While foreigners living in the United States without proper immigration status grow jittery about what the future holds under the hard line policies of president-elect Donald Trump, illegal aliens in Mexico can breathe easy as the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) revives a benevolent amnesty program originally launched in 2015.
Through the Programa Temporal de Regularización Migratorio (PTRM) taking effect on January 9, individuals living here under expired visas or other infringements of INM regulations have the opportunity to correct the irregularities and obtain a four-year temporary resident visa with the option of a work visa.
The amnesty program is applicable to foreigners who entered Mexico before January 9, 2015 and meet other eligibility criteria listed under Article 2 of the decree published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on October 11, 2016.
Specifics on requirements and procedures are outlined in the rest of the document.
According to Guillermina Cortés Sanabria, head of Chapala’s INM office, the PTRM process has been simplified this time around, at a cost substantially lower than the ordinary regularization procedure. She stresses that amnesty candidates are not subject to detention, deportation or fines.
For full details, enquire in person at any INM office. The Chapala branch is located at Hidalgo 271, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In Guadalajara, the INM is located in the Palacio Federal building, on Avenida Alcalde, corner of Hospital.
Download the decree at www.dof.gob.mx by selecting the publication date on the calendar appearing at the right side of the screen.
Information in English is also found on various websites via Google.
DON’T MAKE THIS ERROR
Chapala INM chief Guillermina Cortés Sanabria (left) reminds all resident visa holders who travel abroad to be sure to present their INM identification cards when re-entering Mexico and write in residente permanente or residente temporal and the visa number on the FMM multiple use entry form. Otherwise they may be admitted to the country as tourists, resulting in the loss of residency status.