WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

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jubilee
WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by jubilee » Fri Apr 16, 2004 1:56 pm

What would happen if someone were to arrive in PV and overstay their visa. Rather than returning after 6 months? If they were not working, but living off their savings and pension. I am asking this because the requirement is $1000.00US per month pension, I only receive $900.00. But I don’t want to have to return every 6 months to re-enter. What happens to those that overstay? Please, no scare tactics, just the truth. What has been done in the past, and what normally happens? I am sure there are many others as well that are already doing this. If I am not a burden to anyone?

matt
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Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by matt » Fri Apr 16, 2004 3:28 pm

Hi Jubilee,

Firstly, I don't know the answer to your question about people overstaying their visas. I hardly suspect they will come hunt you down, but if for some reason you got into a situation where you were asked by authorities to produce the visa document, there could be problems. But, I don't know what would really happen. I do know that Mexico aggressively deports people from the poorer countries of Central America who are caught in Mexico as illegals.

Do you really think that a full six month period will pass where you don't want to go back home to visit family. I know that if I lived in Mexico, I would want to go home for Christmas and a few other times. Or maybe, you would want to leave the country for a vacation travel to a new country. If you just exile yourself to Mexico, you may find yourself getting either homesick or just bored. If you enter Mexico at the border, they usually give you a 180 day visa. But, if you arrive by plane, they usually give you only 90 days. Just as in the U.S., the amount of time they give you (up to 180 days maximum) is at the disgression of the Immigration officer.

I do know that Mexico closely monitors automobiles that are imported into Mexico on a temporary basis by computer. As a tourist, you are permitted to have your car in Mexico for only 180 days total during any given 12 month window of time. Of course if you have two cars, you can alternately import them every 6 months and get around this requirement. I travel to Mexico often, and at the border, the Mexican Customs agent can look at his computer and tell me every time my car entered Mexico, how long it was there and when that car is eligible to reenter Mexico. So, if you were bringing a car into Mexico, overstaying your time could screw things up.

I think that the monthly income requirement for an Mexican FM3 document is set at 250 times the minimum daily wage in Mexico, which is currently 40 pesos per day. Thus, 250 x 40 pesos = 10,000 pesos per month for an FM3 (the requirement is halved if you own a house in Mexico). So, if your $900 monthly income was in U.S. dollars, I would think you are close to satisfying this requirement after you consider that the exchange rate is more than 10 pesos to the dollar; but again, I am no expert. I have read that different Mexican consulates operating in the U.S. tend to set their own "additional" guidelines regarding Mexican immigration. Many frustrated people have said that if your local Mexican consulate gives you problems, just go to Puerto Vallarta and start the process at the immigration office there (maybe on your next vacation visit).

I don't know if I have been any help, but good luck and best wishes on following your dreams.

jubilee

Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by jubilee » Fri Apr 16, 2004 4:32 pm

thank you for your information. It is most helpful. I will be flying in, not driving. I guess I will have to ask for the 180 days at entry in the airport. You are right however, I will probably get a little homesick, but only after mayber 8or 9 or 10 months. 6 Months flies by. I want to be there Sept 1 to June 1. Hence 9 months.
Thanks you, you have been most helpful.

crisxcross
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Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by crisxcross » Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:20 am

When my parents lived in Jalisco they just got an Immigration Attorney in El Paso Texas who handled the Visa renewal process for them and they never had to go back stateside until they wanted to. You may want to check into retaining one for the same reason. I can't say the same loopholes exist now after 9-11

Best of luck...I am sure it can be done!

bzy1

Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by bzy1 » Sat Apr 17, 2004 10:12 pm

If you come in on an FMT (tourist visa) and over stay your visa, you have to go to immigration to pay the fine and get your FMT adjusted to fly out. Not sure what the "real" price is as I have heard a few different ones, but that also could be circumstances involved.

I am not sure how the attorny in El Paso handles all the paperwork, as you need to have your FMT or FM3 or FM2 in hand when you depart the airport or leave the boarder.

Many people here with 180 days book the cheapest flight out to anywhere and return in a day or two, or others take the bus to the boarder, about $175 USD and about 30 some hours.

Best bet, get yourself an FM3- Alicia from immigration who retired has set up her own business of handling FM3. You must renew each year but cheaper than a flight out. If you have savings, and a checking account with direct deposit, you need three months of the account statements to show you make enough to have an FM3 and not become a burden south of the border.
Matt is correct, with the exchange rate right now, $900 US should satisfy the restrictions, but, it is semi- difficult to live on $900 a month here for many people, especially single. The housing and apartments, especially furnished are not cheap...on average, at least $350 to $400 USD a month, some include utilities, but most do not.

matt
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Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by matt » Sun Apr 18, 2004 3:29 am

Thanks for bringing up the higher cost of living in PV, Brenda. I remember sharing a table at lunch, one day, with a retired American couple who were living in PV on a very limited budget. They were talking about moving a little farther north from PV to San Francisco, Nayarit, because things were just too expensive in PV. It was good that they had options that would satisfy their needs, but living in a such a small Mexican town certainly isn't for everyone.

