Today is July 31st and I finally had mug shots and fingerprints done at INM. The card will hopefully be ready next week and I will once again live and work legally in Mexico. But only for one year, and not the three years I requested.

The renewal process has been somewhat of a gong show. In actuality, the original application for a work visa a year was less tedious.

I accepted a job offer in April from a school here in Mazatlan. While I had been assured that I would have the school’s support in renewing my work visa, this was not the case when it was time for action.

This necessitated retaining a professional to assist me with all the documents.  He had come highly recommended. However due to his inefficiency and ignorance, the proper documents were not filed requesting a three year renewal. Instead documents were filed for a one year renewal.

I wanted a three year renewal for two reasons. The first is that I would not have to deal with Immigration again for three years. The second is that one year costs 3500 pesos and three years only $6600. 

This morning at Immigration, the staff there explained  to me in perfect English that they were willing to renew for three years. The mistake was not theirs. Of course the person I had retained tried to blame it all on Immigration. Scrambling to save face, he actually told me that Immigration had told him that it couldn’t be renewed for three years because I had moved to another city and changed jobs. That really took nerve on his part, seeing as we were all standing in front of staff in the Immigration office. 

I had a fabulous immigration lawyer when I lived in Guadalajara. German Pajarito, you need to open an office here in Mazatlan. I highly recommend German to anyone requiring legal advice in Guadalajara. He is one of the most honest and trustworthy people I have ever met in my life, and a talented musician as well.

As to who I do NOT recommend here in Mazatlan, he shall remain nameless for now…………