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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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It is amazing how different it seems to be everywhere! We have been told that even though our current FM3 cards are stamped with a one indicating
one year, we can get the permanent status because the local office knows that we have had an FM3 for 5 years. We will see.
What we wonder about at this point is if we pay the money for the permanent status and are denied, do we get a refund? OK, probably a silly
question, but just wondered if anyone had paid and been denied.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
What we wonder about at this point is if we pay the money for the permanent status and are denied, do we get a refund? OK, probably a silly
question, but just wondered if anyone had paid and been denied. |
It's nice to start the day with a good belly laugh. Thanks, Diane. That was fun.
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DianaT
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Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
What we wonder about at this point is if we pay the money for the permanent status and are denied, do we get a refund? OK, probably a silly
question, but just wondered if anyone had paid and been denied. |
It's nice to start the day with a good belly laugh. Thanks, Diane. That was fun. |
Glad to oblige. 
The local office is pushing us to go for it and we just don't know if we want to possibly throw money away --- I can think of far better ways to throw
money away. 
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
The local office is pushing us to go for it and we just don't know if we want to possibly throw money away |
The way I see the process....the local offices screen the applications to establish the qualifications of the applicants, then send it all over to DF
for approval. I can't imagine that DF is further screening the applications, but moving forward on the approval of the local offices.
DF, obviously and understandibly doesn't want to relinquish control over the process by turning it over completely to the local offices, knowing full
well the process would be corrupted.
Sooo....if the local office says it looks good, it probably is.
That's how I sees it.
.
[Edited on 3-21-2013 by DENNIS]
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
It is amazing how different it seems to be everywhere! We have been told that even though our current FM3 cards are stamped with a one indicating
one year, we can get the permanent status because the local office knows that we have had an FM3 for 5 years. We will see.
What we wonder about at this point is if we pay the money for the permanent status and are denied, do we get a refund? OK, probably a silly
question, but just wondered if anyone had paid and been denied. |
The one on the back is supposed to indicate that you have had an FM3 for TWO years. The one indicates the number of renewals. But even THAT has been
screwed up over here.
I think you MIGHT lose the 1000 peso application fee towards the permanente fee, but no more. But our office (which is about the most clucked up
office I have read about) makes the determination as to whether you qualify or not. If you dont in their eyes, they wont begin the process and you
wont pay. I have not heard of anyone being denied but I deal with people who have been on the FM# track for some time. I do know one person who SHOULD
have qualified for permanente status but she had a "black mark" in her immigration file. She was moved back to first year FM3 status and must wait
four years to get the permanente. Her infraction was legitimate, BTW. I think she let something expire or didnt update her lucrativo properly or
something.
I HAVE heard of some offices ignoring the prorroga number on the back and actually looking at your past file that exists in their office (what a
concept! actually USE the file they have created!!) and move you up to permanente-qualified status.
Diane, you guys seem to head stateside pretty regularly. If they wont allow a permanente and you really want one, simply cancel your FM3 on the way
out and begin the process at a Mex consulate in the States. It's much simpler, but you will have to prove some financial merit that isnt too stiff. My
understanding is that the card will come to your local office in Mexico. You dont have to return to the consulate to pick it up.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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One last, VERY IMPORTANT THING. If you apply for permanente status, make sure you plan on being in Mexico for AT LEAST three months or more. After you
apply, you give up your old FM3. If you have to leave Mexico, I have read that you have to pay for a letter to leave the country and it is not cheap,
as I recall. I have read of persons who have had to pay for more than one, since this process is so slow.
I have also read of offices that refuse to even issue a letter to leave.
If this process is simpler, most of us are still waiting for it to be..........
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
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Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
What we wonder about at this point is if we pay the money for the permanent status and are denied, do we get a refund? OK, probably a silly
question, but just wondered if anyone had paid and been denied. |
There is not a single DHS/ US immigration application/document where the fee is refundable in the case of rejection, including the SENTRI Pass.
