Work Visa for Telecommuting

No. Every six months you can renew your tourist visa with a trip to Belize or Guatemala. Don't mention working when you arrive in Mexico.

Thank you!

Now, I have more questions.

Do Mexican immigration authorities keep track of how many times you leave and return? I was wondering about electronic data from scanning passports. And do you know how long you have to be over the border before returning? Will there be any problems with my car?

Now your question is more interesting. How attached are you to your car? Can you sell it? Do you have a lot of stuff? It's a long drive all across Mexico to Playa del Carmen, and not cheap with all the toll roads. Not to mention that Northern Mexico isn't too safe at the moment.

If you do bring your car in, I really don't know what will happen. I think I remember hearing that you have to buy insurance at the border. Do you speak Spanish? If not you will get shaken down at every opportunity.

As far as leaving and reentering the country, I don't know if they keep records but I wouldn't worry about it. By the time you are ready for your visa run you will have spent 6 months in Mexico and had access to better information.

You will be happy earning dollars while living here! Good luck!

I can't thank you enough for the information. I guess I'll deal the car situation when it gets closer to the time we move. We do have some things that need to be transported, but I guess we can get a customs broker to deal with that.

I just want to make sure we don't land in a Mexican jail for something stupid and unnecessary. I'm excited to get there!

I'm glad I can be of help. Any advice for me on how I can become a freelance journalist?

Great advice Ted!

I work for a US based company and relocated permanently down to Cancun 2 years ago.    You are correct you dont need to get a visa, you can just use the tourist visa and go in and out every 6 months.

Really a visa is not a big deal. It only runs about 100 bucks a year.  You will want to get an FM3.   Like Ted said, you dont need to tell them your working here.  I told them that I am a US based consultant that is going to being go back and forth for work but enjoy living in Mexico on my down time.  That way you avoid paying Mexico income taxes, etc.

      With an FM3 you can go in and out as much as you want.  It has been my experience that it is easier to get through customs with an fm3 when I go back and forth for work.

       Ted is also right and rethinking about driving your car here.  I lived here once before with a car and it was kind of pain in the butt to bring our American cars here.  You have to get a permit when you cross the border and then when you get your fm3 you are allowed to have 1 car associated to your fm3.

   But honestly you are not going to need a car in Playa Del Carmen. I know in Cancun and I go to Playa often you can walk pretty much everywhere and the buses and taxi's are dirt cheap.

  Like Ted said the toll roads are expensive.   Probably will spend  enough on toll roads and gas to equal about the cost of a plane ticket.

   Feel free to contact me if I can be of any further help.

Craig

Hello there....

I would like to ask a question and see if anyone has any responses.  I am working for a U.S. based company in Mexico City.  The company does not have an entity in Mexico and are not registered what so ever thus in Mexico they don't exist.  Anyhow, my stay will be 2-3 years and I have succeeded in acquiring an FM3 visa with no problem with my company.

My questions are: Do I have to pay any taxes in Mexico?  All my income is in U.S. dollars which is electronically deposited to my U.S. bank.

Most importantly can my company continue keeping me on W2 or do they have to change my status to 1099 income as I will be in Mexico 95% of the time?  They want to change my status to 1099 income but I am refusing to do so because its a disadvantage to me.  Would there be any legal implications with my company if they keep me on W2 and I continue to work in Mexico.

Again, I will spend 95% of my time in Mexico representing my company as a technical sales consultant although my income will continue to be in U.S. dollars in the U.S.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

I have been working as a w2 employee in Mexico for my us company for the last 2.5 years.  I do not pay Mexico taxes.  on paper it appears that I work and live in the usa but spend my time in Mexico.  essentially the way I work it is I maintain both a us residence as well as a mexico residence and for work purposes I use my usa residnece on all my tax, credit card, bank etc .  it has been a non issue for my company and for me.  I still pay us taxes even though I dont live there.

Thank you for you quick response!  I really appreciate this information.  My company is worried, I don't know why exactly, that my residing in Mexico City as their representative may legally affect them if I continue on W2.  I have been doing some research and I don't know what would affect them.  Anyhow, this just builds my case stronger.  I too continue to pay U.S. taxes as I use my home address in CA to file.  I am just looking for concrete evidence so I can help my case and prove that there is not an issue.  Perhaps you may know of somewhere or someone that you can direct me to and get some type of proof?

Thanks again for your response