G., if it were me, I'd 1) check online to view the current status of the case; then, 2) go to immigration myself, without the lawyer or anyone else involved, to inquire about the status. In any ordinary case, INM either approves the application, and offers an appointment (4-6 weeks, in my experience); or, they give you a formal letter which states the reason they have not approved the application (happened to me, once: I resolved their question the same day, and got an appointment). The reason I'm recommending a personal visit is the chance (not too remote) that you have not been given an accurate picture of the status of the case by those you've been relying on. The holdup can be for so many simple reasons, and once you know what it is you may be able to sort it out quickly, and get on with your life!
V, if a lawyer or representative is handling the case, it's difficult to go in and check on your own. You need the files, etc.. I went in once during this renewal and they would do nothing for me without my company representative.
CC, that's a point. An applicant who did not have a copy of the document that is prepared by INM at the time of filing of the application, wouldn't be able to help the clerk locate the case. On the other issue, whether they provide information if asked by the applicant, I'd be surprised if their practice was such that the named applicant did not have a right to information about his case. No way to know for sure, without trying it, and that could be done only with the case tracking information issued at the time of filing. The alternative is not pleasant to contemplate, to have to live in that uncomfortable position of being able to do nothing.... This is one of the reasons that I always prefer to handle things, directly, myself, whether it's dealing with INM, or the SAT. Certainly I would have full confidence in someone like Mauricio, who has helped me with valuable information on more than one occasion; still, I like a "hands on" feeling when it comes to government processes. Maybe G.'s now got her FM2, and there's no longer an issue about, "What the hell is going on!"
V: I had my appointment (fingerprints and photos) 10 days ago, on a Friday. The company lawyer said she'd come pick it up on Monday. Haven't heard from them since, haven't been asked to hand over any money, etc... very odd. Sent the lawyer an e-mail Friday to see what the holdup is. Hope they answer today :S Also, like CC says, it's not that easy to do it yourself when a company lawyer's involved. On Friday my lawyer was 20 minutes late to the INM appointment so I tried to get the ball rolling myself... but since I didn't have my file number or any sort of documentation, they wouldn't let me.
V: CC and Gringation are both correct - once you have hired a lawyer, it can be a pain in the old behind to do anything yourself. When I hired Maurico, they didnt allow me to do anything(not even ask basic questions...), as I had "signed over" the case to him. The "carta de poder". Anyone heard about the proposed changes?
That´s great news, G., things are ¨moving¨ it seems. As for lawyers, generally (Mauricio is the great exception), things move, ¨with [no more than] deliberate haste¨. Makes sense to me: without the number of the ¨pieza¨ they cannot locate the case in the system. Always possible, Rawkus, but they never hesitate to deal with me (my wife always names me as her representative on the case), or her, ever. If they followed a practice of requiring a person who had a representative to deal with them exclusively through the representative, that wouldn´t surprise me, but it just hasn´t been our experience. Of course, it could easily make a difference if there is a lawyer involved: to communicate with the applicant, directly, could risk contradicting what the lawyer has said was going on with the case, and cause the relationship between the lawyer and client to blow up. The problem with lawyers (and others) is that they may feel it necessary to tell little white lies to cover up their own dilatoriness (again, excepting Mauricio, of course!). ____________________
Got a response from the lawyer... apparently they hadn't moved anything forward with my FM2 this week because I hadn't paid them the INM fee. I knew I had to pay it at some point, but was waiting for the heads up from them, which I never got. Frustrating, but things seem to be straightened out now at least.
Can we grouse about lawyers on this forum? When INM hands out an appointment slip, on it there is a list of the things that must be prepared prior to the appointment, including the original and two copies of the official bank receipt for your payment. If this slipped through the cracks, and this didn´t get done, how can that be anything other than the fault of the lawyer? It´s the lawyer´s job to get all the ducks in a row, not the client´s. My wife is at this stage, with an appointment pending, and there are exactly four things she must be ready to present, if requested: required photos, passport, the printed application for renewal filed online at the beginning of the case, and proof of payment of the official fees. That´s it, nothing more or less. She will be asked to answer a few questions, and provide her fingerprints and signature. She should be in and out in under an hour, with a day and time assigned to return to pick up the FM3. _________________
V: I was only told by the lawyer to bring photos, a form they had me fill out, and my passport (which they never asked to see). I gave my photos, thumbprints and signatures, then the lawyer told me she'd pick things up on Monday. Never was there any mention of paying... and they have the nerve to say "but you haven't paid me yet" GAH!!!! Serenity now...
In light of my own experience with INM, Cancun, I suspect long delays are, more often than not, attributable to the person handling the case on behalf of the applicant. Sloppy handling of the paperwork, general dilatoriness or even an attempt to collect a little more money from the client can be among the many possible reasons for long delays.
