When I filed for a renewal passport on September 9th, I was given an estimate of 3 - 4 weeks. And it seems to be true!
After filing the paperwork and paying the fee at our Consulate's office, I was sent to the DHL office in Centro to arrange (pay for) secure delivery. They gave me a Waybill number for my trouble.
And although their website has always shown 'We don't have a record of this number,' it finally reflected a shipment to San Miguel yesterday. Repeated visits to the website has shown its progress from Ecatepec (a large suburb of Mexico City) through leaving Mexico City's hub at half-past midnight early this morning. Not sure if it will stop off in Celaya on its way to SMA, but the Consulate's estimate if proving correct.
Once I have the document in my hands, we'll be ready for our next trip to Orlando and a week-long cruise November 1st! That and 25 pesos will get me a small cappuccino and two rollies at the Mega coffee bar next door!
ADDED - And I do have the new passport in hand! Followed its track through Celaya and on to SMA, then zipped downtown (okay, walked downtown), stood in line, and picked it up! I think the clerk was surprised that I was there so soon after it was delivered.
In other news, our cruise line (Disney, of course) has posted shore excursions for one of our B2B2B cruises next May. Not sure why they chose the middle cruise (Northern European Capitals) to put up first, but that's what popped up on their website yesterday. We've picked out likely suspects, though we can't book them until the end of January. A lot more choices than the private tour company we were looking at (Swan Lake in St Petersburg - with or without a backstage visit, anyone?) and a bit more pricey, but still reasonable. More time at the attractions and options, and less time on a tour bus, it seems.
We're thinking a tour of Tallinn, Estonia with a concert of medieval music and lunch; a visit to Holy Blood Cathedral (with an interior visit, versus walking past it) and a canal boat trip through St Petersburg; a combination Land & Sea tour in Helsinki; and a tour of Stockholm including a visit to the Vasa, a warship which sunk in 1628 on its inaugural voyage which has since been reclaimed and is on display. We're still undecided about the Swan Lake performance in St Petersburg (the ship remains in port until nearly midnight to accommodate this, but it's so late!) and/or the visit to an Ice Bar in Stockholm. If the timing works out, a tour to the Ice Bar may win out....
Can't wait to see what they have in mind for the fjords and the Transatlantic crossing!
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Permanente At Last!
Yes, we're now in possession of our Residente Permanente cards! Yahoo!! Perhaps a third exclamation point is warranted - !
A friend's RP card was yellow; ours have a pale green background. Don't know that the colors have any meaning; perhaps they just changed stock? Michael's photo is fine; mine is a little washed out, but the cards are issued for an "indefinida" period and also allow us to work for pay - not that we will be doing so any time soon. After all, having the cards is the important part, not one's visage - though I wish mine was not quite as ghost-like!
Best part is that now we can travel outside the country and return without the danger of voiding all the credit for the years we've spent here as an FM3 & FM2 when we re-enter without a valid Residente card in hand. Took us four years to get there (through all the changes in immigration rules), but we're here! [If you've been following this blog, you'll know that our FM2s expired while we were out of the country and we needed to visit a Mexican Consulate while in Florida - which complicated things.]
We did pick up our cards on Thursday after we returned to San Miguel from Puerto Vallarta (last week), but we've been a mite busy since then so forgot to post! The cards (and our facilitator) were waiting for us in the garden of the Starbucks building (our facilitator's unofficial office).
This is a hard time for facilitators: After clients renewed their cards annually for so many years, we're suddenly all getting Permanentes and not requiring their services any longer - at least until the government realizes that it's not taking in the same amount of revenue and changes the rules once again.
You'll notice that our cards are for an 'indefinite' period, not 'forever' so I suppose they can require a periodic review (with a fee, of course) if they wish. Another advantage to the Permanente document is the permissible time out of Mexico. With a Temporal we were limited to 180 days in a five-year period; with the changeover to Temporal/Permanente that limitation went away.
Now to wait patiently for my passport renewal to arrive so we can travel to Orlando on November 1st. I was told by our Consulate's office that the passport should take about 3 to 4 weeks to be processed and delivered. The third week will be up next Tuesday, September 30th. Let's see if I get an email from DHL to come pick the document up! DHL does give you a website and tracking number with which you can monitor the arrival of your passport - all for the $200 peso fee! Yes, one must pay for the required delivery.... Can't have a passport falling into the wrong hands, now, can we?
A friend's RP card was yellow; ours have a pale green background. Don't know that the colors have any meaning; perhaps they just changed stock? Michael's photo is fine; mine is a little washed out, but the cards are issued for an "indefinida" period and also allow us to work for pay - not that we will be doing so any time soon. After all, having the cards is the important part, not one's visage - though I wish mine was not quite as ghost-like!
