azheat
Nov 2, 2011, 12:15 PM
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Expired FM3, Moving Stuff, and Car Permit--Yep, it's long...
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OK so here's the deal...we need some help with our strategy.
We lived in San Miguel de Allende for 2 years with FM3's.
Came back to the US last January--and let our FM3's expire
in February (would have been the second renewal) because
we could not get back to renew them--and quite frankly
we had set a goal to try and stay in the US for at least a
year (long story, but that was the goal)
We have spent each and every day missing Mexico.
So we are about to fall somewhat short of our goal and
return to San Miguel de Allende by year's end. Yay!
This time we are probably going to list our AZ home for
sale, and actually move all the things we want to keep.
So here is where we begin the "adventure"...
We need a valid FM3 to have our things imported
duty free into Mexico.
Our mover says he can get an extension on it thru
a custom's broker--that lists the reasons we could not
renew on time--and gives us a temporary extension that
will allow our goods to be moved into Mexico duty-free.
We would enter Mexico on Tourist visas with associated
car permit.
Then we have to get our FM3's (non inmigrante now) sorted
out as soon as we get there.
We also read on Rolly's site that now you can go to a Mexico
Consulate and start the process there--get a special card
for your American Passport that allows you to move your things
in--and then finish the application process within 30-days
in the area you are moving too.
So--yesterday we went to our local Mexico Consulate in
Yuma, AZ. Very nice lady who (unfortunately?) remembered
us from when we got our FM3. At that time, you could actually
do the whole thing through the consulate, which then changed.
She was very happy to see us--but told us since we each have
a "current" FM3--they cannot issue us a new one or start the
process for a new one.
She said we had to go to San Luis Mexico to immigration--and
get it renewed there.
The person we have dealt with for our FM3 paperwork in San Miguel
told us we could NOT renew it now because it is too late. We have
to start over.
This is all SO Mexico isn't it? :-)
My feeling is our mover is highly motivated to get this done
properly, so he can book our move and get paid for doing so.
I'm concerned if we go to San Luis, a town we have no intention
of living in--as the "rare" American who goes to that particular
office saying they want to live in Mexico--we are going to get
chewed up in the system, and quite possibly have a huge delay
on getting the proper paperwork to move our things soon.
There are very long and slow lines in and out of San Luis right now
because they are searching all the cars--so it will be very
time consuming, and we have to take an interpreter with us.
And I'm quite sure we would have multiple trips to get it
all sorted out--time that can be better spent packing, selling
stuff, and getting organized for the move.
So we are thinking we will go with the mover--let him get
the appropriate extensions with his broker--and get our
stuff on it's way.
Then we go into Mexico on the Tourist visa--with a tourist
car permit--and take care of getting the new FM3 (or whatever
it is being called by that time!) taken care of in San Miguel de Allende.
So my questions are:
1. Does this sound like the sanest plan given the absolute
fact that each consulate can basically make their own rules.
We feel strongly this one doesn't have this right--but of course
there is nothing we can do about that.
2. If we enter on a Tourist car permit--paying the associated
cost for that--and then convert to the FM3 equivalent in San
Miguel--what happens with the tourist car permit that no longer
"matches" having the FM3? Do we have to drive out immediately
to get the proper permit? Can the car sticker be taken care of at
aduana in Queretaro? Will we have a problem if we wait to drive out in the
spring and our car sticker doesn't match our new visas? Don't
want to get the car impounded along the way either!
We are excited to return to Mexico--but just want to figure out
how to get this all done without having to wait six months for
our furniture to be moved down.
Thanks for any input or advice!
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