Zacateros 81 A, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Mexican Phone: 415 154 8531
800 Number: (800) 539-9365
US Number: (310) 601-7913
Hours: 10-6 M-F 10-4 Sat. (and by appointment)

Once you want to live in Mexico for more than six months at a time you need to apply for your immigration papers, or FM3. The FM3 is easy to obtain; you can do most of the paperwork yourself. The FM3 grants nonimmigrant status and is applied for through the local immigration office in San Miguel. The FM3 needs to be renewed on an annual basis. After holding your FM3 for 5 years you can then apply for your FM2. The FM2 grants immigrant status and is applied for through the Mexico City immigration office. These papers can take awhile to be processed and you will probably need professional assistance.

The privileges of both a FM2 and FM3 are the same; however, there are a few differences that you do need to be aware of. With an FM2 you are only allowed to keep a foreign plated car for five years, after five years the car will need to be sold out of the country. With an FM3 you can keep your foreign plated car for as long as you hold your nonimmigrant status. When you have an FM2, you can not leave Mexico for more than 18 months total in a five year period. There is no such rule with your FM3 papers, you can come and go as you please.

You may apply for your FM3 visa at your nearest Mexican consulate office in the U.S. or you can wait to apply when you get to Mexico. It is just as easy to wait until you come to Mexico. There are local attorneys who will be more than happy to help you for a small fee. You will need original or certified copies of your birth certificate and marriage license (if applicable). You will also need to document the minimum income requirements. You will need to show $1,200.00 U.S. dollars monthly income for each month you stay in Mexico. You can provide paycheck stubs, or three months of bank statements showing reserves or a letter from social security showing your retirement benefits. The reasoning behind this is to verify that you can support yourself without working for the length of your stay. You will also need to provide an address for where you will be living and proof of the address, such as phone, electric bill, or the deed to your property. You will need to obtain passport photos and have your documents translated from English to Spanish. In some cases a visa holder is allowed to obtain work in Mexico. You will need to find an employer who will sponsor you and ask for your permission to work in Mexico. The biggest deciding factor when immigration is granting permission for employment is whether or not you are taking a job away from a Mexican National. Your FM2 or FM3 can also help you to avoid capital gains taxes when selling your property. Once you have purchased your home, your immigration papers will need to have the address of your property. If someone proves they were living on their property for six months in Mexico, they can avoid paying any type of capital gains. (This is usually done with electric or phone bills) Warning, please apply for your immigration papers early. It can take up to eight weeks to receive your completed documents. Do not let your tourist visa papers expire prior to receiving your FM3.

You are allowed to bring your car across the border. However, there are a few rules you need to follow. Once you reach the border you will be stopped at a check point about 20 minutes inside of Mexico. There you will need a certified copy of the car title or a certified letter from the lien holder that you have permission to cross the border into Mexico. You will then receive your blue and white tourist visa and a sticker to place in the window of your car. The sticker is to let the Mexican officials know at a glance that your car is legal.