Job Discussion Forums

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Hiyas,

Not being known for my patience, I'm getting really stressed out about how long my FM3 is taking. The fact that my lawyer took a month to even lodge the papers notwithstanding, she seems to keep making up dates of when it will be ready. The process seems to have changed from when I did it last. I've already got a letter that says the FM3 has been approved, but now it seems to be taking another month (from the month I've already waited) to print the dang thing up.

I wouldn't normally care, but the issue of the visa is connected to being allowed to ship my stuff from Colombia, and that has a deadline of its own.

So, how long did your FM3 take, from initial lodgement of papers to when you had it in your hands?

Thanks for any soothing advice you can give.
Lozwich.

sarliz · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Jalisco

I feel like mine took about a month or a month and a half the when I first got it, and maybe 3 weeks when I had it renewed and changed the status of a few things. But so you don't freak out, I dealt directly with Pinche Migra (that's my own term of endearment for them), and visited often to check up.

Getting the actual FM3 was done in Oaxaca, and renewing was done in Guadalajara.

Sorry yours is taking awhile. I find playing the ignorant but friendly and persistent foreigner can help in situations like these ("I'm sorry, but didn't you say that I should have that on Thursday? And Thursday was yesterday, no? Maybe I don't understand.") Suerte!

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

4 months.

notamiss · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject:

I don't recall the specifics, but I arrived in January 1999 and must have started the application soon after. (It was an FM2, but the principle should be similar). I got the visa in July. So probably not much under 6 months. This was in the DF.

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

The first year took me 8 visits to the immigration office in Merida for a total of 5 weeks. I had already started teaching about 3 weeks prior to getting my FM3. The renewal of the FM3 in the second year took me four weeks.

Both times, I did the paperwork and bureaucratic hustle on my own, including the hiring of an official translater to translate my college degrees.

For the third year, I was so intimidated by the immigration office in Mexico City, where I had moved to, that I hired Enrique Urbino, an immigration attorney, to do the paperwork for me over the semana santa holidays. Perhaps for that reason it took as long as it did, namely a total of 2 weeks of waiting.

Anyone who wants my attorneys vitals please private message me. He comes highly recommended.

MO39 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: FM3

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

Actually, it may not be so atypical. The attorney came recommended to me by an ex English student I had last winter, who hailed from Montevido, Uruguay. He had been derelict in applying for his FM3 by more than 5 months and Urbino straightened him out in 3 days!!! I was somewhat surprised by that promptness and I questioned him repeatedly but he stuck by his story.

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

Average of 8 trips, 2-3 hour wait each trip and then one month (including the time before last when they fined me and then wanted another bribe because the cheap little booklet fell apart and I had to go over their heads to the next higher-up office because they lied and said they didn't have any new booklets)

MO39 · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: FM3

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

The first FM3 I got took about a month or so. All subsequent renewals have never taken more than 2 weeks. I still don't see the need for a lawyer, the process is very straightforward, in SLP at least.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

I didn't want a lawyer either, it was forced upon me, and I can't help feeling it would have got done a lot quicker if I had done it myself.

Thanks for all your replies. It doesn't help me get mine any quicker, but it does make me feel less alone.

Cheers,
Lozwich

MO39 · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 4:51 am Post subject:

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

Oreen Scott · Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 179 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico

It took two weeks once I had my photo taken, which I didn't know I needed.

It took three trips only because I didn't know I needed my photo taken.

There was a wait of a very few minutes each time.

I didn't use a lawyer.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I was under the impression that immigration has to complete the paperwork within 30 days of submission... but I suspect that might vary between different offices.

When I first started in Huatulco in 2004, it took exactly 30 days. The immigration office there was on poor terms with the university administration, and dragged things out deliberately.

When I left in 2007, things were much better, and immigration could do the paperwork in about 10 business days.