There is a book which may be useful to someone considering a retirement in Mexico. You can probably find it in your local bookstore, or on Amazon.com:

"Choose Mexico, 8th edition: Travel, Investment, and Living Opportunities for Every Budget" by John Howells and Don Merwin

I know that I am not the first person to suggest this, but my recommendation to someone considering a permanent move to Mexico is to go there first and try to live a few months. See if you like the town you choose, or maybe you will try out two or three other towns. Don't abandon all that you have back home until you are certain that you really want to move to Mexico. That way, if you feel that you have made a mistake, you can always return home and pretend that you only had a nice, long vacation.

jubilee

Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by jubilee » Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:22 pm

after rent is paid, all included, electricity, cable, lights. I have 300 pesos left per day/ 9000 pesos per month to spend on food and entertaining. I am not a big drinker. Can one survive in PV on $30.00US per day, excluding rent? Any comments?

bzy1

Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by bzy1 » Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:10 pm

Hard question, as it is a lifestyle question more than anything.
In your original post you had about $900 US to live on including needing to pay rent out of it, so I am not sure where $30 US per day comes in, as 900/30= 30.00 US a day....

First and foremost, the rent is the tough part. Furnished apartment, off the beach area, with cable or water included (usually you need to pay your own lights/gas) will probably run abiut $400 +$30-$50 for other ulitilies- so say $450 a month. That actually leaves you $15 US a day.

Now say you get lucky and find something livable in the $350 a month range - that leaves you a little over 18.00 US a day. (Believe me I have looked at over 30 apartments over the course of two years, and something liveable, decent location and furnished is VERY hard to find in this price range!)

Considering most "furnished" places have rustic cookware, or just odds and ends, you will have to buy kitchen supplies if you want to cook at home and save money. Spices, oil, pan, pots, etc. will eat some cash right away.
You may have to supply your own linens- so more money.
The pillows are old and musty-or no pillows- more money.
Laundry- 10 pesos or more per kilo- you most likely will not have a laundry on site. I spend about $30 a month on laundry, more in the humid rainy season as you can't use towels more than once or so, bedding needs changing, pillows need to be washed, you change clothes at least twice a day.

Most food is about the same price as a midwestern city. Chicken breast $48-50 pesos per kilo. Hamburger, about the same price. Things that are less expensive are fruits and vegetables in season grown locally. Grapes are not, and are expensive, about 50 pesos per kilo. So in the end, assume all groceries will run about the same. (food prices are less here than say NY, San Fran)

If you are comfortable leading a "cut back" lifestyle- maybe eat out only a couple times a week, maybe go out to the bar once in a while, you can do it. But, it is not cheap to live here by any sense. It is amazing how money just flows out of your hands...taxis, bus, treats, movies, etc all cost. The movies here though are less expensive, about $3.50 US.

I don't want to say you cannot do it, but most people come here thinking it is inexpensive, and it is not. It is also more expensive when you don't speak Spanish- just simply because you cannot wander the streets asking people if they know of a rental (the ones advertised are always more expensive than the ones you find by asking Mexicans for rentals in neighborhoods you like) and also knowing the language helps you find the deals that they find... plumbers, fish markets, doctors, etc.

You should also account for doctors visits. You will probably get sick. Everyone does- tropical climates are hot beds for flu, virus, bacteria, etc. Have some stash...have money to get back home if you need to! Have money for emergencies, dental work, accidents.

Flying out of Vallarta is more expensive than flying in.

One other thing to point out, this is a tourist town, and it is easy to be in tourist mode. In tourist mode you spend more. When out of tourist mode, you are frustrated you can't do all the fun stuff tourists do. What once seemed like a cheap town when you were on vacation becomes an expensive place to live.

I moved down here knowing all of this. I also came here 13 times before moving here. I had a wealth of knowledge and also came here with the belief that I would come down here to be a part of the culture, to learn it, embrace it, rather than want to change it. It is not easy but a million times worth it if this is really for you.

jubilee

Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by jubilee » Tue Apr 20, 2004 11:38 pm

Thanks so much for the feed-back and comments. Actually, I have enough money to pay my rent by using some of my savings. I have already negotiated a great rent of a super place, have already seen it and trust the owners whole heartedly. Everything is included, down to the toilet brush LOL. They are friends. I have calculated that I will have the entire $900.00US /30 days = $30.00US or 300 Pesos per day to live on. I am hoping that this will be enough to eat, and entertain myself. I am a simple person, with simple requirements. I certainly hope that this will be enough.

susana

Re:WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERSTAY MY VISA

Post by susana » Wed Apr 21, 2004 3:17 am

No help on the visa issue. But if you really choose to live simple and living expenses are already paid, I think 30/day might be workable,,. if your budget really has that to spare for daily expenses only and if you don't do even simple tourist things, like drinks on the beach or restaurant meals too much. 18 as mentioned once wouldn't cut it for me, even for PV basics.

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