The one thing I did was to tell them that I had a trip planned for such and such a date and it would save us all a lot of trouble if they could have it done before I had to get that special permission letter. I had my final appointment 8 days before my flight and the FM3 was ready the following afternoon. I really did have a trip booked and I had the confirmation with me but they did not ask for it, nor did I offer it. I talked to the older guy with all gray hair. Then he turned me over to the short, younger gal with wild, curly hair. Went pretty smooth after I went back in to check on it and told them of my flight. I did wait 2-3 weeks to go in to check as I was starting to get antsy. I might add that I had my bank statements translated but they told a lady who was in line beside me on my subsequent trip that this was no longer needed.
I completed my final step for my FM3 today. Handed over pics, signed a few papers and got fingerprinted. In the end, I was in the office for one hr, and everyone working there had smiles on their faces. For me, the process was extremely smooth. My job used their lawyer, and total time from me handing over my passport and FMM to today's one and only visit....41 days. Gotta say, I am relieved and pleasantly surprised. Will go Monday to pick up my card... YAAAAAAAY!!!!! It was pretty chaotic in there as there is no direction once so ever. They could do a little more to make it a little more "user friendly". One small little courtesy I would suggest; having anti bacterial on hand cause it removes the dye instantly from your fingers after being fingerprinted.
Things are getting really silly now. They've had my application since early December and still no sign of a resolution: I applied just like I have for the last 6 years as a rentista with proof of significant savings in the UK - this has always been accepted without question (well not too many questions other than regarding translations and originals vs print outs) They then tell me proof of savings is irrelevant, since I need to demonstrate that I actually live off funds sourced from abroad, and savings are savings and not used for daily living. Actually, I accept this is true really, it was always adequate before but hey ho not this time so I provide the last 6 months worth of my UK bank statements showing foreign income and withdrawals from ATM's in Cancun. They tell me that online banking print outs are ok (they never have been before) but since it is now, that is what I provide. (Photoshop anyone?) My bank account online print outs have my account number and show my name as S. A. Wright (which matches the debit card I have in my wallet), however, this is not good enough since my FM2 and my passport show my name as Stephen Alan Wright. Despite the fact I have around 8 pieces of id showing my name in various forms with or without initials, with signature and some that have a photo such as my passport and driving licence it seems this is not sufficient to prove that S. A. Wright is the same person as Stephen Alan Wright. Because they think it's possible I could have printed out someone elses bank acount information, who looks just like me, has the same signature, regularly withdraws funds from a Cancun ATM from the same English bank held by someone that happens to have the same initials and surname as me. Come on now - I've lived here for almost 7 years, support a Mexican wife and two Mexican kids. They want me to produce a letter from my UK bank stating that S.A. Wright is the same person as Stephen Alan Wright. They're taking the piss and I'm not going to do it.
immigration sorry Steve for having to go through this. I have been reading this post and thinking is immigration making it harder now for working fm2 because at least in Playa del Carmen getting the fm3/2 rentistas is a breeze. A friend got his in less than a week and my husband less than 2 weeks. I havent heard any complaints from those renewing for the working ones so I cant comment on how fast things are happening in Playa for those. Good luck Steve
Steve, there are some things you could try, if you want to continue to pursue this, yourself, and these have worked for me (and others, in my presence!) There are people working there who are more senior, and more active in getting things resolved. There is a medium height man with a shaved head, usually dressed in civilian clothes, who is about 35 YOA; another is a man of similar age, black hair and light complexioned, who typically sits at the right end of the counter in front of you as you enter, and is always wearing a uniform. Both have resolved issues for me, when I've approached, directly (don't take a number, or get in line: just tell them, as directly as possible, what the issue is and that you have lots of documents you can show them). Catch their attention with what appears to be something easy to resolve, and they're apt to get right on it. The other possibility, and I've also done this, is to go to the building to the right of the building accessed by the public, in the early afternoon (after operations have closed at the reception center), taking all your documents, and asking to speak to the attorney for the center. Dress business casual, and again, have a concise presentation of your issue ready. There are people who work at Cancun INM who understand that the first order of business is to get these cases resolved, so they don't back up in the system. The more responsible of the employees understand that, and seem prepared to go out of their way, at times.
To Gringation and Steve Gringation - Can you get "illegally married" in Mexico ? I am referring to your Jan. 10 post. Steve - I know we are not in the US or UK but I have had the same issue of T.J. vs Thomas James on various legal documents. I have had to execute documents over time and my attorneys have prepared a notarized document for my signature, that simply says that T.J. and Thomas J. and Thomas James are one and the same. They have various legal mumbo jumbo that "I swear and attest, under penalties of perjury, blah, blah, blah. On the savings vs income thing, it is my understanding that the savings accounts have been acceptable in the past BUT that the law reads differently. It requires income but income just means money coming in. Theoretically, if you need the equivalent of $20,000 US annually to meet the income requirement, then you need to show bank accounts in your name with $5,000 total deposits for the 3 months that you submit to INM. You could very well just transfer that amount in any number of deposits to a personal account over a three month period, and transfer it back to a savings account almost as quickly, and you are good to go. All that is required to be verified is income and "outgo" has nothing to do with it. Good luck. You might also speak with a supervisor and tell the story about doing it this way for 8 years, etc. In addition to the employees that V mentioned, I had good luck with a 50'ish guy with mostly gray, wavy hair. My application was just plugging along and I went in with an airline confirmation 3 weeks away, and walked out with an appointment to do the fingerprints and turn in my payment receipt, and the day after the appt I had my FM3.
HAHAHA I was referring to the "boda civil"... we already had the ceremony and fancy reception and all that in July. Just haven't signed any papers yet. So yeah... I guess at the moment I am technically "illegally married". :S Sort of.
I agree with T.J. about the possible utility of a sworn statement along the lines he mentioned: written in English, and sworn before a British consular officer; then, translated, officially, into Spanish could do the trick for you. I did the same with one of my educational certificates, where the issue was the authenticity, and my oath, sworn before a U.S. consular officer did the trick.
As you say proof of savings has always been acceptable in the past with nothing else required - that is what I've done for the past 6 years. This is the first time they've wanted to see regular deposits AND withdrawals which I dont really have that much issue with - other than it's different to before and apparently is not what the law actually states. To me it makes sense (even if the law doesnt require it) that if you're living here and show deposits to foreign accounts then you should also demonstrate withdrawals, because without withdrawing money from your accounts it casts a doubt regarding the income source you're really using to live off. I dont really have issue with any of that, just the unbelievable level of 'proof' they require from me to demonstrate that my application is not fraudulent. Remember this is not a fresh application, it is a simple renewal and a second renewal at that - the one that opens up the possibility to apply for citizenship. No fingerprints, photos etc required - merely a demonstration that nothing has changed much since last year - should be a rubber stamp job.
That might well work, it might not too for some other BS reason they might conjure up - I can see them saying "But Sr we did not ask for this, we asked for a letter from your bank" Like I said I'm done with it - they have more than enough proof that Mr S A Wright is the same person as Mr Stephen Alan Wright. I'm not going to any more time, trouble and expense. I haven't actually stepped foot in immigration myself (probably a good thing), Jannet has been the one sorting things out. Anyone who knows Jannet knows that she is pretty good at dealing with Mexican bureaucracy. The guy that is causing the problems was already asked by Jannet to refer it to a supervisor which he did and the supervisor backed him up. We'll give it one more go and try and find someone different who actually has more than half a brain, if still no joy then they can keep it.