Best part is that now we can travel outside the country and return without the danger of voiding all the credit for the years we've spent here as an FM3 & FM2 when we re-enter without a valid Residente card in hand. Took us four years to get there (through all the changes in immigration rules), but we're here! [If you've been following this blog, you'll know that our FM2s expired while we were out of the country and we needed to visit a Mexican Consulate while in Florida - which complicated things.]
We did pick up our cards on Thursday after we returned to San Miguel from Puerto Vallarta (last week), but we've been a mite busy since then so forgot to post! The cards (and our facilitator) were waiting for us in the garden of the Starbucks building (our facilitator's unofficial office).
This is a hard time for facilitators: After clients renewed their cards annually for so many years, we're suddenly all getting Permanentes and not requiring their services any longer - at least until the government realizes that it's not taking in the same amount of revenue and changes the rules once again.
You'll notice that our cards are for an 'indefinite' period, not 'forever' so I suppose they can require a periodic review (with a fee, of course) if they wish. Another advantage to the Permanente document is the permissible time out of Mexico. With a Temporal we were limited to 180 days in a five-year period; with the changeover to Temporal/Permanente that limitation went away.
Now to wait patiently for my passport renewal to arrive so we can travel to Orlando on November 1st. I was told by our Consulate's office that the passport should take about 3 to 4 weeks to be processed and delivered. The third week will be up next Tuesday, September 30th. Let's see if I get an email from DHL to come pick the document up! DHL does give you a website and tracking number with which you can monitor the arrival of your passport - all for the $200 peso fee! Yes, one must pay for the required delivery.... Can't have a passport falling into the wrong hands, now, can we?
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Another Wrinkle
Okay; we leave for PV (Puerto Vallarta) tomorrow and I still don't have any 'official' ID. Saw our facilitator yesterday morning while enjoying our koffee klatch at Mega's coffee bar; no joy - not ready yet. Maybe they didn't include yesterday as part of their 'ready in 8 days' estimate. Or perhaps they were even closed on Monday? Holidays down here tend to complicate things. Most government agencies close for the Christmas/New Year's holidays as a bloc of time.
Here's hoping that it is ready for him to pick up today and that he'll have it if/when I run into him at Starbucks later today. Here's hoping I see him at Starbucks....
Not having the Residente Permanente is not a big deal. While it's true that I don't have either form of ID that shows I'm in the country legally, I shouldn't need it for our trip tomorrow to PV. After all, we're driving, not flying and there are no national borders to cross. I'd just be more comfortable to have something in case a cop pulls us over or stops us while walking down the street. I suppose I can try my Mexican Drivers License if push comes to shove. That's an official document, eh? Works in the States; might work down here.
The passport I have in my possession has holes punched in it and is stamped 'Cancelled' inside. Probably won't do me much good, though I have it in my possession. But it has the consulate's Visa glued to one page; that might work!
Don't know if I'll see the facilitator today or not. Michael needs to be home as much as possible to do stuff; we've got haircuts scheduled late morning (that's a walk into and out from Centro); the package that's taken 3 weeks to reach us via our mail handling service has finally arrived (and I've paid the fees via Paypal) so I need to pick that up (still waiting on the packages that have been delivered to them two and one week ago); need to stop by our bank to get some spending money for PV; and we need to brush out a dog and be home when the puppy farm person stops by the house to pick them up for their vacation later today.
Oh, yeah; need to throw some things into a suitcase for the trip and make some sandwiches for the drive to the coast, too. Unlike Los Angeles, there's not a fast food franchise on every corner. We are stopping in Guadalajara to 1) see Victor's mother, 2) leave his winter things with her, and 3) grab breakfast at this great restaurant, New York, New York, before heading further south.
It'll be a busy day!
ADDENDUM [9/25/14]
Okay; so the cards were not ready before we left town for PV. Now that we're home again, we've spoken to our facilitator and he has them in his possession. We'll pick them up from him at Starbucks later today! Whew, what an ordeal. I like things neat and tidy; this has not been so!
Here's hoping that it is ready for him to pick up today and that he'll have it if/when I run into him at Starbucks later today. Here's hoping I see him at Starbucks....
Not having the Residente Permanente is not a big deal. While it's true that I don't have either form of ID that shows I'm in the country legally, I shouldn't need it for our trip tomorrow to PV. After all, we're driving, not flying and there are no national borders to cross. I'd just be more comfortable to have something in case a cop pulls us over or stops us while walking down the street. I suppose I can try my Mexican Drivers License if push comes to shove. That's an official document, eh? Works in the States; might work down here.
The passport I have in my possession has holes punched in it and is stamped 'Cancelled' inside. Probably won't do me much good, though I have it in my possession. But it has the consulate's Visa glued to one page; that might work!
Don't know if I'll see the facilitator today or not. Michael needs to be home as much as possible to do stuff; we've got haircuts scheduled late morning (that's a walk into and out from Centro); the package that's taken 3 weeks to reach us via our mail handling service has finally arrived (and I've paid the fees via Paypal) so I need to pick that up (still waiting on the packages that have been delivered to them two and one week ago); need to stop by our bank to get some spending money for PV; and we need to brush out a dog and be home when the puppy farm person stops by the house to pick them up for their vacation later today.
