sancho
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
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New Info on fmt Changes
Off a Rocky Point site, just this guys opinion
but seems something is in the works, the
idea of not being to get more than 1 fmt
of 180 days in a yr., may get a few folks
scrambling, it is my understanding Mex Imm
Regs apply to all of Mex including Baja dated Jan 2010
Frequent visitors to Rocky Point all know how the FMT tourist permit (Forma Migratoria Para Turista) thing works. For those who don't know, the FMT is
a Non Immigrant Permit, designed for people who intend to visit Mexico for a specific purpose and then leave. You have to ask for the full legal limit
of 180 days (and if you ask nicely you'll usually get it), and it allows multiple entries and exits within that period.
If you're staying in Rocky Point no longer than 72 hours (that's 3 days, bunky) you don't need a tourist permit at all because Rocky Point is in the
"Free Zone". You drive across the border, no one ever asks for your FMT, rarely are you even asked by Mexican border guards how long you intend to
stay. But we know (wink wink) that often your visit extends considerably longer than the permitted 72 hours-- say a week, two weeks, several weeks. As
long as you don't get into any trouble, no one ever asks for your papers. And on the way out you're usually just waved through the Mexican side of the
border without question.
And we all know of folks with FMTs who stay the legal limit of 180 days, drive to the border, turn around, get a new FMT and drive right back down.
But you see, that 180 days is meant to be a limit per calendar year. If you're going to stay in Mexico longer than that you're supposed to have an FM3
(a renewable long term permit for 365 days, which gives non-immigrant temporary residency status to the holder).
Well, the long rumored change from the FMT tourist permit to the new FMM permit appears to be either imminent or underway (though I won't believe it
till I see one), and one of the things it reportedly does is close that 180-day turnaround loophole. The new FMM will be automatically issued for 180
days, and it is supposedly computerized (or will be) and cross-referenced to the temporary 180-day motor vehicle importation permit and/or to your
passport number so you can't cheat. The new database is also intended to weed out the few rowdy spring breakers who manage to get deported every year
along with other blacklisted types such as foreigners convicted of drug offenses, other convicted felons and the like.
But for honest folks, the new permit supposedly has fewer actual restrictions attached to it (though the current FMT already has few restrictions) and
is designed to increase the flow of tourists and foreign investors into Mexico. It is being issued to a broad range of visitor types, including
tourists, business people, film crews and students, to name just a few.
At any rate, if you're planning on staying in Rocky Point longer than 72 hours you might want to get legal. For one thing, if you get caught
stretching your time limit the fines you'd have to pay would be a real pain in your pocketbook and if the Immigration guy or gal is in a bad mood you
might even end up in the rumored database of undesirables. These days you just never know. Be safe, and avoid unnecessary complications.
It isn't difficult to get an FMT/FMM, though some consider it a minor annoyance. When the time comes that you can catch a commercial flight to Rocky
Point, the form will be given to you while on the plane; you fill it out, present it to Immigration as you proceed through the line at the airport
when you land, get it stamped, and you're in.
When you are driving, you have a few options. You can pick up a form at Mexican Embassies or Consulates or travel agents and several places that sell
Mexican insurance also keep them on hand. If you
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fishingmako
Nomad
Posts: 259
Registered: 10-10-2008
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Mood: always up
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It has always been you can only have one 180 Day FMT in a years period, but no one ever new because they couldn't check from other border sources or
even there own.
Remmember we are in the Computer ages now, and they are tracking all of this, don't get caught.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Another posting
The following was posted at at San Felipe site---
Posted On: February 16, 2010 by Jacob Sapochnick <http://www.h1b.biz/>
San Diego Immigration Attorney - Changes in Immigration Procedure in
Mexico
Mexico's National Migration Institute published its Manual of Criteria
and Migration Procedures. The Manual will be enforced as of 5/1/10
throughout the 32 delegations of the National Migration Institute in
Mexico. Courtesy of AILA member Enrique Arellano.
The intention of the National Migration Institute is to clarify,
streamline and simplify
processing requirements for each immigration category. Applications
currently being
processed and those filed before May 1, 2010 will be analyzed and
processed based on
current policies, practices and procedures.
Some of the most relevant aspects of the Manual are the following:
• All migratory forms for tourists, business visitors and technical
visitors with
lucrative activities, who intend to stay in Mexico for up to 180 days,
will be
replaced by a single "FMM" form ("Forma Migratoria Múltiple").
The FMM willserve as evidence of the foreign national's immigration
status while in Mexico;
• The business visitor criteria are clearly defined; This new FMM
form has an option
for choosing the purpose of the visit as business (negocios), which once
the foreign
national enters Mexico, the immigration officer will grant a 180 days
stay.
• There are 3 different options that the immigration officer might
mark and that will
grant the foreign national 180 days: a) Business (Visitante Persona de
Negocios), b)
Visitor with Lucrative Activities (Visitante con Actividades Lucrativas)
and c)
Visitor with Non Lucrative Activities (Visitante con Actividades No
Lucrativas).
Any of the previous allow the foreign national to visit Mexico for
business, either
for working purposes or only for meetings
• In case the purpose of the business visit extends more than 180
days, the foreign
national will have to file for a change of Immigration status to obtain
the
correspondent FM3.
• The ABTC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business travel card)
criteria are
clearly defined;
• In the following weeks, the National Migration Institute will
publish the formats of
the new migration cards that will replace the FM2 and FM3 booklets.
Changes of
activity, domicile, marital status, etc. will no longer have to be
annotated on the
migratory document, thereby allowing the foreign national the ability to
travel in
and out of the country while a change of status/conditions application
is in process
without having to request an exit and re-entry permit;
• Consular Posts will no longer issue FM2 or FM3 booklets. Instead,
the Consular
Post will place a visa sticker on the foreign national's passport, upon
receipt of the
petition's approval from the National Migration institute. The sticker
will allow
entry into Mexico within 365 days of issuance. Upon entry, the foreign
national
must obtain the new FM2 or FM3 migration card within 30 days.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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djh
Senior Nomad
Posts: 936
Registered: 1-2-2005
Location: Earth mostly. Loreto, N. ID, Big Island
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Mood: Mellow fellow, plays a yellow cello...
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Thanks !
Thanks to both Sancho and Bajalou for your research and helping the rest of us be prepared and current !
djh
Its all just stuff and some numbers.
A day spent sailing isn\'t deducted from one\'s life.
Peace, Love, and Music
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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Gee, isn't that terrible. Mexicans are sneaking across the border to get jobs and such, and it turns out that Americans are also sneaking across the
border to get sunshine, water, lifestyle, and fishing Who would have ever thought. 
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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leave it to Mexico to figure out a way to turn $ spending tourists away....
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