Walking to the immigration center in Loreto last year to get our FM3. We had already started the process at the Mexico consulate in San Jose, CA. The immigration office is located within the UABCS University.
I just got back from the latest Loreto Bay Homeowners Potluck Party in Piedmont, CA. More details on that to come in a following entry.
For now, I wanted to write a follow on to a previous entry which had some admittedly cryptic information on navigating through an FM3 renewal. I realized it was hard to understand when I was trying to use the information from the entry myself to prepare for our FM3 renewal when we go down late October.
Thanks to the resourcefulness of Jane, Sharon, Nancy and Kim we were able to get clear instructions tonight at the event direct from the immigration office in Loreto.
So here are the requirements for an FM3 and an FM3 renewal. You need two additional pieces of documentation for a new vs. a renewal. To see the original document of instruction that Jane presented at the potluck, click here.
1. Official Application form filled out. Click here for the fillable PDF form.
2. Letter signed by applicant requesting: extension (prorroga), Permanent residence (permanencia), change of activity or migratory status. Click here for a sample.
3. Your passport and one copy.
4. Original and one copy of your present Mexican immigration document.
5. Proof of domicile in Mexico. eg. copy of a utility bill or your tax bill.
6. Photos 4×4 cm, black and white, not instant, 3 front view and 3 profile. (NEW FM3 ONLY)
7. Original form FM-1 filled out using a typewriter. Click here for a fillable PDF form of the FM-1. (NEW FM3 ONLY)
8. Your last three bank statements stating an amount no less than 250 days of official minimum wages in the Federal District of Mexico.
Also, according to Barry and Pat, make sure to bring a file folder for each application as you are expected to provide your own. If you fail to do so, you will need to go to the local stationary store to purchase it.
The whole process can take about a week or more.
If you need photos and didn’t get them taken prior to arriving in Loreto, there is a “Photo Video” shop down the street from the immigration office on the main street Salvatiera in front of the gas station. When in doubt, ask the Inn at Loreto Bay concierge for directions.
Front of the Photo Video shop in Loreto.
Inside the immigration office. It was raining cats and dogs the day we applied for the first time in November 2007. Clint took this photo just before he ran out, down the street to see if our photos were done at Photo Video.
If you have other tips and advice for getting or renewing the FM3 in Loreto, please share in the comments.
Caveat from Jane Lurie: “The Mexico that we love is home to magic realism. This information represents the truth as we understand it from that visit to the immigration office in Loreto and only applies to the process for that office. I will be renewing my FM3 and Sharon will be applying for a new one next week when we’re there. We’ll let you know how the process worked and the time it took to get the documents into our hands.”