Oh, yeah; need to throw some things into a suitcase for the trip and make some sandwiches for the drive to the coast, too. Unlike Los Angeles, there's not a fast food franchise on every corner. We are stopping in Guadalajara to 1) see Victor's mother, 2) leave his winter things with her, and 3) grab breakfast at this great restaurant, New York, New York, before heading further south.
It'll be a busy day!
ADDENDUM [9/25/14]
Okay; so the cards were not ready before we left town for PV. Now that we're home again, we've spoken to our facilitator and he has them in his possession. We'll pick them up from him at Starbucks later today! Whew, what an ordeal. I like things neat and tidy; this has not been so!
Friday, September 12, 2014
Wrinkles
So there were some wrinkles, of course. Our trip to our local Immigration office was not with drama. And I can't leave Mexico for a few more weeks.
INM first: So we went to the INM offices this past Monday, met up with our facilitator, Eduardo, and moved to the waiting area. There we sat for about an hour, waiting for them to call our number (#12). While waiting we counted many times that the single clerk at the window would search for a person's application packet and eventually have to walk to the office next door to find it. However, it wasn't a simple job of walking through a doorway or using a pass-through - no, she had to walk though the intake area (in the opposite direction), past her own office, and then into the office that had the paperwork (and the reverse trek with the paperwork). Not a big deal, I suppose, but when she had to do this with every customer it was tiring just to watch it happen!
So we waited about an hour for them to reach our number. While we were waiting, the person sitting next to us became ill. The room watched in horror as she bent over the empty chair next to her, retching. And she continued to slide until she was on all fours on the floor, retching as she descended. The office did call the Red Cross for assistance. We cleaned up her glasses which had fallen into the vomit so she would be able to see when she recovered and she finally was able to walk into the restroom where she waited for the Red Cross folks to check her out. She did remain to conduct her business with the INM folks; pity, as she had a lower number than ours!
A custodian person also finally showed up to mop up the mess and clean off the chairs. (It still smelled funny, so we stood the rest of the time in the intake area.)
They eventually called No. 12 and we went up to the window. Of course the clerk looked in the file drawers, searched the files on the table, and then went next door to get our paperwork packets.
After signing forms carefully (it must match the signature in our passport; I almost want to sign my new passport differently so it doesn't match - but that would be silly and probably result in travel delays...) and being fingerprinted, we were all set, having paid the fees before this trip.
However, because the office is waiting for a supply delivery, it will be next Wednesday before our cards are ready. Luckily for us, our facilitator will pick up the cards for us and we'll meet him at Starbucks to exchange cards for cash (his fee). One more thing taken care of - permanently, we hope.
Then on to the US Consulate's office in San Miguel. (And we are lucky to have a local Consulate's office so we don't need to trek into Mexico City repeatedly.) In the meanwhile, I can't leave Mexico - or enter another country - because I applied for a new passport. The timing was a little tricky. When we travel to the Scandinavian countries next May, my passport must be valid for an additional 6 months or the cruise line will not allow me to travel. It expires next June. So between now and then I needed to renew my passport.
Our current travel plans are: fly to the US for a cruise in November; the US for a Disneyland wedding of friends in December; Cabo San Lucas for a family vacation in January; the US for a visit to New Orleans with different friends; and the aforementioned Scandinavian cruise: 29 days aboard a ship as we sail from Florida to Copenhagen via NYC, Canada, Iceland, and Oslo; then Northern European capitals in Estonia, Russia, Finland & Sweden; and finally the western Norwegian fjords before we fly back to Mexico via Iceland & Chicago. All but the trip to Cabo will require a valid passport (Cabo still being in Mexico, I just need my Permanente card for ID).
So I decided to try and renew it before the November cruise - there was no really good time except around the year-end holidays, and Mexican government offices close for a few weeks then. The Consulate clerk told me that it should only take three to four weeks presently, and I've allowed 6 weeks, so we should be A-OK. A quick bus ride to the Consulate's office, service at the counter (the clerk dealt speedily with all the people ahead of me in line) and I already had the new passport pictures with me and the application filled out, and then a walk into downtown to prepay the DHL delivery charges. When Michael did his last year, the Consulate/Embassy used a different firm that had offices just across the street from our neighborhood.
Now I wait with my old passport which has been punched full of holes through the machine-readable numbers and stamped 'CANCELLED.' [Hope there's no emergencies NOB or I'll find out what getting an Emergency Passport entails.]
So not going anywhere until DHL calls to tell me that my new passport has arrived and I go into downtown to pick it up. Michael renewed his last year when we weren't traveling as often - the end of 2014 and 2015 is a crazy time for us! Guess I should have tried to match up my next renewal with his date. They didn't seem to care that I was renewing it 9 months in advance; what would they care about 21 months in advance?
