New members of the Mexico forum, introduce yourselves here – June to December 2017

I agree, I was recently at the consulate and was told I needed a permanent residency to work, not temporary.

Leener wrote:

I agree, I was recently at the consulate and was told I needed a permanent residency to work, not temporary.

You can get a preapproved  Residente Temporal at the Mex. Consulate in another country. Then finish the processing the RT at your local INM office in Mexico. Then you can get a job offer in Mexico from a company that a Mexican National cannot do such as teach English with a native tongue. Then you can add a work permit to your RT visa by going into your local INM office and applying for an RT with a "Permiso para Trabajar," [work permit].

Thank you for that information.

Hola,
I am Elif from Turkey. I have lived in Zacatecas, Zac since Oct. 2016. I am postdoctoral researcher at UAZ.  I need some suggetion about safe travelling to south of Mexico. And I wanna know if there is a expat community in Zacatecas.
Thank you!

Etdmx wrote:

Hola,
I am Elif from Turkey. I have lived in Zacatecas, Zac since Oct. 2016. I am postdoctoral researcher at UAZ.  I need some suggetion about safe travelling to south of Mexico. And I wanna know if there is a expat community in Zacatecas.
Thank you!

Southern Mexico is usually quite a bit safer than northern Mexico, so that should not be a problem. What part of southern Mexico are you trying to go to, and what mode of travel would you be using ?

There are at least 2 expats who have information about Zacatecas.  I'm sure they will respond when they see your post.

Hi, thank you for your interest. I want to see oaxaca and cancun. But southern part is huge.  And also it is too long by bus from zacatecas. So i need some advice  about the best route if it is possible.
Probably i will be alone in this journey and i am still not sure if 10days are enough or not...
saludos

To travel south from Zacatecas head to Mexico city,central del norte with Etn.From there you can travel by Ado to anywhere in southern Mexico

I would visit Oaxaca first finnish in Cancun then fly back to Mx city as the bus journey from Can to Df is difficult due to the distance.And from df by bus (etn) return to Zac.Thats my opinion,i have lived in Zac and traveled to Oaxaca and chiapas from there.

Hi nice to meet everyone!
I've been going to Mexico 2-3 times a year for the last 5 years, and am finally preparing to make a move. I had my heart set on Isla Mujeres, but it's changed so much this year from the island I fell in love with.

I work remotely in IT so I'm at the looking for a rental portion. It's definitely hard finding things online, I know there was a lot of for rent signs around the city.

I was considering other locations (ultimately this is my "early retirement" and I want to be able to walk to the ocean) but the only place I've liked is Tulum, Cancun and playa Del Carmen were way too North Americanized for my taste.

But by the end of the year I'll probably be on the island to start out while checkout out other areas of the Yucatán. I'm continuing to work on my Spanish, but I always find it so much easier when I'm there.

Any others on Isla Mujeres? Any advice for moving (with a very skittish disabled cat). I wanted to pack my car and drive but I've had several say it's not safe for me for the whole distance alone as a single female.

We just went thru the application process for a visa at the Orlando fl consulate before we came to Mexico. We were asked if we wanted permanent residency or temporary residency. The income levels for qualifying are very different. From what the consulate told us we needed to qualify for the visa we received at the Mexican consulate in the USA and decide which visa we received there. After we qualify for the visa in USA consulate application was completed in Mexico for that specific visa . I understand them to mean we couldn't ask for a different visa once we arrived in Mexico. I could be wrong or maybe it is different once you arrive in Mexico.

ann_eliese wrote:

Hi nice to meet everyone!
I've been going to Mexico 2-3 times a year for the last 5 years, and am finally preparing to make a move. I had my heart set on Isla Mujeres, but it's changed so much this year from the island I fell in love with.

I work remotely in IT so I'm at the looking for a rental portion. It's definitely hard finding things online, I know there was a lot of for rent signs around the city.

I was considering other locations (ultimately this is my "early retirement" and I want to be able to walk to the ocean) but the only place I've liked is Tulum, Cancun and playa Del Carmen were way too North Americanized for my taste.

But by the end of the year I'll probably be on the island to start out while checkout out other areas of the Yucatán. I'm continuing to work on my Spanish, but I always find it so much easier when I'm there.

