Hi Everyone, Does anyone happen to know how long it takes to get a Mexican Passport. My boyfriend is trying to visit me in Canada and I am just curious how long it takes there, here it takes 2 weeks if you pick it up yourself. I believe there is also a visa requirement too now since a couple of months ago, any ideas on length of time for that? I've been trying to contact immigration here but they are crazy busy, so any helpful information in the meantime is much appreciated!!
My hubby renewed his passport a year ago. He had to make an appt over the web, then wait a week or two for the appt, then his passport was ready within 24 hours of the appt. If I remember that all correctly. There is a Visa requirement for Mexicans who wish to visit Canada now. I have no idea how long that process takes. But I know a Mexican who is VERY wealthy who was denied a Canadian Visa. He has a US Visa already. He owns several large boats, a home on the beach in Cancun, several businesses, and has numerous investments. He had no problem showing that he wasn't going to stay in Canada to wash dishes illegally, and yet he was still denied a Visa. So that Visa is not a sure thing, it's hard to get. I've heard that sometimes you have better luck getting that Visa if you drive across the Canadian border from the US. But that would require having a US Visa first.
Oh thanks so much RiverGirl you always have lots of good information for me. Um well the passport is good news but the Visa hurts my spirits a little...Well I will know more when I talk to Immigration this week but the news about your friend is not very hopeful. Even just to visit?? You don't know anything about sponsors do you?...
My rich friend wanted to visit Canada for just a week. He had first class plane tickets both ways. And they denied him a Visa. I think the Visa requirement is so new that the Canadians are still sorting it out. Obviously he was not the kind of person they would be worried about going there and staying. But a boyfriend of a Canadian citizen might be just the kind of person they would deny...because he would be more likely to just stay. You may have to show that he's going to a professional conference or something like that...play down the boyfriend angle.
Thanks so much for your help RG, one last question, do you remember the cost of the passport fees your husband had to pay, I'm having a hard time finding the cost...
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.sre.gob.mx/pasaportes/ Very useful if you can read Spanish. They have an English version of the site as well, but it's for the Ministry in general and has very little information on passports. AFAIK, the price for a passport isn't listed on the site However, all the things you need are (and that list is long.) Laura received her passport in 2004 -- she says it "cost more than 1,000 pesos and less than 2,000 pesos" which isn't very accurate I admit, but it might give you an idea.
Aww thanks Coby, thats pretty much what I've gathered from reading around too. I've had a look at the website and it wasn't much help but thanks all the same. I'm gonna send you my contact info the closer we get to November, I have to figure out cell phone technicalities with my provider.
I don't recall the cost, but it's different depending on how long you get it for. He got it for 5 years, I think and it was more than $1000 MXP if I remember. The prices are posted on the wall in the SRE office, he just needs to go down there and all will be revealed.
The passport office is on Av. Nader. You get the informational forms that tell you what you need to bring and then go back with the items in hand. The passports are typically ready for pickup in a couple of days. Rivergirl is right about Canada now requiring Visas for Mexican citizens and that process can take weeks. My Canadian friend with a Mexican wife and 3 children had tickets in hand that he had bought well in advance. There was basically no advance notice of the new Visa requirement and he was down to the wire getting the Visa for his wife. The children I believe have dual citizenship but there was an error on one of their passports that was not noticed until the 11th hour. But the passport office fixed it almost on the spot. But your friend needs to investigate the Visa matter faster and more thoroughly than the passport issuance.
On the other hand, a Mexican lady I work with had already planned her family vacation with hubby and 2 kids for August when the visa thing came into effect. She got her visa within 2 weeks for the family vacation.
