Immigration - Don't use Santander Bank

[mr bill]

Its always something done there at INM - one piece of paper missing, your signature doesn't match your signature, they think your wife's first name is "MRS" - the list goes on and on. To their credit my Residente Permanente went through in around 8 days total.

Today entering documents for my wife's FM-2* (or whatever it is now called) renewal a new snag: Payments of derechos made through Santander Bank are not being properly credited to INM so if you had paid through Santander, as we did, the payment is rejected and you must pay again [there goes another 3130 pesos].

The first payment will be refunded [eventually]. First you have to write a solictude to INM requesting that they issue a letter to SAT authorizing the refund. But there is more - you'll need an RFC and then a bank account in the same name. Last we did it, once the MRS/non-MRS stuff was worked out, it took around three weeks for the refund to post to the bank account.

INM says this problem will be fixed 'soon'

*Now why didn't my wife apply for Res Perm instead of another year of FM-2? afterall she is the mother of Mexican children - well SRE thinks here name is not "MRS" so they won't issue passport renewals for the kids until she can prove she is the same person as "MRS". INM requires the passports for the Res Perm tramite. SRE had of course issued the original one year passports [using the same documents we presented last week] 18 months ago - but they won't do it now until we get something called a Rectificacion Judicial

[charlesandterri]

Hi Mr Bill
Thanks for the info and the heads up.
By the way, did you go to SMA or Le?n. Did you "do it yourself" with the aid of the website or did you hire someone to help? If yes to the later, who did you use?
Thanks again.

[mr bill]

Hi, We go to Leon - I find it more 'international' than SMA -Not just a room full of Canadians and Americans. Easy to get to and if needed there is one young officer who speaks English. I've been here 18 years now and have been 'doing it myself' since year two/maybe three. Always a thrill. Process is very easy now - it is more streamlined, requires fewer documents and they have fill-in-the-blank letters/solicitudes covering whatever you are doing. Once they make us all Residentes Permanentes they will probably have layoffs.

Across the street from the office are two 'Helper' places Carlos on the left - Cesar on the right where you can get copies and last minute typed letters for whatever you need - or complete hand-hold service.

Go to Leon and go past Costco - at next light take street that angles off to the left [just past the Fiesta Inn] go a dozen or so blocks and Cross over the Malecon and then maybe 2km or so more to the 2nd? light [there is an ACREMEX bank on the corner right side] Take a Right and go to next light and then Left on Roma - MarcoExpress on rounded corner. Park halfway up on curb/sidewalk. INM is across the street .

Map to Leon office here