Resetting an FMM Visa

debbieculley11 wrote:

Hello, my name is Debbie, from Katy, Texas, and I just moved to Puerto Vallarta.  My concern is this:  I intended to stay here indefinitely by renewing my 180 day tourist visa via air from the Houston, Texas, area back to Puerto Vallarta.  However, I have heard that they are now cracking down on Americans leaving and returning to Mexico after just a week or two.  Is this really true?  If it is, I simply do not meet the current income for a temporary resident visa.  I only receive $1,494 per month in social security.  The new income requirement for temporary resident visa is now around $2,000 per month.  That would exclude a lot of Americans and others from retiring here, unless they use the "visa run"  to re-enter.  Especially, if they are on a fixed income, such as myself.  I have been searching the internet for days trying to find answers, and they are all conflicting.  Some say it's easy and others say they are now being hassled.  I don't intend to work and/or earn an income here either.

Does anyone have recent experiences with this?  If so, any and all comments would be appreciated.  You can also message me if you want.

So Debbie, Welcome to ex-pat.

As you know everything is sort of upside down and I don't know which side that coin toss will end on. I have no current experience with this problem, but I can tell you what has happened in the past. In some cases, Mexico was getting very strict on the people who went across the border and returned very quickly.  They began requiring paid hotel reservations that were for at least 3 days. Part of that was a particular issue between Belize and Mexico, then one ex-pat had a very hard time coming back from Guatemala. I think it took him weeks to convince Mexico to let him return and he had a Mexican girlfriend who was pregnant.

If I were you I would contact the consult in your country. They would be the most likely to have your answers. The current government is often in a process of change.

Hi, debbieculley11.

I got a temporary resident visa at the beginning of May. It was based on the required amount of savings rather than income. I had no job at the time but I proved to the Mexican consulate in the US that I had enough money to live on for a year I’m Mexico. So you can check the INM website for the exact amount you need. I found the process complicated, but if you search out the information and really keep after it, it’s possible.

Hope this helps.

From what I understand, most of the people who have had trouble returning, were trying to return via "land crossings", not via air.  So, therefore, I am not too concerned.  At this time, I simply do not meet the monthly income requirement, since they recently raised it to between 1,600 and 2,000 usd per month.  I get 1,500 per month, just a tad below.  I will probably save enough to add an additional 300 to my checking account for a few months to meet that income requirement, and then try for a permanent residency, which a friend suggested I do.  Most Mexicans I have talked to said if you enter by air they never check anything, and they actually want you to visit as much as possible so you spend your money.