BajaNomad

FM3.... again

Tio Rocky - 11-16-2004 at 11:17 AM

I know this has probably been discussed a million times and the only reason I am asking again is because it seems to constantly change.

I have been here in Baja (norte),,, for a few years now and believe it?s time I get off my a** and get my FM3?. My question is,,, where do I find the best no bs info on how to go about this?.

Thanks,
Tio Rocky


[Edited on 11-16-2004 by Tio Rocky]

MrBillM - 11-16-2004 at 11:44 AM

Go to a local agent, pay the $25-$35 and they'll tell you
EXACTLY what you need to do. They'll also handle the actual
dealing with immigration. You still have to do most of the
legwork i.e. getting the FMT, going to the bank, getting the
photos, but you can be assured that all of the paperwork will
be right the first time.

Knowing now what it takes, I could do my renewals myself, but
the CHEAP cost of the agent is worth it to avoid the hassles.
You'll probably hear from people who do it themselves. I guess
they're cheaper than I am.

I need to do the same

FrankO - 11-16-2004 at 11:52 AM

I am going to hit the consulate here in San Diego and see what they have to see. B4 the end of the year, anyway.

Tio Rocky - 11-16-2004 at 12:20 PM

Mr BillM

Do you know of an agent here in Ensenada?
:?:

FM-3

LOVE2GO2BAJA - 11-16-2004 at 12:39 PM

Text

11/16/04
T?o Rocky, if your living in Mexico for more than a couple of months per year or have a house, property, or business I definitely recommend that you get one if only for legality purposes. The first one you can get at the Mexican Consulate in San Diego (Information below go on there web site to make sure the information is up to date).
If your are living in Ensenada email me at: Love2go2baja@yahoo.com and I will give you the telephone number and email of a very reliable person (reliable rates also) to help you with your future renewals of your FM-3 & FM-2. I haven?t yet got the U2U message thing down yet.

FM-3
MEXICAN CONSULANT tel# 619-231-8414 ext. 15 [applications 8-12]
1549 INDIA ST.
SAN DIEGO, CA.
Valid Passport (one Photo copy of Passport) must have at least 6 months of validity left.
[2 front view PASSPORT PHOTOS + $78 Cash, no money orders, company, personal cashiers checks]
[6 Months of Bank statements verifying 1,000 +@ month deposited or a Notarized statement by the bank that you have minimum of at $1,000 + deposited @ month in your bank account] and $500 per dependent if any.
No Renewals are done at the Mexican Consulate!
For FM-2, 3 renewals you must contact your local Mexican Immigration office 30 days prior to expiration.

LOVE2GO2BAJA

Dave - 11-16-2004 at 01:31 PM

If you are living in the TJ-Rosarito-Ensenada corridor here's what you will need:

A Mexican bank account with around $1,500. The amount is tied to the average wage computed in Mexico city so this fluctuates from year to year.

Evidence that you live here. A phone or electric bill with your address will do.

Your passport.

About $135 for the document fees.
From $50-$125 for the preparer's fees.

That's it.

Take all this to a FM3 preparer. They will do all the rest for you. If you want, they will even deliver and pickup your documents.

Sticky

Tio Rocky - 11-16-2004 at 04:59 PM

First,,,, thanks for all the info.....

I have what you would call a sticky situation..... um.... how do I say this.... I ran an Internet business..... no...no...no... I have a better way to say this...

I have a friend who runs an Internet business and even though he/she makes enough money to live on he/she doesn't have what you would call verifiable income?.. what would a person like that do?. My friend would really appreciate some good advice??

For my friend, Thank you.

Tio Rocky :saint:

Dave - 11-16-2004 at 05:47 PM

Tio Rocky internet porn king?:lol:

Re-read my last post:

You just have to put $1,500 in a Mexican bank account. You don't have to have a verifiable income....unless you apply in the States.

David K - 11-16-2004 at 06:04 PM

Tio Rocky, if you ever get tired of tacos and would like a good 'ol New York Deli sandwich (incl. pastrami)... go see Dave in person at his 'Nueva York Deli' located in front of the New Port Hotel, just south of Puerto Nuevo's entrance.:yes: I think he's open for breakfast and lunch every day except Tue. and Wed.???
Anyway, I think it is good that Nomads try and know one another. With the Internet, the world is getting smaller!

[Edited on 11-17-2004 by David K]

Amount on Deposit ?

MrBillM - 11-16-2004 at 09:47 PM

A close friend of mine is about to renew his FM2
and was told by the agent that the minimum required
amount on deposit has been raised from the previous
$1500. The amount of the increase quoted was in
Pesos, but he said it worked out to about $700
additional.

Has anyone else heard anything along those
lines ?

Anonymous - 11-16-2004 at 10:20 PM

LEGALY . . . You cannot sign any legal documents (bank account/lease agreement/telephone/etc) in Baja If you don't have your FM-3. Now just how that law is interpeted is another matter all together. Somehow, the requirements at the Mexican Consulates in the states are different from one another. The consulate in San Diego has its requirements, then the consulate in Sacramento wants those requirements plus a statement from your local police department stating that you are not a wanted felon, and then the consulate in Yuma AZ wants all those requirements plus a letter from a doctor stating that you are in good health. They really make it tough to be legal down here . . . . . .