And that's all the news that's fit to print. There should be general rejoicing next week when we get our Residente Permanente cards!!!
INM first: So we went to the INM offices this past Monday, met up with our facilitator, Eduardo, and moved to the waiting area. There we sat for about an hour, waiting for them to call our number (#12). While waiting we counted many times that the single clerk at the window would search for a person's application packet and eventually have to walk to the office next door to find it. However, it wasn't a simple job of walking through a doorway or using a pass-through - no, she had to walk though the intake area (in the opposite direction), past her own office, and then into the office that had the paperwork (and the reverse trek with the paperwork). Not a big deal, I suppose, but when she had to do this with every customer it was tiring just to watch it happen!
So we waited about an hour for them to reach our number. While we were waiting, the person sitting next to us became ill. The room watched in horror as she bent over the empty chair next to her, retching. And she continued to slide until she was on all fours on the floor, retching as she descended. The office did call the Red Cross for assistance. We cleaned up her glasses which had fallen into the vomit so she would be able to see when she recovered and she finally was able to walk into the restroom where she waited for the Red Cross folks to check her out. She did remain to conduct her business with the INM folks; pity, as she had a lower number than ours!
A custodian person also finally showed up to mop up the mess and clean off the chairs. (It still smelled funny, so we stood the rest of the time in the intake area.)
They eventually called No. 12 and we went up to the window. Of course the clerk looked in the file drawers, searched the files on the table, and then went next door to get our paperwork packets.
After signing forms carefully (it must match the signature in our passport; I almost want to sign my new passport differently so it doesn't match - but that would be silly and probably result in travel delays...) and being fingerprinted, we were all set, having paid the fees before this trip.
However, because the office is waiting for a supply delivery, it will be next Wednesday before our cards are ready. Luckily for us, our facilitator will pick up the cards for us and we'll meet him at Starbucks to exchange cards for cash (his fee). One more thing taken care of - permanently, we hope.
Then on to the US Consulate's office in San Miguel. (And we are lucky to have a local Consulate's office so we don't need to trek into Mexico City repeatedly.) In the meanwhile, I can't leave Mexico - or enter another country - because I applied for a new passport. The timing was a little tricky. When we travel to the Scandinavian countries next May, my passport must be valid for an additional 6 months or the cruise line will not allow me to travel. It expires next June. So between now and then I needed to renew my passport.
Our current travel plans are: fly to the US for a cruise in November; the US for a Disneyland wedding of friends in December; Cabo San Lucas for a family vacation in January; the US for a visit to New Orleans with different friends; and the aforementioned Scandinavian cruise: 29 days aboard a ship as we sail from Florida to Copenhagen via NYC, Canada, Iceland, and Oslo; then Northern European capitals in Estonia, Russia, Finland & Sweden; and finally the western Norwegian fjords before we fly back to Mexico via Iceland & Chicago. All but the trip to Cabo will require a valid passport (Cabo still being in Mexico, I just need my Permanente card for ID).
So I decided to try and renew it before the November cruise - there was no really good time except around the year-end holidays, and Mexican government offices close for a few weeks then. The Consulate clerk told me that it should only take three to four weeks presently, and I've allowed 6 weeks, so we should be A-OK. A quick bus ride to the Consulate's office, service at the counter (the clerk dealt speedily with all the people ahead of me in line) and I already had the new passport pictures with me and the application filled out, and then a walk into downtown to prepay the DHL delivery charges. When Michael did his last year, the Consulate/Embassy used a different firm that had offices just across the street from our neighborhood.
Now I wait with my old passport which has been punched full of holes through the machine-readable numbers and stamped 'CANCELLED.' [Hope there's no emergencies NOB or I'll find out what getting an Emergency Passport entails.]
So not going anywhere until DHL calls to tell me that my new passport has arrived and I go into downtown to pick it up. Michael renewed his last year when we weren't traveling as often - the end of 2014 and 2015 is a crazy time for us! Guess I should have tried to match up my next renewal with his date. They didn't seem to care that I was renewing it 9 months in advance; what would they care about 21 months in advance?
And that's all the news that's fit to print. There should be general rejoicing next week when we get our Residente Permanente cards!!!
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Permanent(e) at last!
Yes, we're nearly there! But first, a bit of history:
When we moved to Mexico four years ago, it was for the long run, not just a place to go for a while. So as soon as we could, we filed for an FM2 Inmigrante visa. Skipping the lesser FM3 visa allowed us to move forward at a speed about 4 years faster.
Then the law changed. They lumped both the FM3 and the FM2 into a Residente Temporal. (Why did we pay more for the FM2, you might ask...?)
Finally, we qualified to apply for the Permanente Residente, but the law had changed yet again and unless we could file our paperwork in person on the day before our Temporal expired, we were out of luck. And we couldn't - we'd be floating around the Caribbean on that date and a facilitator couldn't stand in for us.
