Moving to SMA with kids- ISO housing location recommendations.

Hi Sara, there are several communities that are gated and like all places, a lot depends on your needed criteria such as budget and distance from where ever you need to be close to. Schools? Jardin? etc...

Rosewood
Aldea
Las Fuentes in Atascadero
Los Arcangeles
Los Labradores


Might be best to check real estate listings online . Agave, CDR , Coldwell Banker and others.

Buena Suerte,

Hi everyone:
My wife and are moving to SMA on May 4th. (In two weeks). We'll be staying in a hotel for five nights. During that time we hope to find a house to rent for long term. Eventually buying something.

Sonia Diaz has been very helpful and maybe I'll connect with her. I need her assistance.

We don't want to live downtown but outside of town . Not too far. We're looking for a house with some yard. We have a trained yellow Labrador. If anyone could recommend places for us to look at that would be great. Rent can be over USD 1000.00 per month.

Of course we will be buying a car. We have our permanent resident visa. All we have to do is pick up our card. That's were I'll need Sonia. Plus for other legal issues.

Any tips that you could provide would be much appreciated. We snowbird in Ajijic for four years but it's too small for us. Both my wife and I are fully retired from Canada.

I'm new on the board and hope to hear from you. Thanks.

ercoyc wrote:

Hi everyone:
My wife and are moving to SMA on May 4th. (In two weeks). We'll be staying in a hotel for five nights. During that time we hope to find a house to rent for long term. Eventually buying something.

Sonia Diaz has been very helpful and maybe I'll connect with her. I need her assistance.

We don't want to live downtown but outside of town . Not too far. We're looking for a house with some yard. We have a trained yellow Labrador. If anyone could recommend places for us to look at that would be great. Rent can be over USD 1000.00 per month.

Of course we will be buying a car. We have our permanent resident visa. All we have to do is pick up our card. That's were I'll need Sonia. Plus for other legal issues.

Any tips that you could provide would be much appreciated. We snowbird in Ajijic for four years but it's too small for us. Both my wife and I are fully retired from Canada.

I'm new on the board and hope to hear from you. Thanks.

Hi "ercoyc", my wife and I are Canadians and moved fulltime in Mexico since August 2017. Sorry, if lengthy explication but I think it's important.

First, if you plan on living fulltime in Mexico (not snowbirds) then you should contact Revenue Canada so to confirm your status as "non residents" and pay income tax based on the fiscal agreement between Canada and Mexico also if your revenues are 90% or more from pensions then filed your tax return base on article 217 reducing you tax level (first full year outside Canada gave in our cases my wife only 7% and 12% for me). ALSO CONTACT all provincial government institutions (healthcare, driver's licence, revenue Quebec, etc...) not forgetting your will/estate lawyer/notary in Quebec nor your banks, credit cards

Second, don't forget to have your birth and marriage certificates approved by the Mexican consulate beforeleaving, once in Mexico must be translated, especially if your intention is to buy a house, vehicle

***very important to fill accurately the FMM form on the plane with the quote CANJE which means changing the residency status within 30 days from your arrival, you go through the nationals immigration line not foreigners*** (the Mexican consulate can help you when you pick up your VISAS)

Third, if you buy a house, vehicle, etc... you will need a will done in Spanish for the Mexican belongings, don't combine within your Canadian will.

Fourth, come in Mexico with 6 months of meds and apply to IMSS not seguro popular because in change mode by the Mexican government once you get your official status cards from INM. Between the time you arrive and the time you're covered by IMSS make sure you have medical insurance in case of emergency

Fifth,  get your Mexican drivers licence and return the Canadian one (keep a copy) with a copy of the Mexican drivers licence to avoid to pass test in case you ever return to Canada

Sixth, get your INAPAM cards to benefit various discounts (50% on intercity buses and local transit like in PV, Guadalajara, etc...)

Seven, don't forget to inform INM of any change of residency address within 90 days of the change

Eight, don't forget to register your moving with the government of Canada as living permanently in Mexico https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registr … 1547065804

Ninth, when leaving Mexico don't forget to fill the INM from as permanent residents and upon arrival in Canada or any other country identify the country of residency as Mexico not Canada

We, personally, took a year to get your Canadian part understood and done (sell house, get the Canadian and Quebec governments paperwork in order. After, did the Mexican consulate stuff less then a month prior to the departure by plane. Packed only the essentials, 4 suitaces and 2 carry on bags.
On arrival in Mexico started doing the steps regarding INM (immigration) 4 weeks, Driver's license 2 days, INAPAM 3 days, IMSS 3 weeks ALL on our own but we speak Spanish which helps.

Adios y buena suerte en su proyectos, GyC.

GYC:

Thanks for your detailed reply. It's certainly helpful. Are you presently living in SMA.

I still have questions and hope you don't mind me bugging you.

We presently live in Suriname and went to Trinidad to get our residence visa. We are moving to SMA with only our suitcases. According to the embassy , all we must do within a month is pick up our residence cards.

Both my wife and I have no longer Canadian driver licenses. They expired. We had B.C. licenses and have no longer medical coverage in Canada. We only have Suriname licenses. We'll be getting international driver license to use in Mexico. That would be okay? Will that allow us to obtain Mexican licenses without doing the tests?

We have been expats for a number of years and have been filing our return in Canada. Suriname has no agreements with Canada. If I understand you correctly Mexico has an agreement with Canada. Therefore my accountant should be able to assist us?

Can we have our birth and marriage certificate translated in Suriname by an authorized translator? What would be the reason to have translated certificates?

When arriving in Mexico city airport do we still go to the national immigration line?

Once we have our residence card will We be able to get our prescriptions in SMA. Can I buy Cannabis oil (CBD) only in SMA? I use it for my arthritis.

We will buy a car asap. Therefore we need to get a Mexican will right away?

Your detailed reply is very helpful. If you are in SMA would you mind helping us out. You seem to be good in Spanish. We are 72 and 67 years old and need all the help we can get.

Please let me know. My international magic jack number is***. My personal email: ***

Look forward to hear from you.

Edward and Orthence