Mexican Visas FMT, FM3 and FM2
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There are 3 classes of visas for visiting or living in Mexico: FMT, FM2 and FM3.
FMT (Short-Term Visa)
FMT or Forma Migratoria de Turista is a tourist visa, specifically for people traveling to Mexico. It can be valid for a maximum of 180 days and is renewable once a year.
This visa must be picked up at Immigration office as you enter Mexico via automobile. If you are traveling via airplane or boat you may acquire one at the point of entry.
What you will need:
- Proof of citizenship ( passport or certified copy of birth certificate with a photo ID).
- Fill out a form that request information such as place of birth, destination and reason you visit.
- An administrative fee (about $20 USD)
A FMT is simply a permit to enter the country as a visitor. If you wish to work or stay a longer time you will need a FM3 or FM2.
FM3 (Long-Term Non-Immigrant Visa)
This is the migratory form with the Non-immigrant Status with multiple entries and exits of the country. It is a Legal form granted by the National Institute of Immigration that allows to the foreigners Live in Mexico temporally with non-working permit or Working Permit.
An FMT does not allow the advantage of multiple entries and exits into the Country and is good just for 180 days maximum renewable on a yearly basis according with the National Institute of Immigration. In the other hand FM3 gives you the Status of VISITOR with multiple entries and exits; you can live in Mexico with non-working permit or Working Permit. This Status means that you have no intention to live full time in Mexico, just own property or Make Lucrative Activities in the country for a period of time. If you own property in Mexico you are not longer a Tourist.
You must have an FM3 to enter into any binding legal contract in Mexico (like signing a contract to buy a house or to lease property).
FM3 visas are granted for one year and are renewable for an additional 4 years (up to 5 years), after your fifth year you can upgrade to an FM2. To be granted an FM3 you need to prove that you have sufficient funds and/or a steady income to cover your cost of living in Mexico.
There are various types of FM3 for profressionals working in the country, exchange students and those living in Mexico but not working, such as retirees. FM3 visas are granted for various categories that define the purpose of you stay in Mexico. You are only allowed to undertake the activities stated in your visa classification.
FM3 visa categories:
- Tourist
- Business Person
- Work
- Renter (this is when the foreigner lives out of its own incomes.)
- Associate Minister of Worship and Religious
- Student
- Correspondent (Journalist)
- Family
- Other Visitors
In summary, if you will be visiting Mexico more than 180 days per year, you need an FM3.
FM2 (Becoming a Mexican Immigrant)
An FM2 makes the holder an Immigrant, its similar to a United States Permanent Card. Like the FM3, an FM2 must be renewed each year (up to 5 years). After the fifth year you can apply to become an immigrant to the country.
It is a document for those who intend to permanently reside in Mexico.
FM2 visa categories:
- Work
- Family
- Renter
After the FM2 you can either move ahead to Permanent Residence Status, with this you won’t need to pay any more for renewals.
Permanent Residency & Mexican Citizenship
After 5 years with an FM2 you can apply for DECLARATORIA DE INMIGRADO (Permanent Residency) but this does not gives the status of Mexican Citizenship, but you can work at most jobs, and do almost everything except vote. This status does not require you to give up your native citizenship.
For a Mexican Citizenship you will need to have at least 2 years with the FM2 and this has nothing to do with Immigration Services but with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores) for more information you can visit www.sre.gob.mx
It is important to mention that this process can take a long period of time and your Immigration Document (FM2) should be current at the time of getting the citizenship. Once you have your Mexican Citizenship, it necessary to appear before Immigration office to return the FM2 and show your naturalization documents. Mexican Citizenship lets you remain in Mexico without annual renewals of immigration paper, but if you change your address you must update this information with Immigration office.
References
Click on the markers of the map to see where, after crossing the border, you can get your FMT, where in Rocky Point is the immigration office and Sun Valley Services for help with your FM3 & FM2
Plaza del Sol, Suite #8, Blvd. Fremont
Col. Benito Juarez
Puerto Peñasco, Son.
Phone 011-52-638-383-8891
Fax 011-52-638-383-8896
USA (in Mexico) 1-520-829-4340
Email: bianeysvisa@aol.com or dynorasvisa@aol.com
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Can you get a fm2 or fm3 if you do not have a passport?
My wife is a Mexican citizien by birth. We are legally married in the U.S.A. I am American. Could I get mexican residency since I am married to her. She is living in Mexico now.
There is a great deal of confusion about what visas one must have had to obtain Mexican citizenship. Although the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores claims to require 5 yearss’ residency with an FM2, there is a powerful amount of opinion that 2 years of an FM2 is enough. This view is supported, for example, by the office which annuallly renews my FM2, and they are quite adamant that they are right. So what does this mean? I have lived in Mexico 6 years, first 3 with FM3, then 2, almost 3, with FM2. SRE won’t let me apply for citizenship. Am I supposed to prove to them that I have indeed lived here for 6 years by showing them a copy of my old FM3′s or what? Does anyone understand this 2-year/5-year dichotomy?
A person with FM-3 Visa can never become a citizen unless moves ahead to FM-2.
FM-3 visa gives you the status of visitor only
FM-2 visa gives you the status of resident. (The person with two years with FM-2 can apply for the citizenship and do not need to wait until finish the whole other renewals, however mean while his citizenship is in process needs to continue renewing it until gets the final citizenship, so after that needs to go over to Immigration present his naturalization letter and handle FM-2 back to Immigration, otherwise will have to face a problem with Immigration and can be penalized for not fulfilling its obligations)
If you need more information about citizenship visit http://www.sre.gob.mx
I heard that after five years with an FM3, a person over 60 years old could become a citizen with no test. Is that true?
Karen Hunt
We have been living off and on in Mexico for 10 years. We bought our first property five years ago. But we have only had our FM3s for three years. Friends of ours now have their FM2s simply because they have been living down here for over 5 years, but they had only had their FM3s for 3 years.
So now in April our FM3s are up for renewal. We would prefer having an FM2 so should we apply for those instead of renewing ur FM3s?
You can certainly move to an FM-2 if your living full time in Mexico. From the beginning you can apply for FM-2, a resident of Peñasco, but if you got the FM-3 and you have the first year and the second year renewal you can move ahead to FM-2.