We Visit the Mexican Consulate

Melanie and I are now full-flown, legalized residents of Mexico. Melanie went for a permanent visa; I applied for temporary (just in case I don't like it.) "Temporal" residents are allowed to own a foreign-plated vehicle for up to 4 years. "Permanente's" are not. For now, I need my truck. Tomorrow I go trailer-shopping! Residence status is not the same as citizenship.

We arrived at the consulate bright and early for our 9:00 a.m. appointment, after overnighting at the apartment on Mother's Day. The waiting area quickly filled behind us but we were soon called to present our documents to the able, bilingual and multi-tasking receptionist. I had downloaded the visa applications from the website the day before, and had followed the instructions precisely. I even entered the text via computer rather than block printing by hand, because I wanted everything to be perfect.

The first thing she pointed out to me was that the two-page stapled document needed to be a single page, printed double-sided. (I almost laughed out loud.) She pleasantly handed me two clipboards with two new forms, which we dutifully copied out on our knees, from the information on the original. As I have said before, following the Mexican rules is not the problem: it's knowing what the rules are.

After that, things went smoothly, though leisurely. Others came and went. We presented our passport photos and then were photographed again. I was fingerprinted for the second time in my life; (the first was by my Mexican lawyer.) Then we were called, separately, into a nice office with a friendly official to be interviewed. This was mainly to confirm that we were in possession of adequate funds so as not to be a burden to the Mexican social system, a requirement to which we apparently gave adequate attestation, because we were accepted. I think.

They kept our passports, so at this moment we can't go anywhere. But we bought an Expresspost envelope so they could be mailed back to us, with our shiny new certifications. Once we get to Mexico, we will have 30 days to appear before some other official to declare our presence, fill another form, pay another small fee, and then we will be, well... living in another country.

Life is a highway.