BajaNomad - Fresh out of clever titles for Fm3 questions

Fresh out of clever titles for Fm3 questions

oladulce - 8-6-2009 at 06:49 PM

If my husband and I each apply for our FM3's using our bank statements as documentation of proof of income and our income meets their requirement of at least $1000 per month per person, am I still required to apply as his "dependent" or can I apply individually?

The reason I ask is some immigration offices want to see a marriage certificate with an apostille from the secretary of state. Since the county clerks authentification is only good for 5 yrs, we'd have to get a new marriage certificate every 5 yrs from the clerk before doing the rest of the apostille process. All of this will be a pain in the butt while living in a BCS outpost .

If I apply for my Fm3 as an "independent" rather than a dependent spouse, maybe we won't have to go thru the marriage certificate step? Is there another reason they want to see a marriage doc?

Thoughts? Experiences?

The Mexican consulate website in San Diego lists the marriage certif requirement for first-time FM3's (for dependent spouses anyway) but has anyone needed one for a renewal in La paz?

DENNIS - 8-6-2009 at 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oladulce
Is there another reason they want to see a marriage doc?

Their main concern is that you're not living in sin. It's a very Catholic country, you know. :lol:

bajaguy - 8-6-2009 at 07:53 PM

Never had to show marriage certificate/Apostille after obtaining FM-3 (at Consulate in San Diego) and registering it for the first time (in Ensenada)

bajabound2005 - 8-6-2009 at 08:04 PM

Call the San Diego Consulate and ask. We did our first Fm3 and they never even ASKED for our marriage cert (in any language). You do it in SD and you won't need an apostille for anything. Your renewals...different sitch. But we understand that La Paz is pretty easy going on the FM3 stuff.

[Edited on 8-7-2009 by bajabound2005]

UnoMas - 8-6-2009 at 08:15 PM

Never been asked for a marriage license when renewing in La Paz for the last six years. I have heard that some things have changed though, especially the renewal time with the new regime. I hope it is just a temporary thing.

[Edited on 8-7-2009 by UnoMas]

bajaguy - 8-6-2009 at 08:27 PM

clarification....a marriage certificate proves you were married.......the license is just the "permission" to marry.....the regs require a certificate

UnoMas - 8-6-2009 at 09:13 PM

Okay, marriage certificate. Still have never been asked for one in six years of renewing. Don't remember if We had to provide one in the original application. :lol:

Anything after lunch yesterday is just a blurrrr.....

bigmike - 8-7-2009 at 06:03 AM

We got our FM-3 last year no marriage certificate, this year when we went to renew they asked for one but then said they did not need it as our original had been issued to each of us individually, in another words they said we both qualified on our own and my wife was not qualifying as my dependant.
Our experience only!!

HaciendaCerritos - 8-7-2009 at 06:12 AM

When I got my Fm3 as a dependent of my husband, they asked for the apostiled copy of the certificate. That was 6 years ago in La Paz. Just got my Fm2 and they didn't ask for the apostile nor the certificate (and I'm still listed as a dependent of my hubby as well as owner of a corporation).

bajajudy - 8-7-2009 at 07:23 AM

Never been asked for marriage license for either FM3 or our current FM2. I am also a dependent. In the 60's I would have balked at that. Now I just smile a wifey smile.

vandenberg - 8-7-2009 at 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajudy
Never been asked for marriage license for either FM3 or our current FM2. I am also a dependent. In the 60's I would have balked at that. Now I just smile a wifey smile.

Yeah Judy,
but like my better half, you may be the dependent but you rule the roost. :biggrin:

And yes, in the 80's we had to show the apostiled marriage certificate. The process in those days was quite tedious/involved ,to say the least

[Edited on 8-7-2009 by vandenberg]

larryC - 8-7-2009 at 08:45 AM

My wife and I are going in on Monday to get our fm3 at the San Diego consulate, on their web page they say that a marriage certificate is required and also list the minimum age as 55. Never heard of an age requirement before. Unfortunately I will have no problem fulfilling that requirement.
Larry
Here is a link to the page for the age requirement
http://consulmexsd.org/doc/non-mexican/fm3.htm

TBcountry - 8-7-2009 at 03:43 PM

My wife and I just got our FM3 in the past few months. We did have to show, heck not show, they kept it, a Certified Marriage Certificate. It also had to be translated into Spanish. We hired a Mexican attorney who speaks very good English and she took all necessary information, translated and whatever else needed to be done, then met us at Consulate in Rosarito to sign all the papers. It really went pretty smooth. Getting the Certified Marriage Certificate was fairly easy ( I did order 2 though) as I did it on-line and had it within a week or so.
Tom

SDRonni - 8-7-2009 at 04:51 PM

We got our FM-3 at the Consulate in San Diego. We did have to have a certified copy of our marriage license. When trying to register in Rosarito, were told we needed the apostile. We were told the license and the apostile will both need to be translated into Spanish. Were also told, though, by Immigration in Rosarito that we need to register w/in 30 days. Our attorney checked, and the FM-3 that was issued in San Diego is good for one year, no need to register in Rosarito until renewal time. Conflicting and confusing info..............

oladulce - 8-7-2009 at 06:12 PM

Thank you all for the info. It wouldn't hurt, so I've ordered a couple of extra marriage certificates to keep handy. But I will try to register myself as an independent spouse.

