Job Discussion Forums

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

For the past year, the term abroad office has told us again and again that we should be going to Mexico on tourist visas rather than student visas because during our term abroad programs, we do coursework from our Canadian university and just "volunteer" for a "living allowance" in Mexico. I am scheduled to depart on January 4th, and just received an email today telling me that actually, I have to get a student visa. I'm really worried that my visa won't be processed in time for my departure, and this is a huge deal as apparently I have to submit my passport (not just a copy) with the visa application. Any thoughts? If I go to a consulate / embassy in person can I get it back on the same day?

Along the same lines, we are not happy about the restrictions on student visas (as we had been planning to upgrade our tourist visas to work visas in order to get some part-time work teaching EFL). Is it possible to arrive on a student visa, get a job offer, cancel the student visa and upgrade to a work visa? I want money!

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Jetgirly wrote:

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I totally understand that it is a legal barrier. My problem is that since November 2006, we have been told that we will be traveling on tourist visas. We were told that tourist visas can be "upgraded" to a work visa in the case of a part-time job offer. Now, we are told that we are going on student visas. As I graduate in April (and have no coursework after March), but the term abroad program ends in June, and I am paid a "living allowance" for May and June (as well as Jan-April), I am a little bit frustrated by the restrictions of the student visa. Furthermore, I am NOT enrolled in a Mexican university, but rather do my Canadian coursework by correspondance WHILE WORKING IN EXCHANGE FOR PAY. It seems to me that someone who isn't enrolled in any educational institution, who does not receive course credit for their teaching abroad, and who is providing services in exchange for money should not be on a student visa! ... which is why I was hoping that I might be able to "swap" my student visa for a work visa.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

It's much more complicated than all this when it comes to work permits. A tourist visa is a tourist visa and it doesn't get "upgraded". You would be applying for an FM3, but what are the chances that the school you will be working for would provide the necessary paperwork for only a couple of months? In Guadalajara it can take ages to get a work permit approved and you technically cannot work while your paperwork is in "tramite". Participants in educational exchange programs seem to be covered under Student Visas and as you found out, they don't permit you to work. It all sounds a bit of a mess, doesn't it? Why would you be required to get a Student Visa if you aren't actually a student, but rather coming here to work?

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

Because for January to April I am a student at a Canadian university, and I do my classwork from that university by correspondance (online) while I teach. However, my last semester of studies ends mid-April. What I do in Mexico was organized by the university but is not for credit. In theory, if I arrived in Mexico and decided that I'd rather not do any teaching work at all, it shouldn't affect my grades. My reputation at the university, maybe, but not my grades.

corporatehuman · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Mexico City

Don't get too worried. Switching or upgrading to a VISA is probably more trouble than it is worth. Plenty of people will hire you and not ask you about your VISA.

Sort of a don't ask, don't tell policy. Sometimes the problems with these bulletin boards is you can get real worked up over something that isn't such a big deal, with excessive planning and preparation. That sort of thing happened to me before I got here. Once you get here you'll figure everything out and you will find a job if you want one.

Dragonlady · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:45 am Post subject:

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Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

It's more like "get a student visa, get the EXTREMELY SMALL living allowance for all five months, and continue to work only twelve hours per week for the last two months of the placement even when all your days are free because you're done your coursework and have graduated... or stay home". My original plan (AS THE TERM ABROAD OFFICE HAD BEEN PROMISING ME FOR THE PAST YEAR) had been to get a tourist visa, work twelve hours per week until April (the maximum allowed by our home university while we are still students) and collect the small living allowance, then upgrade to a work visa for May and June while working "full time", continuing to work for the small living allowance AND getting part-time employment either within the same school or at a different school.

I think the confusing part is the fact that both ends refuse to acknowledge that we are being paid for our work. Instead, they say we have to work twelve hours per week and in return we receive... and they make this clear as mud... a "stipend" (used interchangeably with "living allowance"), not a "salary". However, we do not receive the full stipend if we do not work all twelve hours per week... hmmm...

Dragonlady · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 3:29 am Post subject:

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Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

That is really, really helpful, but it still leaves me unclear on one thing:

What if the "student" is not enrolled at a school in Mexico? What if they are enrolled at a school in their home country and doing the work for that school online? And at the same time as they do that coursework, they are being given a pre-determined "living allowance"/stipend in exchange for teaching English for a certain number of hours? From your post, I am very clear that I will need an FM3... but what kind of FM3? (This is not really a question for you... it is more like one that my university should have figured out a long time ago, or else let us see our own contracts so that we can figure it out ourselves.)

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

HELP! If I enter Mexico on a tourist visa, can I then go somewhere and apply for a student visa? The consulate here can't see me before I depart, and I can't mail in my passport to the consulate in Ottawa because I have upcoming international flights in the next few weeks!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!