Job Discussion Forums

[Allie]

I entered Mexico at the end of August on a FMM, I'm married to a Mexican and we have a daughter who has dual-nationality, I'm British. The plan was to begin the process to get a FM-2 but I haven't started to do so yet. I need to go back to the UK at the beginning of November for a few weeks and wondered if I would be allowed back in on another FMM? Is there a limit to how many times they will let you back into the country per year on just a FMM? We're still working out whether to live in Mexico or go back to the UK so I don't really want to start the FM-2 process until we've decided for sure. Any help would be appreciated, the queues at the immigration office are horrendous so I'd like to avoid that route if possible!

[Professor]

I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe the tourist visa is good for six months. In the past one could leave and come back whenever and just get another tourist visa stamped when you re enter Mexico, but I believe if you leave on the tourist visa you may have to wait six months before re entering.
I'm sure someone else can jump in and verify what I'm saying.

[TeresaLopez]

My understanding is the same as Professor�s, that you could only be in the country for a total of 180 days per year, and that one of the reasons for the change was to prevent people from living in Mexico for years and years, working illegally, etc. I don�t know how it is working out in practice, though.
You can email Migration and they answer fairly quickly.

[Allie]

Thanks for the replies. I won't have gone over the 180 days so that shouldn't be an issue. The problem is I don't know if they will give me another FMM after me being out of the country for only 2 weeks. I have written to immigration, hopefully they'll get back to me. I'm thinking of taking my daughter's birth certificate and my marriage certificate with me to show immigration at the airport if I do have trouble getting back in. I'm just not sure that will be enough for them now that the rules have changed and the agents in Mexico City airport seem to be pretty strict.

[MotherF]

Immigracion will probably tell you to go ahead and apply for the FM2 now, then apply for permission to leave while your paperwork is in progress. This permission costs something, it used to cost 260 pesos. And in the past I would have said it wasn't worth it. But if it is true that they won't issue you another FMM in the same year, than suddenly it semms like a very small price to pay...

[brian1972]

I entered Mexico in August and left two weeks ago for an unexpected family emergancy. When I returned to Mexico last week, I was given another 180 days on a tourist visa.

[Samantha]

Brian's experience is still the norm. The new system in place is tracking visitors a little better (they hope), but no restrictions on reentering under a new FMM. Every traveler now fills out the FMM. If you have an FM3 or FM2, the form asks for the number. You are required to keep a portion of the form, and apparently when you renew your FM2 or FM3, you must take the FMM "stub" to INM.

The new system seems to have seriously sped up the issuing time of the FM2 and FM3 in our INM office. The new card is ready to pick up within 2 days of the application. It's amazing. (You can now track your file's progress on the INM website.)

[notamiss]

[Prof.Gringo]

[Guy Courchesne]

[Samantha]

That sounds ugly. I guess seeing (hearing) that, we can relate to the process Mexicans go through to get a US Visa. That sure isn't pretty, either.

[Prof.Gringo]

[Dragonlady]

deleted

[leslie]

If you have a fm2 or fm3 in the process at migracion, and you want to leave the country, go to the migracion office a few days (maybe a week because last time I did this it was 48 hours... but I'd ask a week before if you can) before and ask for "permission to leave" . This is only a few hundred pesos. You show this when you leave and re-enter.

It's easy and no big deal.

Migracion just follows procedures and this is one of them.

[leegleze]