And since the laws had changed again (and our Temporal visas would have expired), we would need to 1) apply for a visa at a Mexican consulate in a country to which we were entitled to travel; 2) get permission to remain in Mexico for no more than 30 days on our tourist visa; if granted 180 days, we would be out of luck as the standard-length FMM would be considered an abandonment of our intention to become a permanent resident; 3) apply for a 'real' visa card within 5 days of landing in our home town and all within 30 days of arrival in the country.
Now to our current situation.
To obtain the Mexican Visa that was pasted into our passport, we had to jump through some particular hoops: proof of solvency, proof of marriage, have a valid passport good for an additional 6 months, passport pictures, and pay the fee for the visa (the least of our worries). So we got the special passport pictures (Mexican) and took them with us, made copies of everything (Mexico is big on copies, but one needs to provide them with the original documents), and have proof of solvency (another technicality that caused concern).
Solvency if provable if you present 12 months of bank statements with an ending balance of $3,500 (plus a lesser fee for any additional people) - we weren't sure that each month would have quite enough money in the bank; OR an ending balance of $450,000 US; OR a property deed for a Mexican house worth a minimum of $450,000 US; OR, if retired, a social security benefit letter for a minimum of $3,500 US/month + the extra people fees. With my SSAN letter and government pension, I could qualify under that option ($3,500/month plus $1,500 for Michael as we were legally married). So we brought our SSAN letter and a year's worth of Direct Deposit statements from my retirement association. (They don't issue a letter each year as does SSA.)
We thought we were good to go. Michael even called the Visa Department of the Orlando Consulate to verify that we actually had an appointment for that Monday at 8 AM. Yes, good to go; fine.
So we go off and cruise for a week with Facebook friends, then return to WDW for a few days of additional vacation.
On Monday morning we call a Lyft taxi and trundle off to the Consulate from WDW Animal Kingdom Lodge, arriving just at 8 AM. The guard whisks us into the waiting room and delivers us to the window for Permanente visas. And then the fun began.
First of all, they seemed to think that we were to be there on Tuesday morning, not Monday, as the consul had taken a few days off and they thought he would be in by 10:30 - or not. Or, we might need to come back the next day to get his signature. As it turns out, we were still there when he arrived!
Then they insisted that we have our bank statements, not the letters that we had brought. Well, we had them - back in Mexico. So the clerk tried to find a local branch of the library so we could walk there and print out our bank statements and copy them. (Oh, and we needed two copies in addition to the original - one for each of us.)
When she couldn't find a nearby library listed on the internet, she did let us use her computer and printer to get the needed bank statement forms and she ran all the additional copies! What had begun as a problem turned into a helpful experience. Whew!
Then we had to have an interview as to why we wanted the visa, they took our photos (in addition to the ones we brought with us), and ran a fingerprint check (want to be careful about who they are letting enter the country, I guess; we might be terrorists).
All of this takes time, as there was lots of going to a back office and conferring about our progress.
Finally, we were called up again (what could they want now!?!) and sent to the cashier to pay for our visas and off we went to call for another cab. Animal Kingdom Lodge is about 25 miles from the consulate, so we were happy to have discount codes for our rides to and from WDW.
So, armed with our Mexican Visa pasted into our passports, a couple of days later we flew home to Mexico. The plane was only partially full (good), but another, larger plane stuffed full of people had landed before ours and they were mostly foreigners (US citizens) standing in a great, long, snaking line (bad). A lot of college-age guys in suits with lots of paperwork in their hands. So we waited and chatted with the nearby folks in the same line.
The line was eventually whittled down to about two lines in length when we noticed that agents were packing up, turning off their lights, and going home! A guard came over and took those at the end of our line to the Nationals' section where there was still an agent working. And even though we were at the end of the line, she wouldn't include us in that group! Grrr....
Eventually, someone opened up the Diplomat line and we were scooped off to go through that section. At least the agent there was familiar with our pasted-in Visa so that presented no problem. We had been warned that if the agent mistakenly marked 180 days on the visa paperwork instead of 30 days, INM (Immigration) would consider it our fault, not the agent's, and we would need to go back to the foreign country and start over again. No longer could we simply walk into the local INM office and file for a visa; we had to begin in a consulate. Luckily Orlando had one so we could visit them while we were at WDW.
So we had our new Permanente visa card pictures taken the day after we arrived (Thursday), met with our facilitator (also on Thursday), he got the new paperwork on Friday and we signed it and took it to the bank for payment and he filed it on Monday - within our 5-day limit. Whew!
Now we wait for an appointment to go in and give them our fingerprints and finally to pick up the Permanente Visa the next week. Whew again! Another couple of weeks and we should be set - for life -- or until the government realizes that this jump to permanente due to the new law to the permanent status eliminates everyone's annual visits with accompanying payment of fees! So we'll expect to eventually be told that they want us to come in for some sort of interim check-up, but grumble as we might, we're used to change.
