Immigration to Mexico?

[El_jalepeno]

Emailed from a cousin who was just starting citizenship for his wife...

>This is what it takes to get a job in Mexico:
>
>You can work under a tourist visa for three months and can legally renew it
>for three more months. After that you were working illegally. In the
>meantime, you need to apply for a work visa called an FM3 and hopefully get
>approval.
>
>In most cases, this can take up to six months that will include Mexican and
>US Attorneys who work to secure the permanent work visa (FM3). This is in
>addition to your US passport that you have to show each time you enter and
>leave the country.
>
>To apply for the FM3 you need to submit the following notarized originals
>(not copies) of your:
>
>1. Birth certificates
>
>2. Marriage certificate
>
>3. High school transcripts and proof of graduation
>
>4. College transcripts for every college attended and proof of graduation.
>
>5. Two letters of recommendation from supervisors you had worked for at
>least one year.
>
>6. A letter from The Chief of Police of the city you live in indicating that
>you have no arrest record in the US and no outstanding warrants and are "a
>citizen in good standing."
>
>7. Finally; You have to write a letter about yourself that clearly states
>why there is no Mexican citizen with your skills and why your skills are
>important to Mexico. This can be called the "I am the greatest person on
>earth" letter and can be fun to write.
>
>All of the above are in English that have to be translated into Spanish and
>be certified as legal translations and have your signatures notarized. This
>will most likely produce a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the
>left side and Spanish on the right.
>
>Once these are completed, you'll need to be accompanied by a Mexican
>attorney touring Mexican government office locations and being photographed
>and fingerprinted at least three times. At each location you will be
>instructed on Mexican tax, labor, housing, and criminal law and that you are
>required to obey their laws or face the consequences. You can not protest
>any of the government's actions or you would be committing a felony. On the
>average, you may pay up to four thousand dollars in fees and bribes to
>complete the process. When this is done you can legally bring in your
>household goods that are most likely being held by US customs. This means
>you'll probably be renting furniture in Mexico while awaiting your goods.
>
>You can not buy a home and are required to rent at very high rates and under
>contract and compliance with Mexican law.
>
>You are required to get a Mexican drivers license. This is an amazing
>process. Your employer arranges for the licensing agency to come to your
>home or office with their photography and finger print equipment and the
>laminating machine. You show them your U.S. license, are photographed,
>fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying out a six
>dollar fee. You won't need to take a written or driving test and most likely
>won't receive any instructions on the rules of the road. Your only
>instructions will most likely be to never give a policeman your license if
>stopped and asked. Instead you are to hold it hold it against the inside
>window away from his grasp. If he gets his hands on it you would have to pay
>ransom to get it back.
>
>You will also have to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the
>number of your FM3 as your ID number. The Mexican accountants should do this
>for you, and you will just sign what they prepared. It can be approximately
>about twenty legal size pages annually.
>
>The FM 3 is good for three years and renewable for two more after paying
>more fees.
>
>Leaving the country means turning in the FM# and certifying you are leaving
>no debts behind and no outstanding legal affairs (warrants, tickets or
>liens), before your household goods are released to customs.
>
>This can be a real adventure and if any of our senators or congressmen went
>through it once they would have a different attitude toward Mexico.
>
>The Mexican Government uses its vast military and police forces to keep its
>citizens intimidated and compliant. They never protest at their White House
>or government offices but do protest daily in front of the United States
>Embassy. The US embassy looks like a strongly reinforced fortress and during
>most protests the Mexican Military surround the block with their men
>standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear to protect the Embassy.
>These protests are never shown on US or Mexican TV. There is a large public
>park across the street where they do their protesting.
>
>Anything can cause a protest such as proposed law changes in California or
>Texas.