An American working in Mexico…

From the other side of the fence…

Received the following from Tom Xxxxx, who was a Director with SW BELL in Mexico City:

I spent five years working in Mexico. I worked under a tourist Visa for three months and could legally renew it for three more months. After that you were working Illegally. I was technically illegal for three weeks waiting on the FM3 approval.

During that six months our Mexican and US attorneys were working to secure a permanent work visa called a ‘FM3’. It was in addition to my US passport that I had to show each time I entered and left the country. Barbara’s was the same, except hers did not permit her to work.

To apply for the FM3, I needed to submit the following notarized originals (not copies): 

1. Birth certificate for Barbara and I.

2. Marriage certificate.

3. High school transcripts and proof of graduation.

4. College transcripts for every college I attended and proof of graduation.

5. Two letters of recommendation from supervisors I had worked for at least one year.

6. A letter from the St. Louis Chief of Police indicating that I had no arrest record in the U.S. and no outstanding warrants and, was ‘a citizen in good standing’.

  1. Finally, I had to write a letter about myself that clearly stated why there was no Mexican citizen with my skills and why my skills were important to Mexico. We called it our ‘I am the greatest person on Earth letter. It was fun to write.

All of the above were in English that had to be translated into Spanish and be certified as legal translations, and our signatures notarized. It produced a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the left side and Spanish on the right.

Once they were completed Barbara and I spent about five hours, accompanied by a Mexican attorney, touring Mexican government office locations and being photographed and fingerprinted at least three times at each location, and we remember at least four locations where we were instructed on Mexican tax, labor, housing, and criminal law and that we were required to obey their laws or face the consequences. We could not protest any of the government’s actions or we would be committing a felony. We paid out four thousand dollars in fees and bribes to complete the process. When this was done we could legally bring in our household goods that were held by US Customs in Laredo, Texas. This meant we had rented furniture in Mexico while awaiting our goods. There were extensive fees involved here that the company paid.

We could not buy a home and were required to rent at very high rates and under contract and compliance with Mexican law.

We were required to get a Mexican driver’s license. This was an amazing process. The company arranged for the licensing agency to come to our headquarters location with their photography and fingerprint equipment and the laminating machine. We showed our US license, were photographed and fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying out a six dollar fee. We did not take a written or driving test and never received instructions on the rules of the road. Our only instruction was to never give a policeman your license if stopped and asked. We were instructed to hold it against the inside window away from his grasp. If he got his hands on it you would have to pay ransom to get it back.

We then had to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the number of our FM3 as our ID number. The company’s Mexican accountants did this for us and we just signed what they prepared. I t was about twenty legal size pages annually.

The FM3 was good for three years and renewable for two more after paying more fees.

Leaving the country meant turning in the FM3 and certifying we were leaving no debts behind and no outstanding legal affairs (warrants, tickets or liens) before our household goods were released to customs.

It was a real adventure and if any of our Senators or Congressmen went through it once they would have a different attitude toward Mexico.

The Mexican government uses its vast military and police forces to keep its citizens intimidated and compliant. They never protest at their capitol or government offices, but do protest daily in front of the United States Embassy. The US Embassy looks like a strongly reinforced fortress and during most protests the Mexican military surrounds the block with their men standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear to protect the Embassy. These protests are never shown on U.S. or Mexican TV. There is a large public park across the street where they do their protesting. Anything can cause a protest such as proposed law changes in Arizona, California or Texas.

Please feel free to share this with everyone who thinks we are being hard on the illegals.

h/t JP

Comments

An American working in Mexico… — 11 Comments

  1. “It was a real adventure and if any of our Senators or Congressmen went through it once they would have a different attitude toward Mexico.”

    That’s true not just for Mexico, but for so many, many other things. Military service comes to mind, for one, as do all the laws they pass and then exempt themselves from.

  2. I do think we should take a page from their book, and mine and patrol the southern boarder with lethal force.

  3. If our bloviating non-representatives had to submit to ANY of the laws they pass, those laws would be stricken. And that’s why they exempt themselves.

  4. Tim- Good point!

    Dagamore- Especially today… When they start shooting at helicopters on OUR side of the border, it’s time to step up the ‘reaction’…

    gfa- You’re welcome!

    Rev- Oh so true!

  5. Great piece that everyone needs to copy and forward to who every they support in the presidential race. Post it on each candidate’s facebook. This will be picked up by others and reposted. We need to become more proactive instead of just hitting “like”.

  6. Hmmm, sounds familiar – WE had fun in Monterrey when I innocently took the FodGuy’s passport for the day, to register our whereabouts with the American Consulate. Wouldn’t you know, THAT was the day he got stopped ?
    Mexico has one of the LARGEST economies {by 4 different metrics, they’re the 15th}, yet they force their indigenous people into poverty {one of the worst school-yard taunts is to call someone “Indio”} – if one’s melanin content is greater, the less chances one has available. Euro-trash rules Mexico.
    Semper Fi’
    DM

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