And we'll soon be legal - again. We nationalized our van last year in anticipation of the change (Permanente folks cannot drive a car with foreign license plates, you know). That should just about do it except for the annual car license renewals, emission check-ups, and that sort of thing. At least there will be one less savings account for the visa fees on the Excel spreadsheet.
When we moved to Mexico four years ago, it was for the long run, not just a place to go for a while. So as soon as we could, we filed for an FM2 Inmigrante visa. Skipping the lesser FM3 visa allowed us to move forward at a speed about 4 years faster.
Then the law changed. They lumped both the FM3 and the FM2 into a Residente Temporal. (Why did we pay more for the FM2, you might ask...?)
Finally, we qualified to apply for the Permanente Residente, but the law had changed yet again and unless we could file our paperwork in person on the day before our Temporal expired, we were out of luck. And we couldn't - we'd be floating around the Caribbean on that date and a facilitator couldn't stand in for us.
And since the laws had changed again (and our Temporal visas would have expired), we would need to 1) apply for a visa at a Mexican consulate in a country to which we were entitled to travel; 2) get permission to remain in Mexico for no more than 30 days on our tourist visa; if granted 180 days, we would be out of luck as the standard-length FMM would be considered an abandonment of our intention to become a permanent resident; 3) apply for a 'real' visa card within 5 days of landing in our home town and all within 30 days of arrival in the country.
Now to our current situation.
To obtain the Mexican Visa that was pasted into our passport, we had to jump through some particular hoops: proof of solvency, proof of marriage, have a valid passport good for an additional 6 months, passport pictures, and pay the fee for the visa (the least of our worries). So we got the special passport pictures (Mexican) and took them with us, made copies of everything (Mexico is big on copies, but one needs to provide them with the original documents), and have proof of solvency (another technicality that caused concern).
Solvency if provable if you present 12 months of bank statements with an ending balance of $3,500 (plus a lesser fee for any additional people) - we weren't sure that each month would have quite enough money in the bank; OR an ending balance of $450,000 US; OR a property deed for a Mexican house worth a minimum of $450,000 US; OR, if retired, a social security benefit letter for a minimum of $3,500 US/month + the extra people fees. With my SSAN letter and government pension, I could qualify under that option ($3,500/month plus $1,500 for Michael as we were legally married). So we brought our SSAN letter and a year's worth of Direct Deposit statements from my retirement association. (They don't issue a letter each year as does SSA.)
We thought we were good to go. Michael even called the Visa Department of the Orlando Consulate to verify that we actually had an appointment for that Monday at 8 AM. Yes, good to go; fine.
So we go off and cruise for a week with Facebook friends, then return to WDW for a few days of additional vacation.
On Monday morning we call a Lyft taxi and trundle off to the Consulate from WDW Animal Kingdom Lodge, arriving just at 8 AM. The guard whisks us into the waiting room and delivers us to the window for Permanente visas. And then the fun began.
First of all, they seemed to think that we were to be there on Tuesday morning, not Monday, as the consul had taken a few days off and they thought he would be in by 10:30 - or not. Or, we might need to come back the next day to get his signature. As it turns out, we were still there when he arrived!
Then they insisted that we have our bank statements, not the letters that we had brought. Well, we had them - back in Mexico. So the clerk tried to find a local branch of the library so we could walk there and print out our bank statements and copy them. (Oh, and we needed two copies in addition to the original - one for each of us.)
When she couldn't find a nearby library listed on the internet, she did let us use her computer and printer to get the needed bank statement forms and she ran all the additional copies! What had begun as a problem turned into a helpful experience. Whew!
Then we had to have an interview as to why we wanted the visa, they took our photos (in addition to the ones we brought with us), and ran a fingerprint check (want to be careful about who they are letting enter the country, I guess; we might be terrorists).
All of this takes time, as there was lots of going to a back office and conferring about our progress.
Finally, we were called up again (what could they want now!?!) and sent to the cashier to pay for our visas and off we went to call for another cab. Animal Kingdom Lodge is about 25 miles from the consulate, so we were happy to have discount codes for our rides to and from WDW.
So, armed with our Mexican Visa pasted into our passports, a couple of days later we flew home to Mexico. The plane was only partially full (good), but another, larger plane stuffed full of people had landed before ours and they were mostly foreigners (US citizens) standing in a great, long, snaking line (bad). A lot of college-age guys in suits with lots of paperwork in their hands. So we waited and chatted with the nearby folks in the same line.
The line was eventually whittled down to about two lines in length when we noticed that agents were packing up, turning off their lights, and going home! A guard came over and took those at the end of our line to the Nationals' section where there was still an agent working. And even though we were at the end of the line, she wouldn't include us in that group! Grrr....
