Job Discussion Forums

[lozwich]

Hiyas,

Maybe I've just had a rough week, but I'm really thinking a lot about coming back to Mexico next August. I had an FM3 and naughtily didn't surrender it when I left a couple of years ago, so I'm guessing I'll have to go through the whole hoo-ha of getting one again.

I'm going home at Christmas, and this would be the perfect time for me to get all the relevant documents apostilled again (never got the old ones back from immigration in Oaxaca). But, does the apostille expire? If I have an apostille dated sometime in December 2006 and try to submit it to immigration in August 2007, will they tell me where to file it?

I know it varies from state to state, but I was wondering if anyone has heard anything about this.

Cheers,
Lozwich.

[jillford64]

As far as I know, the apostille doesn't expire, but it will be rendered worthless if it is ever detached from the original document. So when you are making copies to take to migracion, DON'T take the staples out. On another note, maybe things have changed in the last few years, but I wasn't required to submit any original documents to migracion here in Morelia except for the work offer letter from the school. I took all my original documents and a copy of the original documents with me. The woman at the counter inspected them to make sure the copy matched the original and I kept the original.

[Samantha]

If your Fm3 was a "Rentista" you will be fined per diem for the overdue renewal. You may owe the family fortune on this after a couple of years has passed! If it was for a specific work location it is invalid 30 days after your job finished and I don't know what the result of bringing it forward now would be. I don't think it would be worth doing though. You should apply for a new work permit with a new job, best guess.

[MELEE]

Loz,
If, by chance, you ended up getting your new FM3 from the same immigration office that your old one if from. 1) they maybe able to dig out your old apostile, but I wouldn't bet on it, and Oz being oh so far away...
and 2) you would have to simply write a letter saying you'd gone, and your old employer would be happy to provide a letter varifying your last day of work . Then you would start the process over again. We did this once. The teacher in questions had a small problem, but that was with Aduanas because she had "left" a car Mexico, and came in again with a second car. Immigration were very cool about her uncancled expired FM3.

If you get your new FM3 from a different office, just never mention having had one before in another state. Just leave the can of worms sealed and rotting in the past.

Oh and I don't really know if appostiles expire or not, but I remember that Australian ones are attached with pretty green ribbons!

[lozwich]

[MELEE]