Amount of bank savings required for FM-3

Wow, now that is good advice for sure. We had heard that about Honduran consulates, but not Mexican consulates. OK, we will steer clear of that...
Sounds like you really know the pros and cons of getting set up.
We need to determine here in the near future just where we want to live and at that point we will know how to proceed. Thanks much!

Sorry, after following the posts, I see conflicting advice. Should you apply for the FM3 at your local consulate or wait until you get down there? Also, we have the added complication of being Canadian citizens living in the US. Will the Consulate here (Chicago) have any idea on how to deal with that? One thought I had was to go back to Toronto for six months, get the Mexican paperwork done there and then coming down. Or is that over complicating things? Thanks.

Or is that over complicating things?
Yes it is. Just come on down and do it here in México.

Thanks Rolly. Sounds good except for your instruction in your link "Canada is not a signatory of the Hague Convention; thus it does not issue apostilles. You will need to take your Canadian documents to a Mexican consulate in Canada where they will issue the necessary papers for you." Therefore, would I not have to go back to Canada anyway to get this done?

Check whether or not you can do it via mail or courier.

I'd like to hear from any Canadians with any experience doing it this way. Makes me a bit nervous sending the original documents.

I failed to notice that Rolly said "take the documents to a Mexcian Consulate." I thought that Canada had their own form of certification that was acceptable to Mexico. Check out this website http://www.alscanada.ca/authentication_apostille.html

Mucho Gracias!

I have heard from fellow Canadians that they have not experienced any problems getting their visa's at the Canadian Consulate and then finalizing at the IMN within 30 days after arriving in Mexico. That is what we plan on doing as it makes so much more sense. The documents (birth certificate, income statements, marriage certificate, etc.) don't have to be translated or apostilled and any missing documents are easy to get while your still at home. YMMV

Very good advice, Bob.

CanuckBob wrote:I have heard from fellow Canadians that they have not experienced any problems getting their visa's at the Canadian Consulate and then finalizing at the IMN within 30 days after arriving in Mexico. That is what we plan on doing as it makes so much more sense. The documents (birth certificate, income statements, marriage certificate, etc.) don't have to be translated or apostilled and any missing documents are easy to get while your still at home. YMMV

Just hope that you aren't asked for it all again when you arrive. I would prepare for double coverage

Hehe.....not to worry Sparks. I always plan for worst case scenario. I definitely plan on bringing all the documents with me just in case. Either way I'll be hiring Spencer to look after all of it for us whether its the simple completion or a complete re-do.

Bob, sorry, you lost me on how you were doing this. You get your visa at the Canadian Consulate where? Why would a Canadian consulate issue a visa for Mexico? Or am I completely misunderstanding your post?

PS Thanks for Juan's Blog. It is outstanding. However if you can get word to him, even though he says you can make comments on it, I can't see how.

Thanks.

I guess I should have said the Mexican Consulate in Canada to be more clear. Vancouver to be exact.

Juan reads this board so he will see your inquiry.

mrum wrote: if you can get word to him, even though he says you can make comments on it, I can't see how.

Thanks.

Let me check on the comments portion, I had someone else say that had a problem making comments and I thought I fixed it.

Thanks for reading it, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have a ball writing and documenting the events as we travel down this path.

Gracias.

Thanks all. I think we will try the Rolly approach and just come down on the FMM and do a change of status while there to FM3. We will use Davids link to get any paperwork done(thanks again). Our stuff (we are planning on bringing very little) can stay in storage somewhere until we get the FM3 and then have it shipped down. What's the worst that can happen, they kick us out?

Speaking from experience, the worst thing that can happen is you pay for storage for a couple of years and then realize you can't remember what was in storage and/or don't want it anyway.

Besides, most of the rentals/homes for sale are fully furnished. Depending on where you live the shipping costs and hassle are usually worth as much as buying the stuff all over again. We opted to give away everything and start fresh. Makes it easy to move around quickly if/when opportunities present themselves.

I´d advise people to come down with apostilled copies of important documents (marriage license and birth certificates) dated right before they come down, Canadians get the documents authenticated at the Mexican consulate before coming down. Getting them NOB is much faster, cheaper and easier than doing so from Mexico.

I have to agree with CanuckBob. When I think back to what it is like now versus when we had a home built and we had to furnish it starting back in 1998 - things have greatly improved! For example, we purchased a tin star light ceiling fixture in Tlaquepaque and I was doing the installation. Trips to four different hardware stores in the Lake Chapala area and one trip to locate the original Home Mart store in Guadalajara resulted in an installation that I would define as a "Hindu rig". Furniture has become more comfort oriented, mattress selections have improved and furniture isn't all rustica providing one is willing to work at it a bit and venture out into the marketplace.

Moving to Mexico is a new adventure and why bring down the old baggage from NOB?

Now I’m going to have to disagree with many, good quality anything is much more expensive here, including the cost of shipping. It really depends on what one intends to do once they get here.

I love to cook and have friends over for good meals, this is our thing. To replace a new “KitchenAid”, stand-up mixer cost approximately $550USD, in the US about $300USD (same model) and a good quality Mexican brand was about $750USD. I believe this is all about supply & demand but these are things we want.

We also want to travel and get to know Mexico so a simple living would be just fine, if that’s all we wanted. These are decisions each one needs to make for themselves. Our desire was to set-up a home and not to be just tourist, which we also love.