My Mexican Visa

What The Manzanillo Bloggers say still holds water. US citizen needs to have a US passport to enter Mexico and at the entry point must obtain an entry permit, an FM-T. It costs, these days $23 (USD). Once I entered from San Diego CA to Tijuana and in Tijuana, at the airport I approached the migration officers requesting permission to enter. It was totally after the fact of entering Mexico (I came over on a shuttle bus provided to booked passengers on Volaris airlines) but I figured I’d better seek a permit or visa. It was a neat preprinted card that I was asked to complete. The officer then looked at my passport to make sure that I had filledin the form accurately. Then he asked me how long I would be in the country and what I would be doing. He gave me me 180 days. I entered Mexico on el dia de Guadelupe, December 12, 2007.

I tried to extend the length of stay but was told by migration officials in Mexico City (Polanco neighborhood) that I could renew for 2 weeks on the expiration day. That option didn’t make any sense to me since I would not be available on that “expiration day” and I would need more time thatn 2 weeks to complete my CELTA course which was scheduled for July 7 through August 1.

So I exited and re-entered via Laredo Texas. Wow. Talk about wild wild west.

Anyway, when I re-entered Mexico by private car, we were simply waived through and no visa was asked for or offered.

In order for me to get a work visa I was told that my US Passport, my CELTA credential and my current entry permit (tourist visa) would be needed by the school’s attorney. So I re-exited, through Laredo and re-entered the following day through the same portal. This time I was using the bus and boy oh boy was that more of a hassle…but getting the visa was like clockwork.

Officials on the Mexican side of the border ask me if I have a visa to be in their country. If I have one great, if I don’t there is a hefty fine. They may make you pay the fine AND pay for the entry permit (that you don’t exactly need any more since you are exiting their country.) They also may just make you pay for the entry permit. However if you do not have cash…either USD or MXN something else might happen. They may just wave you away and tell you to re-board the bus.

Coming back form Laredo TX to Laredo MX you get off the bus, pay for the entry visa and then get back on the bus. I wasn’t asked how long I would stay. The officer filled out the form with my passport opened before him. Then he told me he had given me 180 days. Afterwards I looked at the document. “180″ is not legible, my name is mispelled and the passport number is slightly ambiguous.

Ah, well. The attorney has my credential and now I am trying to figure out how to get him my US Passport and this sloppy, but official and current, entry permit. Of course, I am also having some second thoughts about these very important documents leaving my hands.

Yeah, I was warned. Don’t work illegally and don’t work for a company that would let you work without a work visa because there may be other untidy things going on that one doesn’t want to be involved with…like payroll issues or whatever.

If I haven’t heard from the Attorney or one of the principals by Monday I’m going to make it a point of going to call the school in DF to figure out how I can do the legwork myself. They or their attorney can complete the paperwork and then I can go, with my US Passport and Tourist Visa/Entry Permit, with the attorney to migration office in the Distrito Federal, stand in line or whatever and get it taken care of.

…only thing is I teach M-F….so I’d have to take care of it in the morning and be heading back to Queretaro by 1pm to make sure that I am where I need to be in the later afternoon.