You're right, irrelevant was probably too strong a word. I think the real key here is what is "residency" under the old rules. I don't think fm3 is automatically considered residency. I think it probably depends more on what INM office and who actually reivews it. I've heard of Merida counting the fm3 years, but Merida is a whole other INM world. You know they do whatever they please here in Cancun. I'm curious to know if anyone has made it to permanent residency, using fm3 years, in Cancun. BTW, my wife got her PR without any hitch for the first time, ever, and showed only 1,000 to 15000 in monthly income for 3 months, so, I think they're being really easy on people who have been here for years. New immigrants, beware.
The new law actually specifies that No Inmigrante and Inmigrante under the old rules are both "temporary residency" under the new. If you had three prorrogas notated on your immigration document under the law prior to last November, whether as a No Imigrante or Inmigrante, it should make no difference when you apply for permanent residency as they will all count. My wife's case is clear cut it seems to me: she had three prorrogas notated on her No Inmigrante, two of which had been in the former FM3 status. This reinforces what I've said here, her two years in FM3 were considered in INM determining that her No Inmigrante had three prorrogas, and they treated it as such in making the notation. This was also in keeping with what I've said the law says. Those in a grey area are those, like I was, who had had one year in FM3, then one year in FM2, then two years in Inmigrante. I didn't have three prorrogas in any status, and would have had to ask that INM consider all these years in the different status' in concluding that I had four, total. I think they should be counted, but you're right in believing that some INM offices do not, it seems. Fortunately, I didn't have to cross that bridge because I applied for permanent residency based on points, with no prior years in residency required.
Tristan wrote: and, My wife's application for permanent residency, based on four years in FM3/No Inmigrante, was approved 14 August. On her hard card, "No Inmigrante", she had 3 prorrogas noted. This made her eligible for permanent residency. Four years total, in FM3 and No Inmigrante combined, is one of the paths to permanent residency available to the expat, and others. Since the new law defined both No Inmigrante and Inmigrante as "temporary residence", either will do if they have been maintained for the previous four years prior to applying for permanent residence, as illustrated by my wife's experience, and by Tristan's experience, and is in accordance with the new law, as I read it.
Great! It looks like they're being kind to those of us who have been here for a while. I can't believe they asked me for copies of my previous visas, though. I asked the girl if they don't have copies in their files. She said, "Yes, but that's the rules". Then, why didn't they ask my wife for hers? It seems like every time I have everything in order, they make up something else. As long as this is my last year to deal with this, they can horsewhip me if they want.
This is a long shot, Tristan, but did the back of your Inmigrante hard card have "3 Prorrogas" notated on it? Perhaps your wife's did. If you have kept copies of the back sides of both yours and hers you could check, at this point.
No, both actually said "CUARTO REFRENDO" which is even better than "third". FM2's have "refrendos" not "prorrogas". I have no idea why. They just make it up as they go. What amused me was that she said, "If you don't have all of them, just bring what you've got".
Since INM Cancun had already determined you both had four prorrogas/refrendos I'll just chalk that one up to the staff not having quite enough training or understanding of the things they were trained in: this is why I have never relied on what I was told by the personnel there but simply consider them yet another resource for possibly getting a little closer to the information, and result, I need.
I would think that except I got the usual official letter stating that I needed the copies of the visas. That comes from someone higher up than the counter people.
Well, I have to admit, I can't defend that apparent stupidity. It certainly exceeds anything in my experience, there. The closest we've gotten to it was their issuance of a No Inmigrante card which read, Visitante Rentista, Lucrativa on the front. I pointed out the obvious contradiction to one of the counter girls who admitted it was impossible to be both but told me, "Don't worry about it."
