Time frame for permanent visa card after arrival

[M&C 11]

I was wondering what the time frame for getting the actual visa is once one arrives in Mexico. I had read it takes up to 30 days but it has now been more than a month for us. I was fingerprinted about two weeks ago and the lawyer said my spouse would be soon. And now nothing has happened since. And our initial visit with the lawyer less than one week from entering on Feb. 20.  Our TIP expired March 21st and we had to pay an additional $150+ USD to extend the auto insurance 15 days and that expires on April 4th. I am extremely worried about getting out on time, avoiding the Easter traffic, and getting our deposit back. The lawyer said that we have a 30 day grace period on TIP but that will be up April 20 as we were only given 30 days when we drove in. I am looking for feedback about others' experiences with and without using a lawyer to "speed" the process.

[RVGRINGO 1,781]

It can take a couple of months to get your actual Residente Permanente visas, and once it is issued, you cannot drive your US/Canadian plated car, as you should have known.  You will need a Retorno Seguro in order to drive it to the border.  Mexico assumes that you came to live, but you are acting like a tourist and seem to want to leave ASAP. 

I have never heard of any “grace period“ for any Mexican governmental tramite.  I doubt that one exists.  Once your Importada Temporal expires, your car is in Mexico illegally and your insurance might just be invalid in the event of an accident.  Impoundment or even confiscation could be possible, so I would not drive it until you resolve the situation.  If your “TIP“ has expired, you have already lost your deposit, as you have to notify Aduana immediately with any change of immigration status & that sometimes does create a Catch-22 situation for those who did not realize that bringing a foreign plated car into Mexico, while in the process (tramite) of getting the change (canje) to a Residente Permanente visa, was a mistake & not one which is of any concern to either Aduana or INM until after the fact, when it all falls on your shoulders.

I hope the world has change and that I am wrong, but we had to get a Retorno Seguro ourselves.   Oh well; the world still turns.

[M&C 11]

Aargh! We just want to get the car out and to our son in LA and get back home to Ajijic ASAP.

 

[RVGRINGO 1,781]

Since you are waiting for the tramite, perhaps you could ask Spencer, an excellent Chapala lawyer familiar with these problems, to get a Retorno Seguro for you.  He posts here as Intercasa and has an ad; Chapala Law.  It will take a few weeks, then allow 5 days to drive the car out.  Anyone with a letter of permission and copy of your ID could drive it out and get the sticker receipt from Banjercito to send back to you. Could your son fly down to pick it up on short notice?  A friend?  Another expat wanting transportation north, etc.?   Or, just wait and do it later.  We locked our US vehicle in the garage for two years, until we were able to make our move.

Note: You cannot leave Mexico while in tramite, unless you purchase a letter of permission from INM, which will allow you to cross the border, out and back, for a limited period of time.  To go without that letter would void your tramite and render you an offical tourist.....no refunds.....start all over again.

[TelsZ4 520]

You used the wrong lawyer then.. I used Veronica who is at LCS on Mondays and Tuesday. I got my card in 28 days. Don't understand about a 30 day grace period. It's my understanding that once you pick up your card you can no longer drive a foreign plated vehicle ... 

[Sonia 598]

The subject line uses word "permanent" but I suspect post refers to temporary resident application. And likely not to do with wrong lawyer as it depends who at INM has your file, who is on vacation, away on other assignments, work load, etc. Thirty days or more is reasonable. If a Canadian applied in the US for a visa it can take a year and usually not allowed to leave during the process.

Once visa was started best to go to Aduana to start car permit extension and again when visa is issued to protect deposit. http://www.soniadiaz.mx/vehicles.html

Once approved prior to visa being issued you may receive a travel letter allowing you to be out of country up to 60 days from date issued. fee is 568 pesos.

 

 

[TelsZ4 520]

Are you getting a permanent or a Temporay visa...!

[RVGRINGO 1,781]

The thread title says, “Time frame for permanent visa card after arrival“, which I interpret as Residente Permanente application.  A Residente Temporal visa card is not permanent, as it is surrendered and replaced at renewal time(s).

However, Sonia does have a valid suspicion.  Only the original poster can clarify.

[RickS 1,143]

I suspect "Permanente" as the OP seems to know that he/she must get the vehicle out of Mexico (and save the deposit on the TIP).  But, yes, only the OP can clarify. 

