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nbacc
Senior Nomad
Posts: 770
Registered: 12-27-2008
Location: Northern California
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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.
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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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]
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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So happy to see your little duckies appear to be falling into place with all their little beaks facing the right direction!!
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.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| 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!!
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. |
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
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CP
Nomad
Posts: 434
Registered: 7-19-2006
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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.
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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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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.
Bob Durrell
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| 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.
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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| 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. |
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 |
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.
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longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
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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.
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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| 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.
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Either way, thanks for alerting me that there is a time frame for the first entry LLinLP.
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ViajeraGal
Junior Nomad
Posts: 45
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Los Barriles
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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)
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bajalorena
Nomad
Posts: 141
Registered: 3-31-2009
Location: BuenaVista, BCS
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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. 
I have had my citizenship for 4 years now, so now I don't have to go to immigration anymore. 
Apply as an individual.............
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oladulce
Super Nomad
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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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.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| 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.
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Was that FM2 up there a typo? I thought you had to have an FM3 for five years before moving on to an FM2.
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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 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.
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It's Mexico.....they have one set of rules, but everybody makes up their own interpertation..............who knows what the rules really say????
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| 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. 
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TBcountry
Junior Nomad
Posts: 52
Registered: 9-19-2007
Location: Ontario, CA
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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
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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Bajaeng
You make your better half sound like one scary lady 
Maybe post a picture, so we know whose way to stay out off.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13052
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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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.
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