NEW LAWS FOR FM3 RENEWAL

I will have to start the FM3 renewal process next month. Last year I used the office where Azusena used to work at on Colon in Ajijic. I have sent them a few emails with no response so my questions are:

Do I have to go to Guad or can their office do it as they did last year?

On my lease renewal the owner forgot to type in my last name. I hand wrote it and she initialed it. Should it be redone or will this be OK? Do I need to show my lease, and if so, is the owner required to provide some identification, and what should it be? I do have the electric bill in my name.

Mil gracias.

You will need your landlord's ID (copy), usually both sides of their voting credential if Mexican or FM3 face page if foreigner or you can get a residency letter from the Chapala municpality.

Under the new rules, you do not need to show income or residency. Instead you must write a letter requesting the renewal noting that nothing has changed regarding income and residency. You must take the letter, along with the online application and new photographs, to the INM office to get your new FM3 card -- no more booklets.

More details here.

But if she changed addresses? I do think she had posted on this board or another that she was looking to move or had done so.

She wrote "On my lease renewal..."

Sounds like she is still in the same place.

Rolly wrote:Under the new rules, you do not need to show income or residency. Instead you must write a letter requesting the renewal noting that nothing has changed regarding income and residency. You must take the letter, along with the online application and new photographs, to the INM office to get your new FM3 card -- no more booklets.

More details here.

I just spoke with Ajijic Legal and Legal & Immigration services and they said that the photos needed to be black and white, and studio quality. I posted on the Chapala .com web board and I got this reply:

We were told last week in Guad that the infantile photos had to be in color- 3 facing the camera and 2 a right facing profile. They gave us a strip of paper that says:
3 de frente y 2 de perfil derecho tamano infantil, a color. Fondo blanco fondo blanco. "de estudio"

Quien sabe?

Gracias.

The INM website says infantile size in color.

It's always better to deal directly with the INM.

Ok, just got back from immigration in Guad. I helped my friend with his renewal and they took his proof of income and proof of residency. I asked if they were needed and they said yes. They told him to come back with black and white photos.

ai yi yi! i'm going to immigration this upcoming tuesday with my facilitator to finalize (hopefully) my third-year FM3 renewal. my facilitator definitely told me color pictures. i have a friend who is using a different facilitator and she was definitely told black-and-white pictures. i was told 3 front-view and 3 right-profile-view. she was told 4 of each. she was told she needs proof of income; i was told i did not.

i think everyone is confused by the changes. has anyone actually gotten the new FM3 CARD in their hot little hands??

to be on the safe side, i think i'm gonna take color AND black-and-white photos and proof of income. spencer, do you know if i show up on tuesday with everything they want, will they place my new FM3 card in MY hot little hands that day?? i'm getting very close to my expiration date (in more ways than one!).

Intercasa wrote:Ok, just got back from immigration in Guad. I helped my friend with his renewal and they took his proof of income and proof of residency. I asked if they were needed and they said yes. They told him to come back with black and white photos.

The requirement of black & white photos is contrary to what Rolly said

Thanks Spencer for the info. In reading your post this is what MAYBE I understand. I would need3 months of bank statements for proof of income and on the residency requirement can I just use my electric bill or should I take a copy of my lease along with the a copy of the owners ID (front and back). Did you friend applied on line and who did the letters? In what you said about their wanting BLACK AND WHITE photos where is he going to get these, (will they accept photos from Farmacia Guadalajara) and how many and what type, infantile? The requirement of black & white photos is contrary to what Rolly said!??

Any additional info you may have would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

I did the papers for my friend and everybody must do the online application as they will have a copy there in their system. When you turn in your papers you get a paper with a code and password to be able to login and check on the status of your request and know when it is ready.

There is also another form to fill out to bring back with the photos, it is sort of like an updated FM1 form but not with all the annoying questions about what kind of face you have.

Once again we see local INM offices making their own rules.

Look here to see the new FM3 and FM2 cards. Note that the pictures are in color.

Rolly, I think the cards will have color photos when they take the photos at immigration but until then while they use photos provided by the people they can be either / or.

Here we are a month later and there is no continuity to the process. I tell people better to bring extra then have to return to Guadalajara!

so, intercasa, i'm still curious. if you actually have all the photos and documentation that you need when you go to Guad, do you actually walk out with an FM3 CARD in your hand?

thanks!

You make 2 trips. I'll know for sure when we make the 2nd trip in 2 weeks but the line for picking up documents was very, very long.

Intercasa wrote:Rolly, I think the cards will have color photos when they take the photos at immigration but until then while they use photos provided by the people they can be either / or.

Here we are a month later and there is no continuity to the process. I tell people better to bring extra then have to return to Guadalajara!

Are you suggesting that we get both color and black and white INFANTIL photos and do they have to be "studio" quality or will the photos at Farmacia Guadalajara be OK? Also, where do we get the form to use for the photos?

I just wish I had a Mexican brain so this would all make some sense. It's as bad as trying to get the same answer when calling IRS: 1 question with 4-5 different answers!

I think farmacia guadalajara photos will work but you do need to throw their envelope in the trash as immigration doesn't like their photos. At this point it is anybody's guess as there are so many conflicting reports. I just reported what I experienced yesterday.

okay, gang, i'm back from INM in Guadalajara today and i have my FM3 CARD in my hot little hands! my facilitator had already been to the office with my paperwork a couple of weeks ago. that paperwork consisted of: my passport, my FM3 booklet, a CFE bill for my place of residence (even though the bill is in my landlord's name), and a copy of my lease for the house. it did NOT include any proof of income. (this is my third-year renewal, you'll remember.)

today, i went with my facilitator and we brought along (1) the printout of the notice from IMN that my facilitator got online that tells you (apparently) when it is time to pickup your card, (2) the new FM1 form that Intercasa referred to, and (3) eight infantile-size photos...in COLOR. they actually only used three of these photos, one front view and one side view which were attached to the new FM1 form, and upon which i affixed my two thumbprints. (but save your extra photos, because you're gonna new them for your new renewal!)

it takes quite a long time to get your card, because (1) the line for pickup was long; (2) the clerks are slowly learning what needs to be input into the computer; and (3) it takes quite a while for them to find your bundle of original paperwork that they have stored somewhere. to pick up your documents, you do not have to get a number that they call. you just stand in line on your immediate left as you enter the office. there were two of us gringas with the facilitator. we stood in line for about 20-25 minutes just to get to the desk. then at the desk, it took the clerk about 30 minutes for each of us to get everything entered into the computer, get the fingerprints, attach the pictures, print out the card and have it laminated.

also, you get a CURP# with your FM3 (it's actually printed on your FM3 card). if you already have one, i'm not sure what happens. i didn't have one, so they issued me one.

i asked the INM clerk if only color pictures were acceptable, and she said that either type of acceptable. (that may change once somebody really reads the new rules.) but they positively HAVE to be infantile size because they use one on your actual FM3 card and anything larger would not work.

i also asked her if/when the chapala office would start being able to take care of some/all of this and she said that she didn't know, but that it could not possibly happen until the chapala office has computers.

so there you have it, folks! it was a learning experience for all of us, i think. the clerk had a supervisor sitting next to her the entire time to explain what to do, and it was the supervisor that answered my questions.

Don't you mean the pick up window is on the right as you walk in? Thanks for the info!

oops, you're absolutely right, spencer! it's on the right as you walk through the glass doors that are on your left as you exit the elevator!

Spencer, what is the link for FM2 renewal.

Wheels, look here.

thanks