I do not enjoy being in Washington State.

Well some of you know I'm back in WA. and my smile has left my face. I need to get back to my new home of Mexico. I am trying to find out how and where I apply for a Rentista Visa. I found the requirements and I have NO Problems there. It's just I'm not sure how long it takes to receive it after I apply for it and where I can do it. Mexico or Seattle.

I'm shooting for a return (Leaving to drive) August 7th. So if I apply and have to wait for it to show in the mail I may be gone already. If I come back down on a tourist visa I'm thinking that I would have to drive/fly back to Texas to apply for a Rentista Visa as they Must be done in person by what I read.

Anyone know or can help me?

Rick

I miss my new home!

Me&BearDog wrote:Well some of you know I'm back in WA. and my smile has left my face. I need to get back to my new home of Mexico. I am trying to find out how and where I apply for a Rentista Visa. I found the requirements and I have NO Problems there. It's just I'm not sure how long it takes to receive it after I apply for it and where I can do it. Mexico or Seattle.

I'm shooting for a return (Leaving to drive) August 7th. So if I apply and have to wait for it to show in the mail I may be gone already. If I come back down on a tourist visa I'm thinking that I would have to drive/fly back to Texas to apply for a Rentista Visa as they Must be done in person by what I read.

Anyone know or can help me?

Rick

I miss my new home!

Contact Spencer at Intercasa. You just need to click on the banner ad of his above. Or call him at 011-52-376-765-7553. He can do everything for you when you get here. Just keep your visitor visa. He does a great job and no hassles.

He can also let you know what you have to do with your car. You have to leave a deposit on your vehicle now to be able to drive it down here on a tourist visa. Not sure from there what you have to do. Spencer will though. Good Luck.

Big Daddy

No reason to dick around with the Mexican Consulate in Seattle. (We got ours there several years ago before we moved here, and it was relatively quick and painless. But still, there is no reason to do it there any more. It's easier here. It probably was then too.)

Contact Spencer (or whomever you choose) to find out what you need to bring with you paperwork-wise to apply for a long-term visa down here. It's much easier to make sure you bring it with you from up there, than have to try to retrieve it from up there once you're down here. And it's not that much paper.

Buy Mexican Car insurance before crossing the border. Enter Mexico on a Tourist Visa (good for 180 days), and get your car legal with a Temporary Import Permit at K21 south of Nogales, if that's where you choose to cross. The vehicle has to be titled in your name--bring current registration and title--and free and clear of any bank loans, etc., and whatever else. For your Temporary Import Permit, they'll charge you whatever the normal fee is, plus take a deposit via credit card, up to $400 US I think depending upon the value of the vehicle. (That's to insure that you return the vehicle to the US at some point.....if you never do, you'll just have to suck it up. Cost of importation, etc.)

Then handle the rest of it down here.

We put Seattle in the rear-view mirror years ago. Never looked back. Best decision ever.

Cool that's what I really wished to hear you guys.

I do know Spencer I had met him when I was there. I'll talk to him just to verify and then I'll not worry. I would much rather let the expert help me than having me mess things up.

Tanks again!

Big Daddy Mexico wrote:

Me&BearDog wrote:Well some of you know I'm back in WA. and my smile has left my face. I need to get back to my new home of Mexico. I am trying to find out how and where I apply for a Rentista Visa. I found the requirements and I have NO Problems there. It's just I'm not sure how long it takes to receive it after I apply for it and where I can do it. Mexico or Seattle.

I'm shooting for a return (Leaving to drive) August 7th. So if I apply and have to wait for it to show in the mail I may be gone already. If I come back down on a tourist visa I'm thinking that I would have to drive/fly back to Texas to apply for a Rentista Visa as they Must be done in person by what I read.

Anyone know or can help me?

Rick

I miss my new home!

Contact Spencer at Intercasa. You just need to click on the banner ad of his above. Or call him at 011-52-376-765-7553. He can do everything for you when you get here. Just keep your visitor visa. He does a great job and no hassles.

He can also let you know what you have to do with your car. You have to leave a deposit on your vehicle now to be able to drive it down here on a tourist visa. Not sure from there what you have to do. Spencer will though. Good Luck.

Big Daddy

Big DADDY I remember you from the Swarm in Ajijic at Gosips several days ago. I'll give him a call in the morning.

You can save time by getting your vehicle permit ahead of time via the mail.
Rolly's site has good info about this

http://www.rollybrook.com/vehicle_permits.htm

Get your vehicle insurance online as well. Lewis and Lewis were the cheapest for my needs but shop around. Print off the policy and carry it with you.

As Rosa Venus and Big Daddy said, come in on a 180 day tourist visa and once you are here then apply for the more permanent visa (what used to be called FM3).

Bring several black and white photocopies of your passport, Driver's licence, US car registration and insurance and Mx car insurance with you for the visa stop. The deposit on your vehicle has to be paid via credit card or US $ and is between $200 - $400 depending on the age of the vehicle.

Have a recent vet's certificate of health for Barney as well as record of his up to date vaccinations. Land borders rarely bother with pets but have it on hand just in case.

And smile at the border people, it goes a long way.

Grizzy wrote:You can save time by getting your vehicle permit ahead of time via the mail.
Rolly's site has good info about this

http://www.rollybrook.com/vehicle_permits.htm

Get your vehicle insurance online as well. Lewis and Lewis were the cheapest for my needs but shop around. Print off the policy and carry it with you.

