New Mexican Visa Process Confuses Foreign Workers Patrick Ferguson - The News
go to original April 2, 2013

Dane, 25, from Australian, got a job in November 2012 translating for a Mexico City-based company.

He didn’t have a work visa or an FM3, and his company hadn’t registered with the National Migration Institute. In January, the company told him that without a FM3, he wouldn’t get paid. Unfortunately for Dane, the new regulations meant that he had to travel outside Mexico to apply for a temporary resident visa.

Dane made 10,000 pesos a month, and paying for a ticket to the United States, a hotel room and food for an undetermined period of time made him say enough. Dane decided to leave Mexico.

Foreigners who want to work in Mexico can no longer arrive to the country on a tourist visa and switch to an FM3 when they find a job.

Last November, Mexico changed its visa rules, requiring foreigners who want to work in Mexico to apply for a visa at a Mexican consulate outside the country before they arrive.

According to the new regulations, foreigners can apply for a temporary resident visa, which will allow them to work in Mexico for one to four years.

After having legally worked in Mexico for four years, foreigners will be eligible to apply for a permanent visa. Fees for the new visas range from 3,130 to 7,000 pesos ($251 to $562), depending on the length of stay. But for the many foreign workers in Mexico, having to leave and return could cost more than a month’s pay.

Read the rest at The News

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