BajaNomad - Checklist for La Paz immigration

Checklist for La Paz immigration

oladulce - 9-20-2010 at 03:14 PM

I'm compiling the items we need to take to the La Paz immigration office for our renewals (upgrading from FM3 no inmigrante to FM2 inmigrante) and would appreciate recent experiences or confirmation:

Photos- (5) Color with white background- Is that correct?

US Passport- Did they want a copy of every page?

Current FM3 book- Do I need to make a copy of any of the book or just hand it over?

Payment- Is there a way to pay at the bank first and present the receipt at the INM office with all the docs?

I've done our online applications and Formato Basicos, have have written the letters of our intentions/requests to change our immigration status to inmigrantes, wrote letters for anotacion de domicilio for our domicile address and have copies of the 1st fide page and a Carta de Residencia from the nearby town mayor(because we lack utility bills etc for proof of residence), and will pull up some bank statements.

Does that sound like everything?
Gracias.

bajajudy - 9-20-2010 at 04:08 PM

We had to do 4 photos...in color, 2 right side, 2 full face, white background, size-infantil.

Of course as Michael Mercer, the author said.....How many copies do you need of each document before you go to migracion.....one more than you will have.

Suerte, amiga

maspacifico - 9-20-2010 at 04:32 PM

Yes, you have everything you need......except!

That online application, that you have probably printed out in triplicate, the only thing you need from it is the online number that they give you at the end. The finished app number lets the person behind the counter bring the whole thing up on their screen so they can finish it. We didn't have to copy our whole passports (but of course we had them!) or the FM3 booklets. I don't see any way you can pay at the bank before you get in line. Pretty sure you now need a CURP number though, and if you don't need it this year you will next year! We didn't but I know things have changed for the next renewal.

karenintx - 9-20-2010 at 06:11 PM

A copy of each page in our FM-3...why?...for our future reference...why?...just in case!

I agree with the "Michael Mercer" therory.

.

oladulce - 9-21-2010 at 12:42 PM

Thanks everybody. We got our CURPs last month because someone reported that we'd need them to obtain a building permit, so that's out of the way.

I'll let you know if there is something out of the ordinary they request at the INM office or if there are any other surprises.

The "Mercer theory" is all too true, isn't it.

Bob and Susan - 9-21-2010 at 12:54 PM

for us simpletons...

Mercer's theorem is a representation of a symmetric positive-definite function on a square as a sum of a convergent sequence of product functions.

WHAT!!! :no:

oxxo - 9-21-2010 at 07:42 PM

I just went through this last week in Cabo San Lucas. 5 photos in color - 3 frontal and 2 right side. Infantil size. They also wanted a color copy of my passport, but only the first two pages with all the information on it. I had the photos done at OfficeMax. Very reasonable.

oladulce - 9-22-2010 at 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxxo
I just went through this last week in Cabo San Lucas. 5 photos in color - 3 frontal and 2 right side. Infantil size. They also wanted a color copy of my passport, but only the first two pages with all the information on it. I had the photos done at OfficeMax. Very reasonable.

A color copy of your passport? Just when I thought I had everything together. Thanks for the OfficeMax tip. Maybe we'll try the La Paz store for our photos and be prepared with color copies of passports. :rolleyes:

BajaBlanca - 9-22-2010 at 09:06 AM

you know, i think when this is all said and done a checklist would be fantastic.

oxxo - 9-22-2010 at 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oladulce
A color copy of your passport? Just when I thought I had everything together.

Not only that, but he required I surrender my original passport (plus the copies) for a couple of days. I was very uneasy about this, but my passport was given back to me after 2 days. I used a "processor" who is an off duty immigration officer and is a "friend of a friend." I'm still not sure that surrendering my passport was a good idea, but some days, I'm not sure that living in Mexico is a good idea but that quickly passes. He charged me US$99 to process the paperwork for my FM3 plus a CURP and Mexican drivers license.

Quote:

you know, i think when this is all said and done a checklist would be fantastic.

I don't think that works. It seems the rules change from office to office, IMN officer to officer,...........and my guy told me the rules from the government change so often that the officers can't keep up with them. For example, Bajajudy processed her paperwork at the same office as I. She was required 4 photos, I was specifically required to have 5. Quien sabe?

oladulce - 9-25-2010 at 05:52 PM

We had a successful trip to the La Paz immigration office. These are the items I presented:

1. A copy of the completed online immigration form"Formato Migratorio Para Tramites de Estancia." (see note below also)

2. A copy of the completed form "Formato Basico"

Links for both of these forms are on this post:
Links to online immigration forms

3. A letter to the subdelegado of the INM office stating we were requesting to reside in Mexico fulltime and would like to change from FM3 to FM2 (now called "Inmigrante")and would live off our financial resources acquired outside of Mexico etc.

I used the letter format that was generously posted on Nomad a few months ago, (but I can't find the post to give her credit), changed the wording to fit our circumstances, and referred to the INM website to insert some additional buzzwords that seemed to popup often in immigration lingo.

4. A letter to the Subdelegado stating our domicile (residence address/location) entitled an "Anotacion de Domicilio", along with a carta de Constancia from the local mayor and a copy of the 1st page of our fide which describes the property location. We needed this letter because we have no electric or water bills to prove our residence. I don't know what you need if you do have utility bills to prove where you live.

5. Copy of US passport - I copied the page with the photo and vital info, page #4/5, pages with any travel stamps, the page with the Mexican Visa, and pages 28 & 29 that have the electronic chip and bar code (she looked for the last pages specifically). I presented B&W copies and they were accepted.

6. Copy of FM3 booklet - I don't know if this is a requirement, but she took the copies. I only made copies of the first 4 pages because there were no entries or stamps in the rest of the book.

7. FM3 booklet - She took the book and put it in the folder.

8.- Photos (color with white background) - they used 5 pictures to complete our application. 3 front and 2 right side. There was no discussion of smile vs mugshot etc. I removed earrings and pulled my hair back just in case. We went to Photos Miguel in downtown La Paz. They knew what we needed and the pics were ready in 20 minutes

9. Bank statements - I made copies of the 3 most recent monthly statements with deposits, and ran off a page showing the past 6 month history of just the monthly deposits. Both our names are on the accounts so there was a set of statements for each of our folders.

10. One tan file folder for each application.

The nice lady behind the counter asked what agent had assisted us with our documents. We told her, "No agent. Just alot of online research and questions on internet forums". She called over her coworkers and then the subdelegado and told them "check this out, they have everything- even the letters!" and commented "this never happens". It was a little embarrassing, but in a good way.

Thanks to everyone for your help, and I hope this list can help others. But remember, this was for the La Paz office.

Hopefully others will continue to update their experiences so we can all keeps tabs on the requirements.

One tip for the Formato Migratorio online doc. She corrected our forms to the following:
Que desea hacer?
answer: Complir con obligaciones migratorias.

Especifique:
answer: Inscripcion en el Registro nacional de extranjeros.

Santiago - 9-26-2010 at 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oladulce
10. One tan file folder for each application.

You mean to tell us that you have to give them the file they store all your other stuff in? Legal or letter? Would they like us to supply the file cabinet also?
Good Grief.

oxxo - 9-26-2010 at 09:14 AM

Yes, they require a tan letter size file folder with each application. It's not a big deal. They will gladly accept donations of file cabinets too - preferably something higher end like HON. :yes: