clear whether or not the FM3 was ever necessary, that is, I might have been able to start off with an FM2...or better...there is no FM3 prerequisite to qualify for an FM2. Is that correct?

I am am about to experience the second renewal of my FM2. So, according to my calculations and interpretation of the rules I have heard discussed, some six months or so before the expiration of the fourth renewal, I need to go in an apply for citizenship or inmigrado status. If I wait until the FM2 with four renewals is about to expire, I can go in at regular renewal time and apply for an FM3. They permit only one FM2 plus renewals experience.

So what process is there, at that point, to have to start over again? Just the normal FM3 renewals?

About all I hope to accomplish is achieving inmigrado status, so that in my old(er) age, I won't have to do the annual renewals. They are really, for me, almost more than I can deal with now, let alone 10-15 years from now, should I live that long.

Maesonna

Jan 27, 2011, 3:38 PM

Post #16 of 27 (3793 views)

Re: [Ustlach] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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If you hope to achieve inmigrado status, then there should be no reason to go back to an FM-3. The process of getting inmigrado status is not complicated; it's simply that when you go for the fifth renewal of your FM-2, instead of a renewal, it's an application for inmigrado. In my experience (I have to say this because we all know things are not the same everywhere in Mexico, but as far as I know, the following is standard), the process is just the same as the renewals; you submit the same documents as you have been submitting the previous four years. The only difference is that it takes longer to get the FM-2 back. In my case, I didn't know about the six months, so I went a couple weeks before it expired. That presented no problem, either.

(This post was edited by Maesonna on Jan 27, 2011, 3:41 PM)

viktoremski

Feb 14, 2011, 1:47 PM

Post #17 of 27 (3257 views)

Re: [Rolly] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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To Rolly, or anybody else who might have some input:
I remember from past discussions on this forum, and from SRE website I checked quite some time ago, that in order to qualify for citizenship, one had to have a total of at least 5 years of documented residence in Mexico, and have FM2 (not FM3) when applying for citizenship. Is that still the case?
I received my FM2 a few months ago, after five years of having FM3. So my total residence is over five years. Is it safe to assume I can start my citizenship application process, or should I wait till I become "migrado"?
Will appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

Feb 14, 2011, 2:03 PM

Post #18 of 27 (3244 views)

Re: [viktoremski] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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You have your facts a little mixed up -- it's 5 years with an FM2. The time on an FM3 does not count.

Rolly Pirate

Feb 14, 2011, 2:18 PM

Post #19 of 27 (3228 views)

Re: [Rolly] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Last I heard (6 months ago) Sinaloa still counted your time with an FM 3, simply needed to have possesion of FM 2 at the time of application.

Probally depends how the SRE in your particular state reads the regulations.

Don´t forget if married to a national, an FM 3 is all you need.

Feb 14, 2011, 2:25 PM

Post #20 of 27 (3223 views)

Re: [Rolly] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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It just struck me.... there was a catch to the FM 3 time counting.... the SRE peaple count all your stamps in and out of Mexico... and your time outside of mexico still had to be within the guidelines set in the regs for the FM 2 in order for them to count it.

viktoremski

Feb 14, 2011, 2:39 PM

Post #21 of 27 (3218 views)

Re: [bammazmx] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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SRE web page says this:
III.- Exhibir original y dos fotocopias de todas las páginas del documento migratorio vigente con la calidad de inmigrante o inmigrado, expedido por la Secretaría de Gobernación, con el que el interesado acredite su legal estancia (Art. 14 RLN), en consecuencia, la residencia en el país durante cinco años inmediatos anteriores a la fecha de la solicitud, el cual deberá tener una vigencia mínima de seis meses, posteriores a la presentación de la solicitud, del que se desprenda la Clave Única de Registro de Población (CURP);
So I would like to believe the FM3 years count, and as long as I have FM2 at the time of application, I should be OK, but who knows, maybe Rolly is right...

morgaine7

Feb 14, 2011, 2:46 PM

Post #22 of 27 (3211 views)

Re: [bammazmx] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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The new FM2/FM3 cards don't get stamped, though, which will make it hard for them to tell how much time we've spent out of the country. INM took my FM3 book when I got my FM2, and they took my FM2 book when I got the card. Passport stamping is very sporadic on both the US and Mexico ends ... so should we be saving boarding passes?

Kate

bournemouth

Feb 14, 2011, 2:53 PM

Post #23 of 27 (3202 views)

Re: [morgaine7] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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Kate - we all fill out FMM forms when leaving - the authorities keep half, and the other half is turned in on our return. They get entered on the computer, according to an immigration officer at Guadalajara airport - he had just finished entering the forms from the day before when he gave me that information. When leaving and returning by land, we are supposed to do the same thing - so there is some kind of tracking on when we leave and return.

morgaine7

Feb 14, 2011, 3:00 PM

Post #24 of 27 (3199 views)

Re: [viktoremski] Has anyone tried for Nationalization?

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But it says con la calidad de inmigrante o inmigrado, so I don't see that years on FM3 (no inmigrante) would be counted. I wish ... that would mean that I could apply this year!

Bournemouth ... that may well be, but only since last summer. Previously we used the FME forms for a couple of years, but I don't know that those were tracked.

Kate

mazbook1

Feb 14, 2011, 3:24 PM

Post #25 of 27 (3192 views)