Job Discussion Forums

[Mekyn]

Do I need apostilled bank statements to apply for my fm3? I was told this by someone living here. Also do I need to wait until I get a job to apply for my fm3 or can apply for an independent before I have a job. I would like to work independently and maybe at a language school part-time. I appreciate any help.

[geaaronson]

I got my initial FM3 independente in Merida and no, I did not need apostilled bank statements.
I did however need to get a letter from at least one potential employer attesting to the fact that they intended to hire me as an English teacher and give it to immigration.

[amaranto]

I got my FM3 in D.F., and they didn't require bank statements. I believe bank statements are only required for foreigners who intend to reside in Mexico without providing some kind of paid service, like an expat on a pension.

According to my lawyer, having an independent FM3 would exclude you from being contracted under other forms of employment (in your case, a job at a language school). From what I've gathered, getting an FM3 using an employer sponsor seems to be the easiest route. Later on you can get immigration to broaden your activities description on the FM3 itself, which is called an
ampliaci�n de actividades. I'm getting this done come February.

This Immigration link should be helpful: http://www.inm.gob.mx/EN/index.php?page/If_you_intend_to_engage

[Prof.Gringo]

[notamiss]

[Phil_K]

[Mekyn]

That's fine...i don't need benefits...just income. Do many language schools in Mexico hire teachers as "freelancers?"

[Phil_K]

Most of them. They don't actually put it that way, but as you are providing receipts for your pay and receive no benefits, that's what you are.

[TheLongWayHome]

[gregd75]

Yet another helpful, positive posting by The Long Way Home (name says it all)

[Samantha]

Mekyn, how much time do you have left on your FMT? This is not the best time to be searching for work but if you have some time to wait it out on your tourist visa, jobs generally surface in January (the new semester). Visit all the schools again in January. Make sure the school that offers you a job (probably part-time at first) is okay with you working somewhere else.

Don't listen to Immigration advice from retired expats; rather go straight to the Immigration office and ask what their requirements are for your situation. Expats are only familiar with their FM3 Rentista, and that is not something that applies to you. FM3 Rentista applies to those with income or investments from outside Mexico and that is where the 3 most recent bank statements come into play. You are not allowed to work in mexico on this type of FM3. One more note. Not all Immigration office requires apostilled bank statements. Where I live, they will accept internet copies of bank statements. So the point is, that it really depends where you live, as to what the rules will be, and which is why you should ask them directly. Good luck with getting work. Keep us posted.

[Tretyakovskii]

There appears to be a split of opinion among the posters as to whether, when taking a new "job," you must get immigration's specific approval even if you've been granted permission to teach independently. Some say you must have specific permission to take a job: partially agreeing, others say that, so long as you're not carried as an employee on the books you don't need specific permission to take a new job. But I wonder if the "forma independiente" concept doesn't go farther, eliminating the need for specific permission, altogether.

The question is an interesting one. Does "forma independiente" mean you are free to accept any offer of employment, or offer of a contract to teach? Or, does it mean you may only work independently, without any intermediary between you and the student(s), unless given permission to take a particular job, or perform a particular contract?

If permission to teach independently is a broader grant of authority than permission to take a specific job, it may include the possibility of taking a job teaching English without asking for additional permission. On the other hand, if it is considered a more narrow grant of permission to work- which doesn't involve the risk of displacing a Mexican citizen from a job, in that you must rely on your own skill in recruiting all your students- then perhaps you cannot take a "job," or perform a contract, without additional permission.
___________________

My state university appears to consider it a broad grant of right to work in Mexico, albeit within a narrow sphere- that of teaching English, in my case. My FM3, which grants permission to pursue lucrative activities, reads, "para preste sus servicios como maestro de ingles en forma independiente," so it's clearly limited to teaching English.

The university appears to be satisfied that all the requisites to hire me to teach English have been met, and they have no plan to ask for additional permission: I consider a state university to be right up there with those institutions that will "play it by the book". This is, admittedly, not the same thing as knowing for sure, but it may be good enough for me, in this case. I had assumed, from the beginning, that "forma independiente" is a broad grant of a right to work. I'm reserving judgment, until I hear more from other posters.

[Samantha]

The Cancun Immigration people who issued your document have the final word on that. The INAM offices each have their own individual way of applying the rules, so unless another teacher lives in your area, the answer could be quite different. Our Immigration office in Mazatlan is quite relaxed on certain issues. (The one in Queretaro or Guadalajara or even Cancun...not so much.)

[Tretyakovskii]

While it is certainly true that immigration has the last word on it, it's also a cop out to say so.

Some of the other posters ventured an opinion, though they didn't offer any support for their opinion, such as an argument, or a cite to a Mexican statute.

An example is this unequivocal statement, which is offered without anything more:

[TheLongWayHome]