As Rosa Venus and Big Daddy said, come in on a 180 day tourist visa and once you are here then apply for the more permanent visa (what used to be called FM3).

Bring several black and white photocopies of your passport, Driver's licence, US car registration and insurance and Mx car insurance with you for the visa stop. The deposit on your vehicle has to be paid via credit card or US $ and is between $200 - $400 depending on the age of the vehicle.

Have a recent vet's certificate of health for Barney as well as record of his up to date vaccinations. Land borders rarely bother with pets but have it on hand just in case.

And smile at the border people, it goes a long way.

Heck I'd kiss their derriere if I thought it would get me in faster!

Spencer is doing mine.

Give me a PM if you are driving down from Seattle. Did it three times
round trip last year. Try Lukeville arizona instead of Nagales crossing
the border.

Z

As a prior Washingtonian I feel your pain.
Like Grizzy said ~ Pack it up, drive south with your passport and when you arrive lakeside take a deep breath and then work on more permanent visas.
Can't wait to meet Barney and take a Big Dog Walk with mine at Cristinia Park!!!

I too want to add my suggestion of using Spencer, I have used him for my immigration requirements, and setting up a business here. It takes time to do the legalities but Spencer is your man for that. I can still remember walking into the immigration office with Spencers assistant, the room was full of gringos waiting their turn to talk to the people behind the counter, and the guys behind the counter looked as if they might pull out a gun if they had to deal with another damn gringo.
Spencers assistant had everything ready for us to proceed with, all we had to do was give our fingerprints and we were out of there, while all those fellow gringos sat and sat waiting for their turn, I imagine they waited for some time after we were all done and gone.

Spend a few dollars and get the satisfaction of knowing it has been done right. Besides it is a joy to see and deal with Spencer's staff.

Kudos to them.

Ditto about dealing with Spencer being the painless way. Not only did the staff get it done quickly, but they sent one of their staff out to our house when there was a missing signature.

Gringal,
Cool thats one less thing for me to worry about.

You know what's liberating?

Having a big dumpster delivered and tossing out 35 years of CRAP from life that I've been dragging around.

Me&BearDog wrote:Gringal,
Cool thats one less thing for me to worry about.

You know what's liberating?

Having a big dumpster delivered and tossing out 35 years of CRAP from life that I've been dragging around.

Congrats did it two year ago enjoy. If you are driving from Washington give me a PM and I can let you know about
the problems on the way down. Not many but it makes it much easier if you know what is going on like Detours in
Hermissillo that point in two directions LOL.Get a good map of mexico. Do not use the AAA map of mexico. Way to
small scale to be useful. Try this map company if you have time. www. itmb.com International travel maps. I would
get Northern Mexico,mexico pacific and Guad, and a general mexico one. They are not cheap!! If you want to save
money just get the general mexico one it will work for toll road work.

Here are my notes from my meeting with Spencers folks last week.

Costs for Spencer folks to do your Visa and fees.

5250 pesos for new FM2
3200 pesos for new FM3

You will need

Three months of bank statements to prove wealth.
If you have other income I don't know how to document that ask Spencer folks.
Your tourist visa
Passport
Copy utility bill for your house it doesn't have to be in your name. (don't ask just
do it. For some reason a utility bill with someones elses name on it is valuable here TIM)
Photos 3 front 2 right size Infatio (get them in Chapala when you get here) Don't
go cheap or you might get a do over which you don't need. They suggest around
the corner from there office.

Ask about US plated car I don't have one so I don't know the issue but they need to know.

765 7553
Hildago #230 B upstairs West of Santander bank on south side of road.
Z

I cross the border on Friday early afternoon, and in Guad on Saterday!

Drive safely! Enjoy the trip and good luck with green lights at the border!

Grizzy wrote:
Drive safely! Enjoy the trip and good luck with green lights at the border!

what is the toll road that i take from lerado to guad?

I think I have it figured out.

Also be aware that it will probably be over 100 degrees in Laredo. Don't get into a situation where your big hairy buddy has to sit in the car.

Me&BearDog:

If you are traveling from Yelm, WA, why would you cross the border at Laredo?

Here is the official Mexico Cuota Point to Point calculator that gives you Hwys and tolls:
http://aplicaciones4.sct.gob.mx/sibuac_internet/ControllerUI?action=cmdEscogeRuta

Laredo/Nuevo Laredo is in Tamaulipas State and your ending point is State of Jalisco and it allows you to calculate all the way to Chapala.

CheenaGringo wrote:Me&BearDog:

If you are traveling from Yelm, WA, why would you cross the border at Laredo?

Here is the official Mexico Cuota Point to Point calculator that gives you Hwys and tolls:
http://aplicaciones4.sct.gob.mx/sibuac_internet/ControllerUI?action=cmdEscogeRuta

Laredo/Nuevo Laredo is in Tamaulipas State and your ending point is State of Jalisco and it allows you to calculate all the way to Chapala.

Many reasons it only took me three days to get to Laredo from yelm with the speed limits of 70 to 80 MPH and also I can drive from Laredo to Guad in one day. It only addred 300 miles to the trip going this route and was made up far more with the speed limit of 80 instead of 55 in CA.

And I do not wish to experiance I-5 traffic in CA again. LOL

My route http://goo.gl/maps/SU8uF