Job Discussion Forums

[jessn]

At least, that�s what the officer in the Montr�al consulate told me on the phone today. Not only that, she was quite clear that, even if I got an FM3 through a school, it was always illegal to teach privately, because that visa would only be valid only for that school. I mentioned politely what people on the forum have been saying about facturas and taxes and all, but she wouldn�t budge.
Everyone has been helpful about what I need to get this elusive piece of paper, and I have pulled together evidence of my Canadian birth, my MATESL, and my little pension and had it all notarized and authenticated according to the disparate regulations of Canada and the USA. Now I am hoping for your collective wisdom on what to do next.
I am looking for an ESL job for the second semester, which won�t be easy because openings for just a half a year are scarce. I teach Spanish annually in the fall semester for a local university, and I�d ideally like to balance that out with something regular for winter � sort of a working snowbird. So I figure the Independiente is the way to go, so that when I do the rounds in January I have the visa in hand, and can compete effectively.
So, I�d appreciate any and all advice on how to get this visa without stepping on any toes: Should I write this same lady a letter and ask her to please check again? Call up a different consular officer as if this conversation hadn�t happened? Or should I write the consul himself? Or switch to the Boston consulate or Ottawa embassy? Or just give up, and try my luck in Mexico in January? Thanks for any and all input.
Jessica

[TheLongWayHome]

Sounds like getting an FM3 here with any old school will be much less hassle. You don't even need to work there full time to get one, leaving you free to teach privates - just don't tell hacienda.

[MELEE]

To the best of my knowledge, the vast majority of FM3s are issued in Mexico, not abroad. Most people come into Mexico then change their visa status once here. I'm under the impression that most of the consulates don't issue a lot of FM3s so maybe she just doesn't know. There are some people here with one, I'm sure they will post. I suggest you come to Mexico and apply for a change of status here.

[scottmx81]

It is my understanding that FM3s with permission to work must be processed in Mexico, not at a consulate.

It isn't really an "FM3 Independiente", it is really a "Visitante de Negocios o Inversionista" FM3. (See: http://www.inami.gob.mx/paginas%5C211000.htm).

If you have an FM3 of this type, you may be said to have "actividades lucrativas e independientes" if it is your own business. They don't type that phrase into your FM3 per se, but I have seen the phrase on official INAMI documents regarding the FM3 that was issued to me of this type.

Your FM3 will actually list what you are allowed to do, for example to be the manager and shareholder of a particular company. If you are actually the owner of that company, then it could be said that you have "lucrative and independent activities".

If you were to go to Mexico and establish "Jessn's School of English S.A. de C.V.", then your FM3 would say you have permission to "be a shareholder and manager/president of Jessn's School of English S.A. de C.V.". But generally speaking, it could be said that you are operating independently, because really, that's what you are doing if you are the owner and president of the company.

I'm not sure whether there are actually people being issued these so called "independiente" FM3s without establishing their own Mexican business entitity. But would tend to think that most people with the fabled "FM3 Independiente" are actually operating through some sort of formal business entitity and contracting out their services through it, formally.

I don't think people can just show up in Mexico and say "hey, I'm a really good (English teacher|Electrician|Plumber|...)" and get an "FM3 Independiente" that allows them to go around doing whatever they want.

I hope this clarifies it for you a bit.

[Guy Courchesne]

[leslie]

Bye

[Samantha]

Melee wrote:

[MO39]

[GueroPaz]

I'm a bit like MO39, perhaps. I'm hoping to come to Mexico next year and teach independently, without getting a regular contract with a school. From what I had asked here recently, it sounded doable, and I thought it could be done without a company (S.A. de c.v. or whatever). I surely need to know, but from what's already been said, I'll assume the consulates in Texas won't know.

Also, I thought there was a less complicated way of doing it than by the inversionista method.

Without going into detail, it would be best to do this legally, even if I have to pay income tax and do more paperwork.

[Phil_K]

[Phil_K]

Forgot to mention, there is no need for change of Migratory Characteristic under the aforementioned method. With an FM3, your would be "Non-inmigrante t�cnico"

[leslie]

Bye

[MO39]

[quote="Phil_K"]

[MO39]

[Phil_K]

Ahem (clears throat).... like 50% of the Mexican working population does - i.e. illegally