Many expats in Mexico from the U.S. are actually illegal immigrants; probably tens of thousands. The thing is, you can live in Mexico on a tourist visa for up to six months. What many expats do is to make a "border runs" -- That is, to cross the border, re-enter Mexico, and then they're good to go for another six months. Many do this for years. I'd hate to think that these are folks who look with disdain on people from Latin America who are working their tails off in the U.S. without documentation. You know, doing the jobs that our little teenage darlings are too lazy to do.
The Mexican government is cracking down on the loophole of making endless border-runs, or so they say. Expats who do this may find themselves barred from re-entering someday soon.
I didn't want to do this because (1) it's technically not legal (2) I didn't want to jeopardize my ability to remain in the country, and (3) I want the benefits that come with legal Mexican residency.
These benefits are: (1) The ability to open a bank account in Mexico, thus avoiding excessive ATM fees like $16 bucks a pop (2) The ability to obtain a cell phone plan in Mexico -- Hello! $15 per month? (3) Lower medical costs for Mexican residents -- Hello! A colonoscopy for $300? Sign me up!
The first step to obtaining your resident visa is making an appointment with a Mexican consulate in the U.S. Let me tell you, this was easier said than done. Websites that I was directed to were in Spanish or they were glitchy and didn't work. Phone lines were in Spanish.
Here are two solutions: Try to find an email address at the consulate. Emailing the consulate in my city (Chicago) and requesting an appointment worked for me. Here's a list for you. I received a call the next day. Another solution is to enlist the help of an immigration attorney from Mexico. (You'll need one, anyway.) The one I contacted, apparently, had "bat-cave" numbers to various consulates and was able to find three appointments for me at border towns in Texas. By that time, I'd obtained my own appointment. HUGE relief.
For your appointment, you'll need to bring copies of your bank statements for the past 12 months (an original and a copy), showing that you're financially solvent. Click here for 2021 requirements. You'll also need to bring your passport, the completed application (here) and a passport photograph. At your appointment, you'll be interviewed, pay $44 (the website said $34) and then have to wait up to ten business days. Mine took five. They called me to schedule an appointment to pick it up the next day. It felt great to have that visa affixed to my passport.
I leave to return to Ajijic in two days and I have an appointment with my immigration attorney next week. Leave a comment if you'd like her contact info.
I hope this helps. Just take things step-by-step and realize that it can be a tedious process.
I was raised in South Texas and recall that anyone of Mexican descent was referred to as "Mexican-American." Hopefully, soon, I'll be an American-Mexican.