Eventually, someone opened up the Diplomat line and we were scooped off to go through that section. At least the agent there was familiar with our pasted-in Visa so that presented no problem. We had been warned that if the agent mistakenly marked 180 days on the visa paperwork instead of 30 days, INM (Immigration) would consider it our fault, not the agent's, and we would need to go back to the foreign country and start over again. No longer could we simply walk into the local INM office and file for a visa; we had to begin in a consulate. Luckily Orlando had one so we could visit them while we were at WDW.
So we had our new Permanente visa card pictures taken the day after we arrived (Thursday), met with our facilitator (also on Thursday), he got the new paperwork on Friday and we signed it and took it to the bank for payment and he filed it on Monday - within our 5-day limit. Whew!
Now we wait for an appointment to go in and give them our fingerprints and finally to pick up the Permanente Visa the next week. Whew again! Another couple of weeks and we should be set - for life -- or until the government realizes that this jump to permanente due to the new law to the permanent status eliminates everyone's annual visits with accompanying payment of fees! So we'll expect to eventually be told that they want us to come in for some sort of interim check-up, but grumble as we might, we're used to change.
And we'll soon be legal - again. We nationalized our van last year in anticipation of the change (Permanente folks cannot drive a car with foreign license plates, you know). That should just about do it except for the annual car license renewals, emission check-ups, and that sort of thing. At least there will be one less savings account for the visa fees on the Excel spreadsheet.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Farewell, Victor - well, not completely
Today one of our best friends, Victor Rivadeneyra, took the first step in his new adventure in life. After several years in San Miguel de Allende, Victor is heading to a new job in Puerto Vallarta! Victor was the person who worked out the details for our last two houses and was an intermediary with the owners (our Spanish is rather rudimentary, don'cha know).
We've been through a lot, both good and everything else, with Victor and look forward to visiting him in PV. In fact, we'll be delivering some of his things in mid-September after he returns to SMA. Should turn into a beach trip for us.... His family still has a condo here in SMA, so until that sells, I'm sure he'll visit from time-to-time.
I'm also sure we'll keep in touch with him (Facebook is great for this) and visit often. Michael loves the beach! I keep offering to move there (even found a house near Costco...), but Michael is smart enough to know that, although the altitude is much lower (sea level vs 6700 feet) and that there is an airport, the heat and humidity would probably do me in! If only there was a location that combined both a lower altitude and a reasonable combination of heat and humidity for most of the year. After all, it's only icky for part of the year! And the house had a lovely pool!
The next three weeks will go slowly, I know. Starbucks will not hold the same attraction of running into and chatting with Victor, but then we get to drive back to PV with more of his belongings when he returns to SMA to finish packing for a few days. Our trip will most likely include a stop for breakfast at New York, New York - a wonderful restaurant in Guadalajara where his mother lives - before heading on to PV.
Best of luck, Victor - and we'll see you both soon and often. [The pups love the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm!]
We've been through a lot, both good and everything else, with Victor and look forward to visiting him in PV. In fact, we'll be delivering some of his things in mid-September after he returns to SMA. Should turn into a beach trip for us.... His family still has a condo here in SMA, so until that sells, I'm sure he'll visit from time-to-time.
I'm also sure we'll keep in touch with him (Facebook is great for this) and visit often. Michael loves the beach! I keep offering to move there (even found a house near Costco...), but Michael is smart enough to know that, although the altitude is much lower (sea level vs 6700 feet) and that there is an airport, the heat and humidity would probably do me in! If only there was a location that combined both a lower altitude and a reasonable combination of heat and humidity for most of the year. After all, it's only icky for part of the year! And the house had a lovely pool!
The next three weeks will go slowly, I know. Starbucks will not hold the same attraction of running into and chatting with Victor, but then we get to drive back to PV with more of his belongings when he returns to SMA to finish packing for a few days. Our trip will most likely include a stop for breakfast at New York, New York - a wonderful restaurant in Guadalajara where his mother lives - before heading on to PV.
Best of luck, Victor - and we'll see you both soon and often. [The pups love the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm!]
Friday, August 22, 2014
WDW Vacation
We've returned home, after a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean with friends and some time at WDW. Here are some notes:
WDW
We went to WDW after a cruise with 14 Facebook friends (most of whom we only knew via Facebook), and it's a good thing as I'd have been pooped if we'd done WDW before cruising. Hot and humid, we'll never do that again!
When we arrived at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village, they had a room ready for us - although we had arrived hours before check-in time. A Plus. However, it was nearly at the end of the corridor, so a l-o-o-ong walk from the lobby each time we went somewhere or returned to the room. A Minus. Those who whine about the length of corridors at Boardwalk have nothing to complain about.
Seeing the giraffes and antelopes from our room each time we returned to the room or woke up in the morning was an exceptional treat - like having your own private zoo. Bus service made everywhere else in the World no more than 20 minutes away. They do keep the buses at meat-locker temps, though.