[Intercasa 954]

Times vary and circumstances vary, some people enter and immigration checks them in wrong causing delays, others get a fast person working on their file, others get a slow person.  We quote 4 to 8 weeks turn time, here are some actual stats for canjes

Client        Turned in          Fingerprints    Card

HM          2/27/2017           03/23/2017   just in

YM          02/16/2017       03/21/2017      03/23/2017

PF          02/03/2017         02/27/2017     03/21/2017

JQ         01/18/2017         02/24/2017       03/21/2017

KP          01/17/2017         02/14/2017     02/24/2017

Also some people have busy schedules and travel and lag a few days or weeks for fingerprints and getting cards, others come same day we tell them or next day.

[RickS 1,143]

Nothing like some real data.... at least for the Guadalajara area...  thanks Spencer!

[Intercasa 954]

Those are Chapala stats, Guadalajara is much faster with fingerprints 1 to 2 weeks after everything is turned in and then card 1 week later. 

[Lost Dog 18]

57 minutes ago, Intercasa said:

Those are Chapala stats, Guadalajara is much faster with fingerprints 1 to 2 weeks after everything is turned in and then card 1 week later. 

Is it feasible to use the Guadalajara office? Speeding up the time for this would be helpful for us.

[Intercasa 954]

You can try and we used to do that but they want all Chapala people to use the Chapala office even though they just send everything to Guadalajara as nobody there has signing authority.  Having an advocate helps as sometimes they need to be bugged, we are 2 blocks away and go daily, I dont know how the LCS people do it if they only come to Chapala and rent a desk a day or two. 

We had a case in Guad that took almost a month, they had forgotten to upload the approval to the system, we went last Wednesday and Thursday our lady did her fingerprints.  They are pretty good over all but when a file gets misplaced or upon entry into Mexico a mistake is made registering the enter by immigration officials then weeks and months can be added on to the process, also they scrutinize family unity stuff and name issues where one name on a certificate shows a middle initial or no middle name and passport shows full name. 

[mudgirl 1,119]

You can forget about getting your TIP deposit back- if it has expired, no one gets the $ back. As you had 30 days to appear at INM after crossing into Mexico to complete your status, you really should have driven down, unloaded your car and driven it back to the border before reporting to INM for the visa processing.

[TelsZ4 520]

1 hour ago, mudgirl said:

You can forget about getting your TIP deposit back- if it has expired, no one gets the $ back. As you had 30 days to appear at INM after crossing into Mexico to complete your status, you really should have driven down, unloaded your car and driven it back to the border before reporting to INM for the visa processing.

I agree with that...

[MikeGDL 0]

This thread is a bit more than 1 year old.  Are the time frames still the same in Guadalajara?   Does anyone have the URL of the office in Guadalajara with office hours, address, etc?  Thanks.

[RVGRINGO 1,781]

It is probably still on the 4th floor of the Palacio Federal, 500 Alcalde, if I remember correctly. Contact information is on their site:

https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/word/index.php/jalisco/

[MikeGDL 0]

2 hours ago, RVGRINGO said:

It is probably still on the 4th floor of the Palacio Federal, 500 Alcalde, if I remember correctly. Contact information is on their site:

https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/word/index.php/jalisco/

Thanks RVGringo.  I did find that after posting.  Sonia Diaz had a LOT of GREAT information on her website - http://www.soniadiaz.mx/immigration---visas.html     I still may get some assistance from Spencer or Sonia if it seems like it would be quicker and easier using them.  I'll have to see what they charge for their services.

[luvsdawgs 277]

When does one have to start the application for Permanente? I seem to remember it needs to be started a month before the temporal expires, is this correct? Thanks.

[Sonia 598]

On 5/12/2018 at 6:01 PM, luvsdawgs said:

When does one have to start the application for Permanente? I seem to remember it needs to be started a month before the temporal expires, is this correct? Thanks.

Up to 30 days before but it can be anytime in that 30 day window at least at most INM offices. :-).

[Sorn 14]

On 5/11/2018 at 10:16 PM, MikeGDL said:

This thread is a bit more than 1 year old.  Are the time frames still the same in Guadalajara?

I'd be interested what the current (i.e., summer/fall 2018) time periods are for temporary and permanent residencies in Chapala and Guadalajara.

[WideSky 252]

My husband just did his roll over from temporale to permanente; submitted documents mid-June, fingerprinted mid-July, card early August. Would have gotten card sooner but there were mechanical difficulties with the card printing machine.