Any others on Isla Mujeres? Any advice for moving (with a very skittish disabled cat). I wanted to pack my car and drive but I've had several say it's not safe for me for the whole distance alone as a single female.

Hi Ann,

Two suggestions that come to mind are first check at the top of the page under housing,
the other is have you thought of looking north of the Cancun areas.  Near Merida there are beach towns like Chelem, Yucalpeten, Progreso, Chicxulub.  Not all "North Americanized". I live in a city north of them and it is not North Americanized at all.

Another thought is, given your cat, and your limited fluency in Spanish , flying would probably be best. I drive alone all over the Yucatan and other states, but then I am familiar. Your risks in Mexico are probably far lower than the U.S. 

The thing is some of the roads are smooth others are barely roads. The toll roads are pretty safe.  When I make really long trips I have someone with me.  Last time it was my bilingual amigo. Having him in the car helped with the driving and any exchange with others. It's the male thing.

miguelcentenosr wrote:

I would suggest you try being a volunteer for places taking care of the elderly, you would have plenty of people patiently listening and anxious to have someone to talk to. Also places that take care of pets also the red cross and in Mexico "Club de Leones" is for the upper class

I'm sorry Miguel,

But I don't see what your response has to do with moving and where to live, which was the topic. Could you clarify ? Perhaps you thought you were  responding to a different post.

Hola buenas  tardes,

Somos alejo y maritza colombianos profesionales, tenemos 47 y 36 años respectivamente y nos enamoramos y casamos en cancun. Viajaremos nuevamente como turistas el 1 de agosto un mes y con proyecto de quedarnos y radicarnos.

Con tu experiencia  como ves el tema, es factible quedarse  y conseguir algún trabajo teniendo en cuenta que tenemos experiencia laboral fuerte en el sector de mercadeo  ventas y eventos con valores agregados. La duda que nos surge es la visa de trabajo que tan fácil o difícil es estando allí como turista obtenerla.

Agradecemos tu orientación y si nos podemos poder en contacto con tu vivencia estamos ya en la red.

Cordial saludo,

Alejo y maritza wrote:

Hola buenas  tardes,,

Hello,

Only English is allowed in that section of the forum.
Other languages can be found by clicking the flag at the top right of the page.

Alejo y maritza wrote:

Hola buenas  tardes,

Somos alejo y maritza colombianos profesionales, tenemos 47 y 36 años respectivamente y nos enamoramos y casamos en cancun. Viajaremos nuevamente como turistas el 1 de agosto un mes y con proyecto de quedarnos y radicarnos.

Con tu experiencia  como ves el tema, es factible quedarse  y conseguir algún trabajo teniendo en cuenta que tenemos experiencia laboral fuerte en el sector de mercadeo  ventas y eventos con valores agregados. La duda que nos surge es la visa de trabajo que tan fácil o difícil es estando allí como turista obtenerla.

Agradecemos tu orientación y si nos podemos poder en contacto con tu vivencia estamos ya en la red.

Cordial saludo,

Buenas tardes Alejo y Maritza,
Muchas personas en este foro no hablan español. ¿Habla usted Inglés?

En cuanto al trabajo, entiendo que debe ser un residente permanente. Eres ciudadano mexicano ?, eso también marca la diferencia.

Buenas suerte

Good night thousand thanks for the forum information. regards

Hello,

My name is Jan.  My husband and our two kids live in Scottsdale, AZ.  We just returned from a trip to Sayulita and loved it, so much in fact that we are planning on going back to spend more time and get a better feel for it.   The possibility of living at least part-time in Sayulita is very attractive to us.

Our plan would be to wait until our kids are both in college, so we've got three more years, but we'd love information on living there.  All of us have traveled extensively, me the most of all.  However, we traveled the world as a family a few years ago, spending nearly a year and visiting South America, Asia, Australia and Europe.  Armed with some degree of knowledge about what it's like to live in another country, I've got a good idea of what sorts of challenges we might face and what sort of adjustments we'd need to make.   I'm struck by how the pace of life in Sayulita resonated with me.

