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Just received a note from the American Legion that Mexican regulations regarding entry and exit procedures have been changed. The note said that failure to follow the new regulations would invalidate existing visas and require resubmittals... There is a meeting of various civic groups scheduled for the 11th but it would be beneficial if all were to have info on these changes... Spencer can you comment?

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I saw a post on Facebook a short time ago written by Jerry Ondola saying that the local INM was asking for a meeting with various expat groups in the community to organize some type of vehicle by which the expat community could be informed on how to properly use their resident visas when exiting and entering Mexico so as to not invalidate them. It didn't say anything about changing the procedures. The American Legion was one of the groups that Jerry was going to approach. 

Sort of of reminds me of the old "telephone" game...

 

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14 minutes ago, Dancing Queen said:

oops, i leave for texas on sunday -- 

anyone know the proper procedure as of now for leaving -- i am permanente and picked up the forms at Immigration Office at Aeropuerto the other day

anything new i should know?

DQ - I think that what is important is that, in addition to completing the two part FMM form, you should also write "RESIDENTE PERMANENTE" in block letters across the tops of both sections of the form. When you check in at the immigration window before leaving GDL and present your passport and your Residente Permanente card, sometimes the agent scribbles "RT" or "RP" on the top of the form when he's stamping everything, but sometimes they don't. If you do it, then you know it gets done. The smaller (bottom) section is what the airline agent takes from you when you check in. Stick away the larger top part of the FMM form in a safe place (and remember where that is!!) since you need it for your return. 

Then when you return to Mexico, just be sure to hand the immigration agent your Residente Permanente card, along with the completed top part of the FMM form and your passport. 

Buen viaje!

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And which line do you get in at Migracion? Mexicans or visitors? We were advised Mexican by one person, all went well, and the next time we got a lecture that we are not Mexicans.

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Makes sense but a nice Mexican airline employee advised to get in the Mexican line and all was well that time. Next t we got the lecture but were passed through. Been here long enough to know "it depends ".

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Can anyone else share their experience about departing from GDL with a Permanente card. 

When I left last Wednesday went to IMN at the airport, the agent spoke perfect English. Presented my passport and Residente Permanente card, he handed me the FMM form told me to fill in the bottom half only, which I did, he signed and stamped the bottom half tore it off, threw the top half in the garbage and handed me the bottom half, which I handed to the airline agent.

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5 hours ago, TelsZ4 said:

Can anyone else share their experience about departing from GDL with a Permanente card. 

When I left last Wednesday went to IMN at the airport, the agent spoke perfect English. Presented my passport and Residente Permanente card, he handed me the FMM form told me to fill in the bottom half only, which I did, he signed and stamped the bottom half tore it off, threw the top half in the garbage and handed me the bottom half, which I handed to the airline agent.

This is getting confusing.  First you must have the top portion with "Permanent Resident" written in block letters on the top as you'll need it when you return, then TelsZ4 says the agent threw that part away.  We've never flown out since we moved here, but will be doing so in October. So this topic is important to us.  Which is it?  Why did that agent throw it away if it's so important to get back in?  I hope someone can clear this up.

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I have also had the INM agent throw away the part I needed to get back in but I just got new form when I returned to Guadalajara and filled in the top part.

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Just to clear this up about the Tourist Visa / FMM form for Temporal or Permanente visa holders.:

BY AIR

1. You need to fill out a tourist visa, both top and bottom part.  Then you go to the INM window, down by where passengers exit through customs.  You present your passport, visa Temp or Perm, to the INM agent.  He will stamp the INM form you gave to him and return it to you.  

2. You will take the bottom portion of the INM form to the ticket counter and give it to the Airline agent, along with your passport.

3. The Airline agent will attach the INM form to your boarding pass and send you on to the gate.

4. The gate agent will take your boarding pass and INM form at the gate.

You are now done, you are on the plane and you can throw away the top portion of the INM form.

ON YOUR RETURN

1. You will fill out a new INM form (Tourist Visa / FMM) on the plane or prior to going to the Customs Agent

2. You present your passport, your residency visa (Temp or Perm) and the completed INM form to the Customs Agent 

3. He will stamp the INM form and your passport and he will give you back only your passport and residency visa.  

4. If he hands you back the bottom portion of the INM form, this could mean he ignored your residency visa and accidently processed you through as a Tourist Visa, make sure you stop and hand him back the INM form and say to him that you are either Temporal or Permanente to check did he process wrong.

I have found I normally say Yo Permanente when I am handing my documents to the Customs Agent just to make him aware so he processes it correctly.  One time a Customs Agent started processing it as tourist and when he caught the mistake it took him and his supervisor about 5 - 10 minutes to get it correct in the computer system.

Hope this helps

 

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On ‎08‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 9:55 AM, Gilligan said:

Just to clear this up about the Tourist Visa / FMM form for Temporal or Permanente visa holders.:

BY AIR

1. You need to fill out a tourist visa, both top and bottom part.  Then you go to the INM window, down by where passengers exit through customs.  You present your passport, visa Temp or Perm, to the INM agent.  He will stamp the INM form you gave to him and return it to you.  

2. You will take the bottom portion of the INM form to the ticket counter and give it to the Airline agent, along with your passport.

3. The Airline agent will attach the INM form to your boarding pass and send you on to the gate.

4. The gate agent will take your boarding pass and INM form at the gate.

You are now done, you are on the plane and you can throw away the top portion of the INM form.