After some expert advice, rather than providing 6 months of bank statements that may float around a Mex govt office, I'll get a letter from our bank to confirm the proof of income requirement.

Does the bank letter need to be in Spanish for the initial step at the consulate in San Diego? If english is ok in San Diego, will La paz want to see the proof of income bank letter in spanish (and apostilled) when we register the FM3's there for the first time like Rosarito does?

I don't get home from work in time to call the SD consulate office when they're open so thanks for the help with the details.

grace59 - 8-7-2009 at 06:15 PM

We applied for and received our FM3s in San Felipe. No marriage certificate was required there....only proof of a residence, bank deposit, passports, FMT...we used a FM3 agent right in town who walked us through the entire process...it was painless, but took a while...we applied in April and did not get FM3s until July....which means we will have to go down to renew in the heat of the summer :fire:

SDRonni - 8-7-2009 at 09:09 PM

At the Mexican Consulate office in San Diego, we did have to show bank statements. But we applied for the FM-3 one day and picked it up the next. Very easy process.

fishingmako - 8-8-2009 at 10:36 AM

A letter from a bank for proof will not work, you must have the original bank statements, no downloaded copies, they have to be original and you only need 3 not 6, and they have to be translated from English to Spanish in Mexico, come on now the money has to stay local, also remember when going to a consulate you still have to register them at the local immigration office area you are living, this has been said again and again, I personaly would not attempt this on my own, the paper work will never ever be correct believe me, get a pro to handle it it makes for smooth sailing, just a warning, ask others whom have been ther done that.

oladulce - 8-8-2009 at 11:44 AM

Ok, we're back to the bank statements. I should get us through the SD consulate stage for now. I'll try to be prepared, but will be (more) neurotic if I expect to have everything they'll want for the La paz registration later on.

Woohoo, now to start on the Menaje and organizing the importation truck load.

Oh yeah, and listing our CA house... :rolleyes:

Get an Agent

bajaguy - 8-8-2009 at 12:08 PM

It is well worth it

nbacc - 8-8-2009 at 03:35 PM

Got our FM3s in San Felipe no marriage cert. had the same experience that grace did...no big deal just a bit of waiting. they do everything by hand in that office...no computers.

oladulce - 10-1-2009 at 11:58 PM

FYI

If a couple is going to apply for FM3's individually (rather than as a family, or a breadwinner + dependent) the SD consulate wants to see proof that each of your incomes meets their minimum requirement and expects you to have separate bank accounts.

We did not.

I brought 6 recent statements from our joint account when we turned in our apps. today, but was able to show her how my automatic paycheck deposits were separate from BigWooo's paychecks on the same account. She himmed and hawed for a while but eventually said "they are being lenient with this today" and it looks like they will let it slide.

A marriage certificate would have sufficed to prove my "dependency", but I wanted to file my app. individually so we didn't have to deal with keeping a current apostille marriage cert. for each renewal.

LarryC asked me to confirm info he was given during his recent FM3 application. I'm 99% sure I overheard the lady saying that as of July 1, FM3 renewals can be done at the San Diego Mexican Consulate office.

The man in line in front of us had caused her a lot of grief and she was still irritable when it was our turn at the window and I didn't want to aggravate her more by asking questions. I will ask for a confirmation about the renewal when we go back to pick up the docs.

[Edited on 10-3-2009 by oladulce]

longlegsinlapaz - 10-2-2009 at 05:34 AM

So happy to see your little duckies appear to be falling into place with all their little beaks facing the right direction!! :bounce:

Just remember that you need to cross & get your FM3's stamped within....I believe....30 days for them to be validated. So timing is everything. Even if you just drive down, get stamped, cross border & make a big U-Turn back to the states.

bajaguy - 10-2-2009 at 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
So happy to see your little duckies appear to be falling into place with all their little beaks facing the right direction!! :bounce:

Better option:

Park in the US Customms visitor/business parking lot at Otay.....the lot you park in for your SENTRI. Walk across the border using the pedestrian bridge.

Go to the INM office, have the FM-3 stamped, walk across the (stalled) northbound traffic lanes ....kind of like playing Frogger......to the US side, process through US Customs and walk to your car.

Celebrate this mini-victory by having lunch or breakfast at Erick's Deli in the mall north of the US Customs parking lot

CP - 10-2-2009 at 08:47 AM

Good call to get separate FM-3s. I am a dependent FM-3 and strongly wanted to continue up the FM ladder while my husband wanted to stay FM-3. I could not get an FM-2 without him...(unless I started all over independently).
Happily, he eventually came around and we will get FM-2s next renewal date.
You should have seen the long drawn out day we had at the bank setting up accounts with ME as the account holder. They just could not accept that my husband was not going to be primary. And when I listed my occupation as 'housewife' well you KNOW how that went over wit them. Finally wore them down and they reluctantly accepted.

durrelllrobert - 10-2-2009 at 09:11 AM

My wife is Canadian and needed FM3 to prove she lives in Mexico, in order to enter US. She got it as my dependent in 3 weeks, no marriage certificate or bank statement required, . We used Carlos from UPS since he has office in Ensenada Migration office building.

