How to Move to Mexico if Your Spouse is Deported

Mexican border towns are growing at an alarming rate. Deportations have brought a new dynamic to the American Latino family. Many of us are now living a dual life, residing with our deported spouse in Mexico and crossing the border each day to help support our families. Living in Mexico can be an enriching experience for the American citizen and their children, if you approach the experience with the right tools and knowledge.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. File an application for FM3 status. This is an application for legal residency in Mexico and offers a one year residency permit. The Mexican government is fairly understanding of the latest trend of U.S. citizens following deported spouses across the border to keep families together. Contact your local Mexican Consulate in the state you reside in, and they will provide you with the forms. This will allow you to move your household items across the border with the least interruption by Mexican customs agents.
2. To apply for the FM3, you’ll need a current passport, proof of income, a doctor’s certificate for each person applying, copies of marriage licenses or divorce decrees, a check for $53, and a certificate from your local police department telling that you are morally acceptable (in other words, that you have no criminal history). They will ask for four copies, so make sure you have each copy with you. Follow the instructions they give you to the letter and you will most likely be approved usually after a month, and sometimes longer.
3. Finding a place to live in Mexico can be both challenging and fun. The rents are usually much less than what you will anticipate in the U.S. The challenges are finding housing that is both safe and up to your standards. Many homes in Mexico operate on propane gas, so you will want to purchase a propane tank from any one of the mobile gas companies in the city you will be residing in. These are huge cylinders that hold usually enough gas for a half a month if you are using it to cook and wash laundry, and a month if you are frugal. They are replaced each time you flag down the gas vendor, who usually drives by each day with a litany of music, horn blowing, or other devices to let you know he’s there. Another difference you’ll find is most Mexican homes only offer showers. So if you are prone to bathe, you will be changing your pattern very quickly. Mexican landlords often require co–signers to protect their financial interests. They will almost always demand a deposit. You should know that just as the U.S. has laws governing rentals, so does Mexico. These cases are fought in courts in a similar way to the U.S. when either party breaks the terms of the agreement. So you do have rights. The best prices are found by driving around various communities, rather than contacting Bienes Raices, or real estate agents.
4. Most rentals require that you pay for services such as utilities, gas, and water on your own. Some homes include a telephone, which is usually held in the landlord’s name. However, you can also opt to place a deposit with your local phone company and obtain a phone in your own name. Internet services and cable operate the same way they do in the U.S. Ask your land lord where these services are located, and if you are not familiar with the city yet, hire a taxi to take you to these utility companies to set up your accounts. Most have representatives who speak English if you do not speak Spanish.
5. Driving in Mexico can be a hectic experience, but it grows manageable over time. Before you consider driving, purchase Mexican insurance. The consequences of not having coverage in Mexico can land you a stiff jail term and Mexican prisons are not an experience you ever want to encounter. Mexican police may stop you periodically and suggest you pay them with “mordida” or a bribe, although this is illegal in Mexico, it is still frequently practiced. It is wise to keep $40 hidden on you at all times for this reason and NEVER show the contents of your wallet to a police officer. He may find other “infractions” to bilk you of the contents of your wallet.

Tips & Warnings

• Living with your deported loved one in a new country can be an enriching experience. If you ferret away enough money and with time, you can even sometimes open your own business. Your children will attend private schools at a fraction of the cost of the U.S. and learn a valuable new culture. Sometimes it is a wonderful way to keep a family together that may be divided otherwise