ON YOUR RETURN

1. You will fill out a new INM form (Tourist Visa / FMM) on the plane or prior to going to the Customs Agent

2. You present your passport, your residency visa (Temp or Perm) and the completed INM form to the Customs Agent 

3. He will stamp the INM form and your passport and he will give you back only your passport and residency visa.  

4. If he hands you back the bottom portion of the INM form, this could mean he ignored your residency visa and accidently processed you through as a Tourist Visa, make sure you stop and hand him back the INM form and say to him that you are either Temporal or Permanente to check did he process wrong.

I have found I normally say Yo Permanente when I am handing my documents to the Customs Agent just to make him aware so he processes it correctly.  One time a Customs Agent started processing it as tourist and when he caught the mistake it took him and his supervisor about 5 - 10 minutes to get it correct in the computer system.

Hope this helps

 

This is not correct as far as re-entering Mexico by plane. You do not fill out a new FMM form. You can if you loose the top half of the FMM or the INM offical only gave you one half and not both or airline personnel screwed up and gave you the bottom half to keep or you gave the airline personnel the top half by mistake etc.  - no big deal to do this and not against the rules or law.You retain the top half you were given leaving Mexico to hand in when re-entering Mexico. The IMN officer does not fill out the FMM form leaving Mexico so he could not process it as a tourist FMM unless you didn´t mark the box other and then the box either Residente Permanente or Residente Temporal. People who don´t recieve the top, larger half, from the INM official need to speak up and tell them that you get the top half because I need this when returning to Mexico.

Also the way the article is written it is explaining the 2011 INM law and rules very poorly . It insinuates you will loose your legal resident status if the above is not done correctly - wrong and not true. You will only loose your legal resident status if you re-enter Mexico and give the INM official a filled out 180 day FMM tourist card and they stamp it and accept that your are in deed a tourist and not a legal resident of Mexico.

Not leaving by air but by land most legal residents don´t ask for FMM cards [to much trouble to park and walk back to the INM office which is usually close to the car lanes entering Mexico] and retaining the top half when returning to Mexico except some of those re-entering by air. There is no real danger getting caught doing this as the INM law and rules have no sanction for it. The INM law actually states legal residents are advised to do this for statistical purposes and also those wishing to apply for citizenship need proof of their exits and re-enters from/to Mexico for several year before applying because there is a 180 total days out of Mexico limit in 3 years to qualify.

Printed on bordered box on the FMM card where you X the small box for either Residente Permanent or the box for Residente Temporal it states "Únicamente Para Efectos Estadisticos"  [ Only For Statistical Effects [Purposes] ].

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Gilligan:

You may confuse people by referring to the FMM as a “tourist visa“, if they are RT or RP visa holders.  The FMM is the Forma Multiple Migratoria, and is used for many purposes; only one of which is as a tourist permit, which definitely does not apply to holders of Residente Temporal or Permanente visa. Those residents must be careful to avoid checking the tourist “visitante“ status, as it will void their residence visas.

Print your residence status on the top of both parts of the form, and check “other“.

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11 minutes ago, RVGRINGO said:

Gilligan:

You may confuse people by referring to the FMM as a “tourist visa“, if they are RT or RP visa holders.  The FMM is the Forma Multiple Migratoria, and is used for many purposes; only one of which is as a tourist permit, which definitely does not apply to holders of Residente Temporal or Permanente visa. Those residents must be careful to avoid checking the tourist “visitante“ status, as it will void their residence visas.

Print your residence status on the top of both parts of the form, and check “other“.

RV the newest FMM form has printed right on it with a box to check: Residente Permanente, Residente Temporal,  but as you stated you also need to mark the box beside "Other".

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I agree that Alan's description is more accurate.  AND, in the long run, no matter what some INM agent or airline personnel, or border agent might do or not do.... JUST HAVE AN FMM DOCUMENT ON HAND TO FILL OUT WHEN COMING BACK IN VIA AIR. MARKING IT AS PERMANENTE OR TEMPORAL ACROSS THE TOP OR CANJE (Exchange) should do the trick and insure that you will not get screwed as to your immigration status.

And I surely agree with RVGRINGO that one should call the form by it's proper name.... FMM... and not Tourist Visa under these conditions as it leads to more confusion (in an already confused arena!).

I'm flying in in a week or so (I'm actually Tourist) but I'm going to grab a few extra FMM forms on the plane to have 'just in case' I or someone else needs to have one.

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Just attended the meeting... Take aways:

1. There are NO changes to the 2012 law....

2. Show your Temperal or Permanente card at immigration First when re-entering the country...

3. As someone suggested: Write Termperal or Permanente at the top of your INM form...

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Writing in permanent, big marker "Res Permanente" on both halves AND also make sure the immigration official marks the correct box in the grey area of the form. I know someone who was Permanent and immigration official checked the Tourist box and now he has to start his Permanent all over again. Big hassle. 

Where is the box you state is "OTHER"?

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On ‎11‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 4:14 PM, tomgates said:

?? I am looking at the latest forms and do not see a box labeled "Other".

See the above; FMM sample filled Out Forms link

Box 9 : Purpose of trip: mark other

Bottom box on the top half: mark Residente Permanente card or Residente Temporal card

Box 7 of the bottom half: mark other again

On the last box on the bottom half: mark RT card or RP card

Fill it out and give it to the INM officer - get both halves stamped and take the bottom smaller half to the airline checkin desk and give it to them or at the departure gate.

Keep the larger top half and when returning hand it to the INM officer.

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