Chapala’s Century 21 AccessMex real estate company drew a full house for a free seminar on Mexican immigration and customs policies presented by bilingual legal eagle Spencer McMullen of InterCasa Financial Services.
McMullen opened the program with an overview of status options available from the Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM), distinctions between different types of immigrant (FM2) and non-immigrant (FM3) permits and requirements for importing foreign-plated vehicles.
While providing solid information on immigration statutes currently on the books, McMullen could not delve fully into the implications of a new immigration law – issued in May of last year – since there are murky areas which cannot be clarified until the complementary regulation code passes congressional review, a process that could continue for another two months or more.
He did explain that once the new law takes full effect, foreigners who hold FM2 inmigrante or FM3 status at that time will be lumped together in the residente temporal (temporary resident) category, while anyone who has completed the five-year FM2 process to gain inmigrado standing will be redefined as a residente permanente.He said that one advantage of the pending changes is that temporary residents will have the option of paying up to four annual renewals up front, which will translate into savings on the cost of fees and freedom from repeating paperwork and processing every year.
During a question-and-answer session that took up about half of the hour-long program, McMullen touched on various other issues, including immigration rules for expats who hold jobs in Mexico, costs and procedures for people who bring their cars into the country and qualifications for exemptions from capital gains tax on the sale of real property.
Future sessions
Due to excess demand for limited seating, McMullen has been scheduled to repeat the presentation on Wednesday, March 28, with guest registration starting at 4:30 p.m. To request reservations for the few remaining spaces, interested persons may call 766-2612 or email. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
McMullen’s talk was the second in a series of monthly seminars Century 21 is hosting for the public at large. Most future programs will be geared for the expatriate community as a service to enhance the experience of Mexico residence. Interested persons may use the above contact information to request inclusion on the invitation list.