Any information anyone can share about living in Sayulita or the process of spending time there to decide if it's "the" place for us is appreciated.

Hola!!
I recently made the decision to move to Mexico, and I left everything in the U.K. behind a week ago and moved am now living in chulola just outside puebla. have treated the last week as a holiday and am now starting the daunting task of trying to get a visa to work and also found a job. Any tips you guys have will be greatly appreciated. As it seems to be a mine field trying to get set up. You can't get a job without a visa and can't get a visa without a job!!!
Thanks

Hi. My name is Jane and I currently live in the Pacific Northwest and am thinking of retiring in San Miguel. I once lived in Italy and it reminds me of some of my favorite villages there. I am a non-profit manager, very active, a conservationist and love to learn. I am looking for someone who lives in San Miguel who can talk with me about the experience and perhaps meet me and show me around a bit when I travel there later this summer.

Cheers,
Jane

I am like you...and I bought a house in Merida. I love it here...so far. It is very safe and I have my dogs that make me feel safer. It is super hot though so if that isn't something that you would like then it is not for you. All of Yucatan is safe....but hot. My friends won't even visit. I like it.

Hi - I'm Judith. I'm staying with friends/teachers in Cuernavaca until the beginning of September.  I'm in my mid-60's and think I'd like to spend several months a year here when I retire.  I'm enjoying my Spanish speaking friends very much but my Spanish isn't really good enough to join in group conversations.  I'd like to meet with some other ex-pats in the order to find out if there's an ex-pat "community" here, what the transition was like for them, are there any activities - that kind of thing.

SUZUKIC50T wrote:

hello I AM JOHN WAYNE  from alberta canada and yes i am interested in moving to mexico on a permanent basis but more pressing is this...i will be in leon july 18 for 1 month and if possible does anyone have a cheap room near the leather factories as my home town in canada has been decimated by job loss and i have patents on leather goods ideas and i wish to be in leon to make prototypes to take back to  canada so if anyone has a cheap room near a braided leather factory i would appreciate it starting tuesday july 18 thank you.

That is a very tight schedule JOHN,

There is very little time left before that date, have you thought of a hostle, they are cheaper and are scattered throughout Mexico. You could also check the housing tab on this site.


Buena suerte

10 days is a start.Cancun will be good for you.

My wife have been going to Mexico for the past 6 years now and we have been looking for a community to retire in. We are looking for a place with lower humidity so we may have to move inland. We are going to Mexico again in April to search again. We would like to be near a larger community but prefer to live in a smaller community. Any suggestions.

you need to move it is very bad there .it all looks fine but it is not at all .I have been living in mexico about 25 years you need to move.my whats up number is XXX . You take care all over mexico.NOW

Hi,

my name is Mandee. I am married to my husband Jason, and we have two children, Addyson and Hayes. We are from the northwest (USA) but we are thinking of relocating! I know it would be a crazy hard journey, but I figure you only live once and I want to expose our children and ourselves to a new life, a relaxed life, I want our kids to be able to just be kids! I am an ex teacher and now is sales and my husband is a finacial advisor. We are coming to Isla in October and I am so excited!

I have searched the internet high and low but I know it doesn't stand a chance to the people who actually live in Isla and the ones who have made this move already themselves!

My biggest concerns are leaving family, education for our kids and being able to make a little money on the side.

I appreciate any feedback, advice, suggestions etc!

thank you so much!

rallen1234 wrote:

My wife have been going to Mexico for the past 6 years now and we have been looking for a community to retire in. We are looking for a place with lower humidity so we may have to move inland. We are going to Mexico again in April to search again. We would like to be near a larger community but prefer to live in a smaller community. Any suggestions.

It seems to me that you would be a perfect fit for Lake Chapala. Year around excellent temperature and only 1 hour from Guadalajara, the second biggest city in Mexico. We have everything here. You can pick your community along the lake shore if you want village life or rural. Every type of lifestyle is available here. And many go to the ocean regularly. It's only 3 hours to the beach south of Manzanillo and soon (once the new toll road is in) only 3-4?? hours to Puerto Vallarta. It's the perfect place.

