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recommendations for professionals to deal with immigration issues?


bdmowers

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Does anyone have recommendations for professionals to help with immigration issues?  If you could say what they did for you and whether their efforts were successful I would appreciate it. Thanks.

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My office.  We have done thousands of transactions, seen alot of weird stuff as well and have won amparos and appeals.  We know their quirks and ever changing rules.

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2 hours ago, bdmowers said:

Does anyone have recommendations for professionals to help with immigration issues?  If you could say what they did for you and whether their efforts were successful I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Spencer McMillan (Intercasa) is the best. We have lived here 7+ years and have had him do any and all legal work for us including immigration, car issues, real estate, etc. he is American and married to a Mexican who is also a lawyer. www.chapalalaw.com 

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There are others, but I would be very careful.  I find that going directly to Immigration in Chapala has worked best for me, after being screwed around for 4 months by a facilitator.  In the Immigration office is an English speaking, nice young woman named Amanda.  She can answer your questions.  I started the process of renewing my Temporal with Amanda, and if it wasn't for the Holiday, I would have been done in less than 6 weeks.  

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I have used Veronica who is at LCS on Mondays and Tuesday's for my permanent resident card, she was great, took care of everything...all I had to do was show up for my fingerprints and to pick up my card.. I know of severall people who have used her and they all would highly recommend her.

I used the another lawyer who everyone raves about on this on this board, won't mention HIS name but you can guess who I mean. Twice I never received my TIP deposit back thru no fault of mine. The lawyer I contacted in Chapala told me he could get it back fo me, told me he was dealing with many others who had not had their TIP returned, well he took my money and did nothing after a couple of months  of me calling him he to enquire he told he couldn't get it back.. 

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I would second with Amanda. She seems to have a down to earth approach and have genuine compassion. She is a "people person" and very smart. Second with the facilitators/lawyers warnings - I am under the impression that some facilitators/lawyers are not well liked by immigration here. It shouldn't matter, but it does. Under the stress of enduring a confrontational, entitled, demanding, applicant or facilitator,  it doesn't take much to slip your file to the bottom of the list. In fact - it might feel mighty good!

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It seems that two different services are being discussed here, one being visas the other being TIPs.  It appears that the latter is quite a different can of worms, hence it would be useful if anyone can attest to those successfully handling TIPs separately.

We have had Spencer handle our visa matters on a number of occasions and were always completely satisfied.  We have never needed to deal with TIP renewal.

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We do the TIP renewals but the past 2 years SAT and Aduana have done every dirty trick in the book to not give them back.  We do our part, someone comes in and within 1 to 3 days we do the notification.  We have worked on getting people these amounts back but it is many hours of work and we had good results in the beginning with a phone call or two but now even with PRODECON and CONDUSEF it is a losing battle, how many hours of time should we spend on a 200 or 300 desposit?  We do the follow up for free, only charge for presenting the notification, I guess sometimes you cant win, working for free!

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So let's see if anyone has a referral for a facilitator/lawyer who is handling TIP refund or renewal problems now and being consistently successful.  As noted, these are two different matters.  I am hearing that visa matters are being handled very well by our local Chapala INM office but that TIP matters are quite another issue as there seems to be a tendency by the government to make usage of foreign plated cars here more difficult.

If the government wants to use any excuse to keep your deposit money, there's not a lot a facilitator can do for you.

 

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There is a lot we can do BUT we have already been part of the changing of the aduana law and filing numerous complaints and lawsuits is time and money and isnt cost effective for a 200 to 400 deposit.  If they keep it up, I may file a sort of class action to refund the money collected even with the cars in Mexico but it would need to be right away and then make them agree to comply with the law.  Obviously this would have no charge and just take away from sleeping, eating and family time. 

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Amanda is very helpful, she is the first one I would talk to regarding your issues, I have no doubt she will help you as much as she can, but she does work for IMN so that limits what she can do for you.  Verionca who is at LCS 2 days a week is very well regarded at IMN, she works with her mother who is a retired government employee, I believe she was in IMN. A few weeks ago I needed my card ASAP so that I could register my car, I sat in IMN for 2 hours watching person after person go up to the counter and be told their card was not available, when I went up  I was given my card....  I believe I got my card that day because I I explained my situation to Veronica and she said she would see what she could do for me...

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I have known Amanda and her father for over 13 years....She is frequently wrong, but never admits it. Spencer has had to correct her several times via her supervisor. Recently she told holders of Permanente cards....they were expired and there was a fine of 1100 pesos....those cards never expire. The cost would have been to replace lost cards...not update.

As for nice, she is that and as for her english...it is great....but she won't correct any bad opinions.....use a pro

 

Fred Habacht

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30 minutes ago, Mostlylost said:

Use a pro? They still take the documents to Migracion.  But people here seem to be afraid I guess.  Maybe the first application, but after it is so easy.

 

A question. why would holders of a  Permanente card even be in the Migracion office??? 

Permanentes still need to register change of address, marital status etc.

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2 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

Use a pro? They still take the documents to Migracion.  But people here seem to be afraid I guess.  Maybe the first application, but after it is so easy.

 

A question. why would holders of a  Permanente card even be in the Migracion office??? 

People aren't afraid.. They just can't be bothered lineing up for hours to get the paper work, going to the bank, back to INM with the receipt..

I have just got my permenant card, took 5 weeks from start to finish using Veronica (She has an office at LCS).  

While I was sitting there waiting to pick up my card I spoke to people who had done it themselves, they found it frustrating and time consuming .. Their comment was (It wasn't worth saving 2000 peso to do it yourself.)

