Not sure which VISA to apply for, temporary or permanent?

Well Dbrown,
The decision of which visa is more or less theirs not yours. They tell you what you can have. From what you  have indicated they have already said your wife qualifies for permanent. So the issue would be can you qualify for temporary or permanent. The decision is theirs. Your job is to show them your income.

Well, yes they will decide based on our documentation. I've also been told we can apply with myself being a dependent spouse and just going off of her investment portfolio, but nothing on the consul websites mention that. Half their websites say completely different things regarding requirements. It's quite difficult to figure it all out. Maybe an attorney would be best.

dbrown71467 wrote:

Well, yes they will decide based on our documentation. I've also been told we can apply with myself being a dependent spouse and just going off of her investment portfolio, but nothing on the consul websites mention that. Half their websites say completely different things regarding requirements. It's quite difficult to figure it all out. Maybe an attorney would be best.

Yes, I have been told many of the same things. What I have noticed is different offices in different states in the U.S. and Mexico tend to have different opinions on the same topic Not totally different but different enough. You need to focus on the console office where you are coming from and the immigration office where you are going. Your situation is complex enough that an attorney might be helpful. I didn't need one Perhaps the classified section on this page can help with that, or perhaps those that helped with your condo purchase.

Buena suerte

The only downside that I have seen to Permanente is that you have to sell outside of Mexico any vehicle that you have. Importing the vehicle is not worth the cost or hassle. If you eventually want to go to Permanente, no point in getting a Temporale initially.

Regarding your income. You can show all income including Social Security.

You can apply for a Residente Temporal. This is good for four years. The first application is for one year. When you renew, you can renew in increments of 1, 2, or 3 yrs for a total of 4 yrs. There is a "discount" for multi year application and a times savings of not having to apply in 1 yr increments. Of course your initial application for either Temporal or Permanente is at a MX consulate. Depending solely at the discretion of the person you are interviewing with, they may allow you to apply immediately for a Residente Permanente. I think, your wife's income may be a consideration.

A subtlety. Once you are a Residente Permanente your US plated vehicle can not receive an import exemption. (TIP)  As the saying goes you will have to pay the full Enchilada. Import duties, 16% on all transactions, etc. Easier to sell US plated vehicles in US and buy a MX plated vehicle in MX. 

If you are a Residente Temporal,  any US plated vehicle registered and titled in your name can receive a TIP for the period of your Residente Temporal (4 yrs) At the end of that period the US plated vehicle will have to be removed from MX.

I have  US HSBC account. Whenever I use my HSBC debit card in MX at an HSBC atm to withdraw pesos it is treated as an out of network transaction. All fees apply plus the exchange rate is not favorable

I have a US BoA account. In MX Scotiabank is the affiliate bank. When making withdrawals at an Scotia atm the only fee I am charged is the BoA 3% foreign transaction fee. The exchange rate matches the current Forex rate within a few centavos.