12 replies to this topic

[jessangel7]

I was wondering if anyone knew of any sort of paralegal or attorney that deals with taking care of all the paperwork you need for moving to Tijuana from the US, the SENTRI pass, FM3, etc.... This would be very helpful.

Also my father is a mexican citizen is this of any help to me?

[Chiquito]

If your father is a mexican citizen I believe you can apply for citizenship as well. Then you wouldn't need a visa.

SENTRI is on your own, there's no need for a lawyer and would be a waste of money.

[jessangel7]

Thank you for the reply, do you know of any lawyer that can help me apply for citizenship?

[Pstreet1]

Depending on when you want to emigrate, you might consider getting an FM3 at any Mexican consulate. The process is very simple, one piece of paper to fill out. You will need copies of the last 6 months of your bank account statement (which they will keep). You can get the required pictures taken at the consulate. We got our first ones at the consulate in San Diego. You apply one day and pick up the FM3 the next day; there was nothing to it. In fact, if you apply early in the day, you can get it the same day.

You will be eligible for citizenship because of your father, but the paper work will take a while; meanwhile, you will need an FM3 if you plan to work or own property in Mexico.

[jessangel7]

The bank statement that I would need to apply for the FM3 visa card, does that need a certain amount of money, for a certain amount of time in my account if so how much do you know.

Thank you by the way you're right applying for citizenship is a waste of time, the FM3 seems more useful, however I do not plan to buy property or work there I plan to rent there and work in San Diego. Is the FM3 still as useful to me?

Also do you know how long it takes for me to get the sentry pass after applying, and when I apply I understand that I need a letter from my landlord, notarized saying that I have lived there for whatever amount of tme, does this matter that I am from northern California and not San Diego? This information would be very helpful thank you....Jess

[Chiquito]

The bank statements should show a regular income fo about $1500 per month per family member or more. FM3 is all you need for renting and usually you don't need that.

Last I hear the Sentri was taking around 4 months. Doesn't matter where you're from but you will need to prove your residence, your employment, your legal right to enter the US, all your car and driver information, FBI background check, etc.

[jessangel7]

So the FM3 isn't a total necesity, I probably don't have to have it to move there, because I have definetly not had 1500 in my account for 6mos. lol. Maybe in and out but not consistently??????????

[Chiquito]

Doesn't need to show a balance maintained, only a monthly income. But like you say, you probably don't need it. If you want to apply for sentri permission and you are going to use your mexican address, you will need it.

[jessangel7]

No I'm going to use an american address.

but I'm thinking I'd rather get the dual citizenship, because I will need something that allows me to move my things into mexico right? I mean some sort of document, and my bank account cannot show that I have had that much money in my account for school financial aid and such, so the citizenship probably doesn't care about how much you have in your account right? What do you think?

[Pieancho]

If you have the opportunity to get the Mexican dual citizenship, do it. It will make it much easier to move about all of Mexico, plus it is cheaper.

The FM-3 is going to cost you about $100 EACH year, and you need to go to Mexican Immigration with all the paperwork completed each time. You would need passport and copies, a statement of residence, utility bills, proof of income over $1500 per month. Automatic deposits into your checking or savings account makes it easier for them to see the income. On top of this, you can't work or buy property outright.

To get the Mexican citizenship, go to the Mexican counsulate on India St in San Diego. The staff is very helpful and they have a list of the things you need to get. Last year I got my kids their dual citizenship and this is what I remember. You need your birth certificate, your Mexican parent's (only one parent needs to be Mexican) birth certificate or passport. Your parents marriage certificate. Then you need to get an apostel of your birth certificate (that is an official document from the California Department of State if you were born in California, that become a translation and verification of your birth certificate. This cost $70 and the office is only a couple of blocks from the counsulate). You need a couple of photos that follow their requirements. They will take a couple of weeks to process the paper. You can call them to know when to return. When you return, you will need two witnesses who know you to sign the paperwork the will have for you. The paperwork is really a "new" Mexican birth certificate for you. With this birth certificate, you take it to another window at the counsulate with two more photos and $100. They will then issue a Mexican Passport, proving your Mexican citizenship. The passport is good for five years.

Once you live in Mexico I would go one step further and go to the IFE office in your region and find out if you can get an tarjeta de elector. This is like a National ID card used everywhere in Mexico to open bank accounts, registrar for school, make contracts, etc. However, dual citizens may not be eligible for it. I'm not sure.

As I am witing this, my wife just heard on the news that Americans who are married to Mexicans or have kids of Mexican citizenship can apply for Mexican citizenship after two years living in Mexico. Not married, but living in Mexico with a FM-3 then you can get Mexican citizenship after 5 years. I think it used to be 10 years and I had decided against it, but now, I might go for it.

[spritrig]

Get the Mexican nationality.

I got mine in 1998 at the Mexican Consul on India Street in San Diego. My application took about an hour. In about four months they called me and told I could pick up my declaration of Mexican nationality. I went with passport photos and they issued a 5 year passport in about an hour.
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sandiego/

Padilla Mexican Insurance, right accross the street from the Consul, provides copy services, will fill out your forms, and take passport photos.

In your case, since you were born outside Mexico, you will get an Acta de Nacimiento (birth certificate).

Click on: "Nacionalidad Mexicana - Nacidos en el Extranjero"
http://www.consulmex...doc/nac_mex.asp

Or in English click on: "Mexican nationality - Been born abroad"
http://translate.goo...Flanguage_tools

The 5 year passport issued by the consul worked fine in airports. However, on the ground, Mexican customs and immigration officers attempted to deny my rights about 1/3 the time. When this passport expired I obtained the 10 year high security, biometric passport issued by the SRE delegations in Mexico. I have never had a problem using this passport. You might even get your Acta de Nacimiento from the SRE delegation.

SRE Delegations:
http://www.sre.gob.m...eas/tijuana.htm
http://www.sre.gob.m...elegaciones.htm

You can get the apostille for your non-Mexican birth certificate from the California Secretary of State offices. The one in San Diego is near the Mexican Consul at: 1350 Front Street, Suite 2060.
http://www.ss.ca.gov...hentication.htm

Get several Acta de Nacimientos (birth certificates). Some offices take them and don't give them back. The La Paz passport office said they had to take it for a first time passoprt application (since I held a passport issued in the exterior, talk and look funny).

I had no problem applying for the voter credencial with a passport and my friend's water bill as proof of domicile. There is no fee for a voter credencial. You apply in person and pick it up later.
http://www.ife.org.m...ncial/index.jsp

To obtain it, you just need proof of nationality, identification, and an address. The voter credencial is accepted as a natinoal ID.

Viva Mexico!

[Pieancho]

Spritrig,
This was very good information. It should not be buried in this post. Maybe the moderator can make a section just for immigrating into Mexico.

[spritrig]

Thank you Pieancho. I agree, and it took me a while to put it together. I wish to encourage every Mexican to claim and accept their nationality.

We have been discussing Mexican nationality by birth: derived from Mexican parents and by birth within Mexico. This is not Immigration.

The moderator may want to start a couple of threads on Mexican nationality and Mexican immigration.