DENNIS - 10-2-2009 at 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert
We used Carlos from UPS since he has office in Ensenada Migration office building.

Well, actually it's a redecorated broom closet but, I guess it keeps the rain off his head.

oladulce - 10-2-2009 at 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz

Just remember that you need to cross & get your FM3's stamped within....I believe....30 days for them to be validated. So timing is everything. Even if you just drive down, get stamped, cross border & make a big U-Turn back to the states.

I recall reading that you need to have the FM3 stamped the first time you cross the border but I didn't realize that there's a limited time to get this first stamp. So the border guys actually check your issue date and compare it to that day's date? And the penalty if we're 3-4 weeks later than 30 days? I can't find the reference to this requirement on the gov. websites.

Thanks for the Otay-turn-around tip Bajaguy. If we have to get the first stamp within 30 days this sounds like the easiest way to do it.

longlegsinlapaz - 10-2-2009 at 10:01 PM

It's been a long, long time ago....but I recall the Mexican Consulate in Portland wanted to know the date we planned on crossing & coordinated the issue date around that....I do remember being told we had to cross & get them stamped within 5 days of that date, but that was in 1999. So if you haven't yet picked up your FM3's, hope the person in line right before you didn't irritate the clerk & ask her to be sure on current requirements. I MIGHT have been thinking of the 30-days to register with the closest Immigration office after you cross requirement.

oladulce - 10-2-2009 at 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
I So if you haven't yet picked up your FM3's, hope the person in line right before you didn't irritate the clerk & ask her to be sure on current requirements. I MIGHT have been thinking of the 30-days to register with the closest Immigration office after you cross requirement.

Either way, thanks for alerting me that there is a time frame for the first entry LLinLP.

ViajeraGal - 10-3-2009 at 05:09 PM

I am a "Dependent" on my FM-3 and am on my third book and we have never been asked for Marriage papers since the original year. (La Paz office)

bajalorena - 10-3-2009 at 05:52 PM

When we originally got our FM3's, I was listed as my husband's dependent. Then he got his citizenship (his Mom was born in Mexico).
When I went to get my FM2, I had to have a letter from him asking for and authorizing me to get it. :mad:

I have had my citizenship for 4 years now, so now I don't have to go to immigration anymore. :tumble:

Apply as an individual.............

oladulce - 10-5-2009 at 11:43 PM

We picked up our new Fm3's today and in spite of my bank statements and explanation that I have a source of income independent of my spouse, on the ride home I discovered they had named me a "dependent" anyway.

I guess I'll open my own account and 6 months before FM2 application time next year, I'll start transferring money in to look like deposits.

The San Diego Mexican Visa lady did say :

"We can do FM3 renewals here as of July 1. 09"

She said we only had 30 days to get the new doc stamped in Mexico so we followed bajaguy's advice and walked across the border at Otay to get the stamp at Migracion. Fairly painless.

She also gave some erroneous info which the immigration officer corrected, so I'm not convinced that the 30 day stamp rule is accurate.

DENNIS - 10-6-2009 at 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oladulce
I guess I'll open my own account and 6 months before FM2 application time next year, I'll start transferring money in to look like deposits.

Was that FM2 up there a typo? I thought you had to have an FM3 for five years before moving on to an FM2.

bajaguy - 10-6-2009 at 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oladulce
.............She also gave some erroneous info which the immigration officer corrected, so I'm not convinced that the 30 day stamp rule is accurate.

It's Mexico.....they have one set of rules, but everybody makes up their own interpertation..............who knows what the rules really say????

DENNIS - 10-6-2009 at 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy

..............who knows what the rules really say????

The guy with the biggest gun will tell you what they really say. :yes:

TBcountry - 10-6-2009 at 11:08 AM

My wife and I hired an attorney from TJ and it went great. It did cost a bit but once I got all the info to her, she did everything and all we did was meet her at Rosarito Immigration when papers were done and signed everything. She even delivered FM3's to our condo when they were completely finished. Saved me alot of hassle and time but then again it does cost
TB

vandenberg - 10-6-2009 at 12:41 PM

Bajaeng
You make your better half sound like one scary lady

Maybe post a picture, so we know whose way to stay out off. :biggrin:

shari - 10-6-2009 at 01:20 PM

I used to do my own FM3 but they kept making mistakes which ended up costing me alot of money and costly road trips. So I actually saved money by hiring an agent...alonso lopez in La Paz...since then, everything went smoothly and I never had to make one trip out of Asuncion ....he just sent me the renewals...a bargain!
thank goodness he also helped me get my citizenship so now I dont have to do that song and dance anymore.