Do it yourself FM2 / FM3 papers

I'm working with a girl who can prepare your FM2 / FM3 renewal papers, all including payment forms and keep a digital copy, no need to go to the lady in San Antonio who uses a typewriter, all very fast and efficient. I'm near all the banks in Chapala and always have a parking space for you right out front, please come and see the new remodeled offices.

Great for do it yourselfers.

Spencer, are you able to publish any prices for this service or are there too many variables involved?

Hi,
Last year I did my FM3 by myself and then went to Guadalajara for the paperwork. Since that went so well, this year I want to start my FM2 on my own. I like the idea of knowing just how the process works!. So, can you provide an address and cost of getting the form prepared?

Thanks,
Filoli

$120 pesos for all the forms being prepared while you wait (the lady in San Antonio apparently doesn't do them all) and they are saved in case you need a minor change the change can be done and emailed to you, even if you find you need a change and are in Guadalajara and your passport face page is scanned so you'll never need to make copies, just print it.

Address is Hidalgo #230 Chapala, coming into Chapala one block before the stoplight on the right, ask for Denise Cervantes.

Here's a question on FM2 requirements under the new regs:

Does property ownership reduce the income requirements by half as it used to?

If by property ownership you mean owning the house you live in, the answer is yes, the INM may allow the reduction. May as in at their discretion. There is no absolute promise.

New regulations allow for up to half discount on income for inmigrante (FM2) but mention nothing for no inmigrante (FM3)

I don't give a hang about those FM3 holders. It's all about ME and MY casa. Like the pig.....I'm committed.....or should be.

For those of you under FM-2 status (inmigrante), presumably you are aiming at the final "inmigrado" status eventually and since we recently successfully went through that process at the INM offices in the Federal Building in Downtown Guadalajara, a word about our experience.

The beauty about advancing from FM-2 to Inmigrado is that you need to provide only a fraction of the information you need to qualify for issuance or renewal of your FM-2. You pull up all the forms needed on your computer and present those papers, along with appropriate photos and proof of payment of both processing and issuance fees at a local bank and that´s it. No proof of income required. In fact no income data at all is needed. No evidence that you own your home but proof of current residency is imperative. The computer instructions will lead you through this process with ease. You take these documents into the hellacious INM office and, since the papers are now processed in Guadalajara instead of Mexico City, if your papers are accurately prepared and not sent back to you for corrections, you will receive your Inmigrado Card in a couple of weeks or so instead of the typical old processing time of more or less six months . Then you never have to darken INM´s door again.

One problem is that Guadalajara just started processing these applications through to fruition after approval by Mexico City to so so so there is initially a substantial amount of nitpicking going on as the El Rancho Grande functionaries are still new at this and want to make sure headquarters does not embarrass them so you may be called back to Guadalajara a few times to correct ludicrously noted mistakes. For instance, I had to return and go through the process all over again including paying another $890 Pesos processing fee because I inadvertently typed in my birth date as 02/07/1942 instead of the correct 07/02/1942 even though copies of my passport and FM-2 showed 07/02/1942 or February 7, 1942 and my mistake was clearly a typo. Such are the priorities of functionaries.

All-in-all, you don´t really need any sort of assistance and can type up all of your paperwork yourself on your home computer. However, if you speak little or no Spanish you may find parts of the process uncomfortable. Just remember that, if you do do your own paperwork, have your photographs in hand on your first visit and pay all your fees before going in no matter what the instructions say. Your top priority should be to visit that cramped, jam-packed, airless INM office in that impossible Federal Building and wait hours for your number to be called as few times as possible.

Another word to the wise. Even though you have six months to apply for inmigrado status after the fourth renewal of your FM-2 - do not wait until the last minute but get in to INM as soon as possible. If you hit any snags, you will regret any previous dithering. You do not want to be without a visa and have to explain that your application is in the INM and that´s why you have no FM-2, simply a paper that says you have applied for inmigrado status. Uh, uh! You don´t want to have to explain that at a highway checkpoint.

Good information, Dawg. Thanks for the heads up.
Hopefully they will have it all together by the time we get to that point.
We're working on our third year now, and really like the idea of never having to darken their doorstep at some glorious time in the future.