Thanks

Tio Rocky - 11-17-2004 at 06:50 AM

Thanks folks??? Next time by I will stop by Dave?s?. maybe I?ll bring my friend? =)

I?ll tell my friend to grab some money from the mattress and open an account?. I?m assuming he should have at least an FM1 and a utility bill in his name?.???

Dave - 11-17-2004 at 09:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
A close friend of mine is about to renew his FM2
and was told by the agent that the minimum required
amount on deposit has been raised from the previous
$1500. The amount of the increase quoted was in
Pesos, but he said it worked out to about $700
additional.

Has anyone else heard anything along those
lines ?


The requirements for an FM2 are higher, around $2,200

Dave - 11-17-2004 at 09:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Tio Rocky
Thanks folks??? Next time by I will stop by Dave?s?. maybe I?ll bring my friend? =)

I?ll tell my friend to grab some money from the mattress and open an account?. I?m assuming he should have at least an FM1 and a utility bill in his name?.???



Most banks will not allow you to open an account without some proof of address. Shop around. Your friend;D will need his passport also.

He has

Tio Rocky - 11-17-2004 at 09:30 AM

He has:
Passport
Utility bills(s)
Rental contract

Now all he needs is about $2500...
Donations can be made to www.:D:D:D:D.com

Tio Rocky

Dave - 11-17-2004 at 09:50 AM

I would shop for a FM3 preparer and then ask exactly how much you need in an account.

Be aware:

Mexican banks are famous for charging hidden fees or fees they either never tell you about or institute at a later date. Once I had $1,000 dollars evaporate because they charged new fees and then started charging my account because it fell below a minimum balance.

Aint Necessarily So

MrBillM - 11-17-2004 at 11:48 AM

When both my friend and I quit renewing our FM3s in the U.S.
because of a Mexican change in policy, we both deposited
$1500.00 in a Bancomer account. We were both offered the
option by our agent of applying for an FM2 rather than an
FM3. He opted for the FM2 for himself and his wife.
I remained with the FM3. Although the cost of the FM2 was
roughly double my cost, the amount that we have on deposit
is the same $1500. His renewal is before mine so he con-
tacted the agent and was given the information I noted.
This is a fact.

MEXICAN BANKS

LOVE2GO2BAJA - 11-17-2004 at 12:09 PM

Text
Mexican Bank Account
I always thought you had to have an FM-2, or FM-3 to open a bank account. Nevertheless, in your friend?s situation you got to do what you got to do to get your FM-3. However, that being said take Dave?s advise on Mexican banks on account of there is good reason why people are not rushing down here to invest their dollars in Mexican banks. It hasn?t been that long ago when the peso was devaluated and many of us loss thousands of dollars overnight.

suckramento

Anonymous - 11-17-2004 at 12:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Anonymous
LEGALY . . . You cannot sign any legal documents (bank account/lease agreement/telephone/etc) in Baja If you don't have your FM-3. Now just how that law is interpeted is another matter all together. Somehow, the requirements at the Mexican Consulates in the states are different from one another. The consulate in San Diego has its requirements, then the consulate in Sacramento wants those requirements plus a statement from your local police department stating that you are not a wanted felon, and then the consulate in Yuma AZ wants all those requirements plus a letter from a doctor stating that you are in good health. They really make it tough to be legal down here . . . . . .


yes, and in suckramento if you have any arrest at all on your record you are denied the FM3. i know first hand

bajajudy - 11-17-2004 at 02:14 PM

I would recommend that you do the paperwork here in Baja with help from what I call a facilitator, unless you speak fluent Spanish.
But they do ask that you have a bank account with a minimum balance. If you are a husband and wife team be sure to put the account in y/o account(and/or) Otherwise the man will have to sign something that states that he will support the wife since she doesnt have an account on which she can draw. I kinda liked that idea but my husband balked. If you do it here be sure to do it during a time period when you are normally here because if you miss your expiration date you have to start all over and having to come down to renew your fm3 when you hadnt planned on being here could be a drag....nah.

Mexican Bank Funds

MrBillM - 11-17-2004 at 02:37 PM

There is always the possibility that the money deposited in
Mexico could be lost, but that is far more remote than it was
in the time period you describe. That was when the Peso was
originally allowed to "float" and it took a beating. I had a
neighbor in Baja (now dead) that lost a lot of money in his
Mexican account even though his was a "Dollar" account paying
less interest than the "Peso" accounts. Although the Banking
rules stated that the value in dollars was guaranteed, they
chose to ignore the rules and pay the value in Pesos. Typical
of Mexico. The law means what they say it does. In my friend's
case, though, he had invested in such accounts for about 20
years and had reaped far more than what he lost.

Speaking of FM3 experiences, when I got my original FM3 Eight
years ago, I first inquired at the immigration office in San
Felipe. The lady there directed me across the street to where
her Sister had an office to do the paperwork. When I later
found out that I could do it at the Consulate in San Bernardino,
I decided to do it there. When I brought the FM3s into San Felipe
to have them validated, the same lady gave me a sharp look, did
her work and then told me I had to drive out to the airport, have
them stamped and then return for her to do the final accounting.
When I got out to the Airport and tracked down the officer who
was on break, he asked why I didn't have Immigration stamp it.
When I replied that I had been told that she didn't have a stamp,
he said that wasn't true. I guess she decided a little punishment
was in order for not using her sister's service.