Bob Durrell
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
One last, VERY IMPORTANT THING. If you apply for permanente status, make sure you plan on being in Mexico for AT LEAST three months or more. After you
apply, you give up your old FM3. If you have to leave Mexico, I have read that you have to pay for a letter to leave the country and it is not cheap,
as I recall. I have read of persons who have had to pay for more than one, since this process is so slow.
I have also read of offices that refuse to even issue a letter to leave.
If this process is simpler, most of us are still waiting for it to be.......... |
I am waiting for my permanent resident card. When I left two weeks ago, I did need a letter which cost 320mn...not a whole lot of money....I seem to
remember that the whole cost for the card was 4800mn...that is not cheap.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
One last, VERY IMPORTANT THING. If you apply for permanente status, make sure you plan on being in Mexico for AT LEAST three months or more. After you
apply, you give up your old FM3. If you have to leave Mexico, I have read that you have to pay for a letter to leave the country and it is not cheap,
as I recall. I have read of persons who have had to pay for more than one, since this process is so slow.
I have also read of offices that refuse to even issue a letter to leave.
If this process is simpler, most of us are still waiting for it to be.......... |
Nobody checks if you leave, then re-enter by car. Our documents are awaiting approval and we re-entered by car yesterday. Nobody checked, but I did
have my Baja Drivers License and DIF card ready 
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latina
Nomad
Posts: 210
Registered: 3-19-2011
Location: La Paz
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2 weeks ago we went to INM office to start the renewal process for our FM3. First thing that had changed was that they wanted our bank statements
again when last year they did not. They told us to come back in 2 weeks, which we assumed was for our cards, just like last year. However when we
went back this morning to be fingerprinted we were told it will take one, one and a half, maybe 2 months for our cards....why? Because they said all
of our paperwork of today goes back to Mexico City! We have a flight out of the country in two weeks so they told us we now have to download the form
on the inm.gob.mx website to request permission to leave and return to the country and bring it in to them along with a copy of our itinerary and then
wait, maybe 2 days for our letter of permission...
As far as how long you need your fm3 to switch to permanent, last year we cancelled our FM3 as it was the only way you can get a new renewal date,
again in La Paz. Today we were told that even though we had 5 years on our previous FM3 we are back to 1 year. They do not give you credit for
previous FM3 time spent in the system.
It is also time to pay our tenencia for our Mexican plated car. Now we do not have our FM3 card in hand which is required here. According to them,
the paper you receive when you start the renewal process is good for anything you need to take care of in Mexico while you are waiting on the
plasticized card...we shall see.
That's what I can share from my experience today 
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65107
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Just more government that almost begs you to violate the 'rules'!! LOL
So sad that they do this to people like latina who are doing so much to play their game... Tough game when the rules are changed on you in the middle
(or 5 years later) in the process!!
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latina
Nomad
Posts: 210
Registered: 3-19-2011
Location: La Paz
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You're right about that David K...oh well...After the major pain to travel to Brazil and all the red tape and disorganization we encountered
there...this isn't so bad, only frustrating not to know what to expect ahead of time...
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by latina
...we shall see.
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I can only guess, but since there are no more FMs, you either applied for either a temporary resident visa or a permanent resident visa.
Did anybody mention either one of those terms during your process?
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latina
Nomad
Posts: 210
Registered: 3-19-2011
Location: La Paz
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Our option was "expedición targeta residente por renovación", which is what we used to have with our FM3 (temporary). Had we been credited with time
logged on our previous years of FM3 before we cancelled in order to change our renewal date, we could have applied for the permanent visa which would
have saved us time and money in the long run.....Too bad we didn't have a crystal ball and we could have just suffered the bad renewal date for one
more year  Obviously lots of folks are applying for the permanent....the La Paz
office was jammed this morning with people waiting to get fingerprinted for their permanent visas...
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