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chrisgruen

Aug 20, 2013, 1:10 PM

Post #1 of 15 (1205 views)

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Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Hi Everyone,

We are new here and still NOB, but in the next couple of months plan on RV'ing through MX and finding a place we love to resettle. We are a young family of five.
Can anyone recommend a good Mexican immigration lawyer who is trustworthy and knows his/her business, yet isn't pricey?
Many thanks,

Chris

YucaLandia


Aug 20, 2013, 1:17 PM

Post #2 of 15 (1198 views)

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Re: [chrisgruen] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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 Hi Chris,
Have you considered DIY (Do It Yourself?).

Your basic options are to visit Mexico as Visitantes - easy as pie to get - applying as you drive in at the border. The Visitante visa is good for 6 months, and allows you to drive your RV around using a Temporary Import Permit from Aduana, for 6 months.

Even if you wanted to apply for Temporary Residency now, those applications must be made at your local Mexican Consulate (where an attorney in far-off Mexico is not much help). Still, to apply for Temporary Residency, you would need a Mexican address - which you don't have.

So, the immigration rules basically only allow you to visit Mexico with the normal Visitante (Tourist) visitor visa/INM permit - all of which you can do yourself, in person, quickly, at the border. When you find where you want to stay in Mexico, identify an address you can use (that of a friend or apartment), and you go back to the USA (with the RV) to apply at your local Mexican Consulate for Temporary Residency.

The one point where a Mexican lawyer might be able to help, only occurs after you have applied for Temporary Residency (Residente Temporal) at your Mexican Consulate, and then after you return to Mexico with your temporary 30 day visa from the Mexican Consulate. You return to Mexico to complete the Residente Temporal card process at your local INM office in Mexico. The Mexican lawyer might help with that final step at the local INM office, but 10,000's of us find even that step is straightforward, and does not require a lawyer.

You can read more on this at: New Rules and Procedures for Immigration, Visiting, and Staying in Mexico

Happy Trails,
steve

-
Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

(This post was edited by YucaLandia on Aug 20, 2013, 1:28 PM)

chrisgruen

Aug 20, 2013, 1:28 PM

Post #3 of 15 (1186 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Thanks! We will initially get the FM-T or tourist visa, but are considering becoming residents and that is what I wanted to talk to a good immigration lawyer about.
How easy is it to get an FM-2 or 3 yourself, not using a lawyer?

La Isla


Aug 20, 2013, 1:35 PM

Post #4 of 15 (1183 views)

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Re: [chrisgruen] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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In Reply To
Thanks! We will initially get the FM-T or tourist visa, but are considering becoming residents and that is what I wanted to talk to a good immigration lawyer about.
How easy is it to get an FM-2 or 3 yourself, not using a lawyer?

The FM2 and 3 was eliminated several years ago; now you have two choices, Residente Temporal and Residente Permanente.

YucaLandia


Aug 20, 2013, 1:51 PM

Post #5 of 15 (1178 views)

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Re: [chrisgruen] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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In Reply To
Thanks! We will initially get the FM-T or tourist visa, but are considering becoming residents and that is what I wanted to talk to a good immigration lawyer about.
How easy is it to get an FM-2 or 3 yourself, not using a lawyer?

It's very easy to get the Residente Temporal, that La Isla describes. Easy enough for 10,000's of us to do it.

Depending on where you file / settle in Mexico, it can take as little as 8 -10 days, or 30-45 days, or 90-120 days.

Read about the details in the link listed above: New Rules and Procedures for Immigration, Visiting, and Staying in Mexico

Also check out current reports from Mexconnectors at: Recent experiences in INM and Consulate office
Happy Trails,
steve
-
Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

(This post was edited by YucaLandia on Aug 20, 2013, 1:57 PM)

chrisgruen

Aug 20, 2013, 3:47 PM

Post #6 of 15 (1149 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Thanks Steve and La Isla! That helps clear things up.

Chris

DavidHF

Aug 21, 2013, 3:40 AM

Post #7 of 15 (1106 views)

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Re: [chrisgruen] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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When it comes time to apply for Residente Temporal or Permanente you need to do that at your Mexican Consulate in the USA or Canada. It cannot be done in Mexico.

cookj5

Sep 5, 2013, 10:49 AM

Post #8 of 15 (807 views)

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Re: [La Isla] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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In Reply To
In Reply To
Thanks! We will initially get the FM-T or tourist visa, but are considering becoming residents and that is what I wanted to talk to a good immigration lawyer about.
How easy is it to get an FM-2 or 3 yourself, not using a lawyer?

