form to complete when leaving Mexico temporarily with temporary resident status

[gypsyken]

I have currently valid INM Residente Temporal status, as shown by my INM card. Previously, as recently as last October, when I left Mexico temporarily, I completed a two-part INM form: one part for leaving the country, with flight information, etc., which was retained by the airline agent when I checked in for my flight, and a second part for entering the country, which was retained by the INM agent when I returned.

When I returned to Mexico in December I was told that the returning entry form I had completed was obsolete, and I was given new forms. Upon starting to complete a form for going to the U.S. temporarily on Monday morning (!) I discovered that both parts of the form, top and bottom, are for "Entry Registration." There is no form for leaving the country.

Is there no longer a form to complete when leaving the country temporarily with temporary resident status? When I go to the airport on Monday to leave the country, do I just present my passport and INM card to the INM agent? Do I not have to present any form to the airline check-in agent?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Joyfull]

You need to go to the immigration booth and fill out the 2 part form. Same as you use to do. Take it to the ticket agent after you have it filled out and stamped by immigration. They will keep the small part and give you back the large part. When you come home you give immigration your passport, your temporal res card and the big part of the immigration form.

[kbleitch]

It's always a good idea to write "RESIDENTE TEMPORAL" large and legibly at the top of both parts of the form.

[gypsyken]

Thanks. I have had Temporary Resident status for 14 years and as I intended to convey I have used many times a two-part, top and bottom FMM form that included both Registro de Salida and Registro de Entrada forms, as described by Joyfull. I used such a form when I left on a trip in October, surrendering the Salida portion and retaining the Entrada portion to present when I returned.

But when I returned in December and presented my Entrada form to INM at the Guadalajara airport I was told that my form was obsolete and I was given a new FMM form to use in the future.

I did not notice until I went to fill it out that this new-to-me FMM form has only two Registro de Entrada forms on it, top and bottom. There is no Registro de Salida form on it. That this form is intended to be used by Temporary Residents is shown by the fact that the "Uso Official" spaces on both forms, top and bottom, includes a box marked Residente Temporal for the INM officer to check. (There is also a Residente Permanente box.) Only the top, long Registro de Entrada form is to be signed by the person filling it out.

It occurs to me that this new-to-me FMM form could represent a new INM procedure under which the Temporary Resident submits the form when he or she enters Mexico and retains the bottom form to be surrendered when he or she leaves the country, whenever that might be.

I will present my INM card to INM at the airport tomorrow morning, ask for a Registro de Salida form, and see what happens.

[jrod]

I had a similar experience when the forms changed to the new, hologramic-look bands on it but the process is still the same and the INM officer asked me to redo the form then stapled the old to the new. I've since been in and out with the new form on several occasions, with no change in either the process or the requirement to complete and submit leaving/entering.

I wonder if the "Entry Registration" on the bottom is a typo that nobody's yet caught? The older form had issues also... Depending on the number of people in line, I might ask next trip...

[gypsyken]

Are you saying that the Entry Registration on the bottom of the new FMM with the colored bands should actually read Departure Registration and that the INM officer treated it that way?

[jrod]

That's what it appears to me, since they and you seem to be completing and documenting the travel correctly: So long as the INM officer returns your larger half for you to turn in upon your return to Mexico, the process seems normal. I'll try to ask soon in Laredo, if the officer is in a chatty mood and not too busy.

[gypsyken]

Many thanks. I'll begin my encounter with the INM officer at the Guadalajara airport this morning by asking if the bottom form should be Registro de Salida, and I'll let you know the result.

[sparks]

Thanks. I have had Temporary Resident status for 14 years and as I intended to convey I have used many times a two-part, top and bottom FMM form that included both Registro de Salida and Registro de Entrada forms, as described by Joyfull. I used such a form when I left on a trip in October, surrendering the Salida portion and retaining the Entrada portion to present when I returned.

I'd imagine whatever you have had for 14 years is also outdated. The current Temporal and Permanente Visas have only been around for about 4 years. I wouldn't be surprised if INM wants you to upgrade

[gypsyken]

Sorry, Sparks, but you are mistaken. In "the old days" when you acquired FM-3 status (now called Residente Temporal) you were issued a book, something like a passport, with photo and all, which could be used for four annual extensions, for a total of five years, whereupon you could begin the process all over again to get a new book. The book was stamped by INM when you left Mexico and returned to it, just like a passport, and I liked it. But in 2011 INM replaced the books with the cards for Residente Temporal that are used now. My card expires next year, when, if I want to continue to live in Mexico with Residente Temporal status, I will have to make a new application.

[gypsyken]

You are correct, jrod. The INM officer at the Guadalajara airport told me this morning that when a Resident Temporal leaves the country, the bottom form of the FMM is to be used as the Registro Salida, although it's labeled Registro Entrada. Since the bottom form is to be turned in by a person on a tourist visa when departing the country, I guess the procedure makes some sense, but I found using for departure a form labeled for entry confusing, since you must enter on it the date and details of your departure, not arrival.

[sparks]

Sorry, Sparks, but you are mistaken. In "the old days" when you acquired FM-3 status (now called Residente Temporal) you were issued a book, something like a passport, with photo and

I have had Temporary Resident status for 14 years

I've had a Visa since 2005 so I know all that ...... all I meant was .... you have not had the same Visa for 14 years which is what it sounded like to me

[Archibald]

Thanks Ken Crosby for the valuable information. I just realized that I am now filling out the entry part at the bottom to exit. Had I not read your post and/or been distracted by other posts this process would have been very confusing.

[El Saltos]

Not to worry, the airline staff or INM will coach you on the correct procedure du jour.