Visited Hollywood Studios (rain caused us to rethink visiting it after picking up our Tables in Wonderland card and asking Guest Services to set the order in which our multiple admission tickets were used on the new Magic Bands+. Had dinner at 'Ohana with a cousin of Michael's whom he had not seen in 40 years! Great time was had by all. The restaurant was packed as was a large waiting area, too.
Sunday, we went on a Sunrise Safari led by an animal care supervisor. Interesting to see the animals first thing in the morning when they're awake. Not as wonderful as the Wild Animal Trek we took last year, but I didn't have to traverse a ramshackle bridge, either. And breakfast was a treat at Pizzafari! No, not cold pizza, the chef had outdone himself with African dishes. We found out that we really like Pap (made of white corn meal and topped with cheese or African-spiced tomatoes). Sounds like the restaurant may go the way of all flesh to make way for the Avatar attraction. I'll miss that Pecan Bread Pudding with Plantains and a Praline Sauce.
Then it was off to EPCOT for some attractions, both old and new to us, dinner at Biergarten, and a Tequila Tasting with friends at the Mexico pavilion after IllumiNations and the park closed. Yes, there were still buses available at midnight!
Monday, we took a Lyft taxi to the Mexican consulate in Orlando to jump through the hoops to get a Permanente Visa (more in a separate entry). Returned for lunch at Animal Kingdom's Yak & Yeti restaurant and then off to Fort Wilderness for the Hoop-Dee-Doo! dinner show. A bit cheesy but good. I prefer the BBQ ribs at Disneyland's Big Thunder Restaurant, but they served the biggest strawberry shortcake I've ever seen - or tried to finish off! No, didn't quite make it....
Tuesday was Magic Kingdom day with dinner at Be Our Guest. Our pager for dinner didn't work, so they sent a cast member out to find us, walked us to our table, and introduced the dreamy Kurt. The food was the best meal we've had at WDW! My Pork Rack Chop was nice and moist and Michael's Strip Steak was super! I know what I'm ordering the next time....
Watch for the story of our quest for a Permanente Visa which will be written after we finally have the cards in our hands!
WDW
We went to WDW after a cruise with 14 Facebook friends (most of whom we only knew via Facebook), and it's a good thing as I'd have been pooped if we'd done WDW before cruising. Hot and humid, we'll never do that again!
When we arrived at Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village, they had a room ready for us - although we had arrived hours before check-in time. A Plus. However, it was nearly at the end of the corridor, so a l-o-o-ong walk from the lobby each time we went somewhere or returned to the room. A Minus. Those who whine about the length of corridors at Boardwalk have nothing to complain about.
Seeing the giraffes and antelopes from our room each time we returned to the room or woke up in the morning was an exceptional treat - like having your own private zoo. Bus service made everywhere else in the World no more than 20 minutes away. They do keep the buses at meat-locker temps, though.
Visited Hollywood Studios (rain caused us to rethink visiting it after picking up our Tables in Wonderland card and asking Guest Services to set the order in which our multiple admission tickets were used on the new Magic Bands+. Had dinner at 'Ohana with a cousin of Michael's whom he had not seen in 40 years! Great time was had by all. The restaurant was packed as was a large waiting area, too.
Sunday, we went on a Sunrise Safari led by an animal care supervisor. Interesting to see the animals first thing in the morning when they're awake. Not as wonderful as the Wild Animal Trek we took last year, but I didn't have to traverse a ramshackle bridge, either. And breakfast was a treat at Pizzafari! No, not cold pizza, the chef had outdone himself with African dishes. We found out that we really like Pap (made of white corn meal and topped with cheese or African-spiced tomatoes). Sounds like the restaurant may go the way of all flesh to make way for the Avatar attraction. I'll miss that Pecan Bread Pudding with Plantains and a Praline Sauce.
Then it was off to EPCOT for some attractions, both old and new to us, dinner at Biergarten, and a Tequila Tasting with friends at the Mexico pavilion after IllumiNations and the park closed. Yes, there were still buses available at midnight!
Monday, we took a Lyft taxi to the Mexican consulate in Orlando to jump through the hoops to get a Permanente Visa (more in a separate entry). Returned for lunch at Animal Kingdom's Yak & Yeti restaurant and then off to Fort Wilderness for the Hoop-Dee-Doo! dinner show. A bit cheesy but good. I prefer the BBQ ribs at Disneyland's Big Thunder Restaurant, but they served the biggest strawberry shortcake I've ever seen - or tried to finish off! No, didn't quite make it....
Tuesday was Magic Kingdom day with dinner at Be Our Guest. Our pager for dinner didn't work, so they sent a cast member out to find us, walked us to our table, and introduced the dreamy Kurt. The food was the best meal we've had at WDW! My Pork Rack Chop was nice and moist and Michael's Strip Steak was super! I know what I'm ordering the next time....
Watch for the story of our quest for a Permanente Visa which will be written after we finally have the cards in our hands!
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