The FM2 and 3 was eliminated several years ago; now you have two choices, Residente Temporal and Residente Permanente.

Actually, I believe a third choice is to come down on a tourist (FMM) visa and just briefly exit the country every 6 months and come in with a new one. Some people have lived here for years doing that. They use their trip each 6 months as a shopping spree for stuff difficult to get here in Mexico. Depending on where you end up living in Mexico, this could be easier and quite a bit cheaper than going the route of Temporal or Permanente.

esperanza

Sep 5, 2013, 10:59 AM

Post #9 of 15 (803 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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jcook5's 'third choice' depends not only on where you live in Mexico, but also where your country of origin is. If you're from somewhere outside the countries that border Mexico--for example, from France, or China--then the cost of getting back there to go to your Mexican consulate might be a bit costly to do every 180 days.

And not to be nit-picky, but the FMM is not a visa at all. It's a tourist permit, meant to be used by tourists only. Of course we all know that jcook5's scenario is correct--people do come and go for years using it as their 'permit' to live in Mexico.




http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com








Maesonna

Sep 5, 2013, 4:10 PM

Post #10 of 15 (747 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Another thing that increases the inconvenience of the method of staying on a tourist permit and leaving the country “every 6 months” is that the tourist permit is not actually 6 months but 180 days – a couple of days less than 6 months, approximately. That means that you can’t schedule the trip for the same times every year; rather, it slips a few days earlier each year.

geoffbob

Sep 8, 2013, 11:19 AM

Post #11 of 15 (590 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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"Still, to apply for a Temporary Residency you would need a Mexican address which you don't have."

I applied for the TR while in their consulate in the States but they didn't ask me to provide a Mexican address. They only casually inquired, by way of making conversation, what town I might settle in. I very likely misconstrued Yucalandia's meaning. He might have been saying that even if you could apply while in Mexico that they'd want a fixed address.

robt65

Sep 8, 2013, 7:01 PM

Post #12 of 15 (538 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Hello Esperanza,

. . . . . . . and, . . . . . . . . . . . . . are they allowed to buy property on a "tourist permit" if they so wish to, instead of renting?

Regards,

Robt65


(This post was edited by robt65 on Sep 8, 2013, 7:02 PM)

AlanMexicali


Sep 9, 2013, 3:25 AM

Post #13 of 15 (514 views)

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Re: [geoffbob] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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In Reply To
"Still, to apply for a Temporary Residency you would need a Mexican address which you don't have."

I applied for the TR while in their consulate in the States but they didn't ask me to provide a Mexican address. They only casually inquired, by way of making conversation, what town I might settle in. I very likely misconstrued Yucalandia's meaning. He might have been saying that even if you could apply while in Mexico that they'd want a fixed address.


Actually a Mexican Consulate doesn´t give you a RT visa. You get a visa that is good for 180 days to get to your location in Mexico and have to take your passport 180 day visa to your local INM office to continue your approved application to get a RT visa [card] and this is where you will be required to have proof of a residence in Mexico.
After getting your TR visa [card] if you move you will have 90 days to notify INM of your new address. If you do not live in Mexico [rent or own a house or department year round] this will be a problem.

geoffbob

Sep 9, 2013, 3:49 AM

Post #14 of 15 (509 views)

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Re: [AlanMexicali] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Now I understand. What the consulate gave me wasn't the RT, it was authorization to apply for it within the specified time limits and at which time I'll need to have a physical address.

Gracias

YucaLandia


Sep 9, 2013, 5:12 AM

Post #15 of 15 (504 views)

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Re: [geoffbob] Can anyone reccomend a good immigration lawyer in MX?

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Correct.
The Consulate part of the Residente Temporal process also includes pre-qualifying you using the Requisitos. e.g. The Consulates pre-qualify (or reject) applicants based on their income, their savings, etc., in addition to issuing the visa approving travel.
Happy Trails,
steve
-
Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com
 
 
 
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