A message on the Consulate website reads: “All consular services provided at the U.S. Embassy and consulates throughout the country are proceeding as scheduled. Applicants for immigrant and non-immigrant visas should plan on attending their scheduled appointments . Both routine and emergency services to U.S. citizens are available during regular business hours and through the Embassy duty officer. Protection of American citizens abroad remains our primary objective.”
The effect of the shutdown will only have a mild knock-on effect in Mexico, most notably at the border, where crossings may take longer due to staff shortages. Trade may slow marginally if certain federal permits for imports take longer to process, noted the American Chamber of Commerce.
Financial markets have already been affected. Mexico’s peso weakened on Thursday on fears that the government shutdown will be longer than at first anticipated. Meanwhile, Mexico’s benchmark IPC stoc kindex fell 1.20 percent and crude oil slipped to around 109 dollars a barrel.
Most U.S. expats living in Mexico will be protected from a lot of the shutdown fallout but some services, such as passport applications, may be affected. According to CNN, the last time the government shutdown 200,000 applications for passports went unprocessed. Social Security payments, however, will continue to be made.