 

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Thanks all.  It is a crap shoot, some people have good luck, others bad luck, others came to retire and not deal with bureaucracy.  To each his own and whatever makes you happy.  Wash your car, clean your house, change your oil, do your taxes, do it all of have others do it all. 

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I am having about 95% success in protecting TIP deposits. I personally do not go with clients as it is a 3 hour process counting travel time but I give explicit directions and also I recommend a person who will go.

I know the law says you should not have to do this but it works so please do not quote me the law. If one waits until you receive notice you are approved, Aduana at Queretaro airport still insists you return when visa is issued. And in some cases that letter, if there is an issue, can take weeks before it is issued.

My advice is you go to Aduana when you start the process at Inmigracion and again when visa is issued. 

This is the same for your first Temporary Resident visa and for a subsequent renewal. For those in San Miguel this is completed at the Queretaro airport. For those at lakeside your experiences may differ.

 

Requirements

 

1.    Original and copy of your passport,

2.    Original and copy of title (Americans) or registration (Canadians),

3.    INM notification visa process is started which is the page with the NUT number which starts with six 0’s,

4.    Page from which windshield car permit was removed.

       Complete a letter, which Aduana in Queretaro usually provides.     

    

      As Spencer noticed there are people who provide a service and for many they are thankful. Others prefer to do it on their own just as they do their own cleaning, gardening, etc. I have never lost a person's payment at INM but I know several people who on their own have lost their whole payment. And, I know many who do what we do including lawyers have made mistakes and lost payment. One letter wrong for example on the bank payment form and therefore bank payment receipt is incorrect and you loose it all. Returning to the bank the next day means no refund is possible and now at some banks returning even same day and no refund. I have also seen the expiration date read incorrectly and visa has expired. I have seen error in timing for travel letter by a lawyer who phones me in a panic and the flight to Paris for example lost. I process more visas (and INAPAM and Seguro Popular and driver's licenses) than any individual in SMA (according to the various offices) and I am very aware of the cost of a mistake and the importance of having a very professional, respectful and positive relationship with office staff. I can obtain an INAPAM card any business day which public can not; I can communicate with INM staff privately through text any time; I can obtain a driver's license for a tourist; and Seguro Popular director informs when / if changes are coming and encourages as many expats as possible to join. So, what I am saying is yes as Spencer noted some will do processes on their own and that is great and I have helped some in doing so. My point is we who do this every day have relationships and contacts an individual may not have. And we have seen most every case imaginable and have a solution when possible. You will not see posts here by someone who did it on their own resulting in a costly mistake but I assure it happens.

 

     

 

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23 hours ago, TelsZ4 said:

People aren't afraid.. They just can't be bothered lineing up for hours to get the paper work, going to the bank, back to INM with the receipt..

I have just got my permenant card, took 5 weeks from start to finish using Veronica (She has an office at LCS).  

While I was sitting there waiting to pick up my card I spoke to people who had done it themselves, they found it frustrating and time consuming .. Their comment was (It wasn't worth saving 2000 peso to do it yourself.)

 

Back when I had to renew my temporary residency every year and also when I switched to permanente, I'd say the whole process each time took maybe 5 hours max. I know some people would rather pay others to do these things for them, but personally I'm not willing (nor can I afford) to pay someone 2000 pesos for what I can do myself in 5 hours. When I had to notify INM of a change of work address, I stopped by the office to find out how I needed to do it, the agent showed me on the computer what tramite I needed to fill out (which took 5 minutes), filled it out at home and printed it, along with the letter supporting it (15 minutes) and dropped it off at the office (5 minutes). Got an email 10 days later saying it was accepted and processed.

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1 hour ago, mudgirl said:

Back when I had to renew my temporary residency every year and also when I switched to permanente, I'd say the whole process each time took maybe 5 hours max. I know some people would rather pay others to do these things for them, but personally I'm not willing (nor can I afford) to pay someone 2000 pesos for what I can do myself in 5 hours. When I had to notify INM of a change of work address, I stopped by the office to find out how I needed to do it, the agent showed me on the computer what tramite I needed to fill out (which took 5 minutes), filled it out at home and printed it, along with the letter supporting it (15 minutes) and dropped it off at the office (5 minutes). Got an email 10 days later saying it was accepted and processed.

Everyone has different priorities in life. Personally I'm willing (and can afford) to pay someone such as the maid, gardener, car washer, Facilitator to do things to make life a little easier for me, it part the joy of living in Mexico...

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13 hours ago, TelsZ4 said:

Everyone has different priorities in life. Personally I'm willing (and can afford) to pay someone such as the maid, gardener, car washer, Facilitator to do things to make life a little easier for me, it part the joy of living in Mexico...

I fully agree Tels. A major joy of living in Mexico is being able to afford having someone else do those repetitive jobs. Yes, we have done them all, especially in the beginning, but now it is so nice to have someone else do it for such a small cost. And the money to them helps out good people without just giving a handout. We don't use people in the business but rather our Mexican friends who usually know the ropes, such as when my wallet was stolen. They pay our taxes, refrendo, HOA fees, etc. and walked me through getting a duplicate drivers license. That included going to the front of the line and getting a senior discount even though I don't have that card. Yes, we trust but verify, easy to do online.

Besides, I've never seen a hearse with a U-Haul

 

 

 

 

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On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 7:59 PM, Intercasa said:

My office.  We have done thousands of transactions, seen alot of weird stuff as well and have won amparos and appeals.  We know their quirks and ever changing rules.

Spencer, I`m looking for someone to help with the new amnesty program of Immigration for 2017. Can you help guide me through that?

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Yes can help you, check out details here  http://www.chapalalaw.com/regularization-amnesty-program-for-people-illegally-in-mexico-for-2017/

Make sure you have all in order and have not left Mexico since 2014 or earlier. 

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