Out of Country With Expired Visa

[Ajijic]

A foreigner who is outside Mexico with an expired visa may enter Mexico with it, as long as it is not more than 55 calendar days from its' expiration; in these cases, no penalty will be applied and the application for renewal must be brought within five business days after entry. Foreigners holding a document that is more than fifty-five calendar days after expiration will not be allowed entry into the country.

[snowyco]

Thanks to Rick Hoffman, Yucalandia, and at7mbe on Mexconnect for digging out this information, that Ajijic has copied. Ajijic helpfully created his own short version here on Chapala.com. Here are the full details, including at7mbe's important special notes about how to avoid future problems with your visa, to keep INM from screwing up your visa, in these unusual circumstances, as you enter Mexico.

For details, read Article 24 and Article 34 of the Lineamientos, and Article 160 of the Reglamento.

Quote

Article 160. A foreigner who is outside the national territory at the expiration of the document certifying his condition of stay may enter the national territory with it, as long as it is not more than fifty-five calendar days from its expiration; in these cases, no penalty will be applied and the application for renewal must be submitted to your IMN office within five business days after entry. Foreigners holding a document that is more than fifty-five calendar days after expiration will not be allowed entry into the country.

When you come back to Mexico, INM also wants you to show your prior travel documents, boarding passes and/or passport stamps showing that you were indeed out of Mexico when your residency cards expired. The official DOF web for Article 24 is at http://www.dof.gob.mx/...amp;fecha=08/11/2012 if you enter at a small or unsophisticated border crossing where they might not know the rules.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you do not let INM agents them mark "Visitante" on your FMM card.

According to at7mbe: If the INM agent does that, "it will screw up and jeopardize your visa status. They must mark CANJE (exchange) to say that this FMM document will be EXCHANGED for your regular residency card. "