MandeeJo wrote:

Hi,

my name is Mandee. I am married to my husband Jason, and we have two children, Addyson and Hayes. We are from the northwest (USA) but we are thinking of relocating! I know it would be a crazy hard journey, but I figure you only live once and I want to expose our children and ourselves to a new life, a relaxed life, I want our kids to be able to just be kids! I am an ex teacher and now is sales and my husband is a finacial advisor. We are coming to Isla in October and I am so excited!

I have searched the internet high and low but I know it doesn't stand a chance to the people who actually live in Isla and the ones who have made this move already themselves!

My biggest concerns are leaving family, education for our kids and being able to make a little money on the side.

I appreciate any feedback, advice, suggestions etc!

thank you so much!

Well first, you should contact your nearest Mexican consulate or embassy near youto confirm what are your options. Secondly, I personnaly avoid places  (restaurants, jewelry, etc.) that are manage by foreigners trying to make money on the side. Mexican authorities are more and more vigilant on various illegal things within Mexico  (ie: foreign plated car, illegal workers from all countries).
But don't stop, your Dreams can come trought. Try the legal way.
Buena suerte en su proyecto, GyC.

Hola!

We are a family of 3, myself, husband and 5yr old daughter. We are moving to Tulum in September from San Diego. Our plan is to stay there for 6 months and then head to either Chiapas or Oaxaca. I will be homescholing my daughter for Kinder. My husband is going down first to find a place for us to live. We looking to spend about 300-400us a month for a place in Tulum, fingers crossed we find something. We just want to take a break as a family all we do it work work work here.

Hola!

We are a family of 3, myself, husband and 5yr old daughter. We are moving to Tulum in September from San Diego. Our plan is to stay there for 6 months and then head to either Chiapas or Oaxaca. I will be homescholing my daughter for Kinder. My husband is going down first to find a place for us to live. We looking to spend about 300-400us a month for a place in Tulum, fingers crossed we find something. We just want to take a break as a family all we do it work work work here.

vivalavida17 wrote:

Hola!

We are a family of 3, myself, husband and 5yr old daughter. We are moving to Tulum in September from San Diego. Our plan is to stay there for 6 months and then head to either Chiapas or Oaxaca. I will be homescholing my daughter for Kinder. My husband is going down first to find a place for us to live. We looking to spend about 300-400us a month for a place in Tulum, fingers crossed we find something. We just want to take a break as a family all we do it work work work here.

Hi vivalavida,

Tulum is a popular city, you will see a lot of expats and tourists there, as well as environmental research, and archaeological ruins 
The climate is nothing like San Diego, so be prepared for heat, and an enormous amount of humidity. You are coming in the rainy , extra humid part of the year, So at least you will know how hot and humid it can get.  Be prepared for that, and you should do fine.
You may have to stay in a hotel for a while , but then that would give you flexibility.

We were approached by an expat realtor the first day we visited there, so you should quickly find help.

Buena suerte

vivalavida17 wrote:

Hola!

We are a family of 3, myself, husband and 5yr old daughter. We are moving to Tulum in September from San Diego. Our plan is to stay there for 6 months and then head to either Chiapas or Oaxaca. I will be homescholing my daughter for Kinder. My husband is going down first to find a place for us to live. We looking to spend about 300-400us a month for a place in Tulum, fingers crossed we find something. We just want to take a break as a family all we do it work work work here.

Hi, just to advise you to have the proper VISA if you intend to stay more than 180 days.

Buena suerte en su proyecto, GyC.

HI there  We are from the United States and are looking to retire in either the Cancun area or Playa Del Carmen      I'm 57 and my wife is 55    Looking to retire in  Jan 2018     we have been to Cancun and love the beach area    .   We want to be either on the beach or at most a block away.    We are looking for any help or suggestions,,  We want to be in a safe area and close to a grocery store .   We are very laid back couple.    Any suggestions???

mlb29323 wrote:

HI there  We are from the United States and are looking to retire in either the Cancun area or Playa Del Carmen      I'm 57 and my wife is 55    Looking to retire in  Jan 2018     we have been to Cancun and love the beach area    .   We want to be either on the beach or at most a block away.    We are looking for any help or suggestions,,  We want to be in a safe area and close to a grocery store .   We are very laid back couple.    Any suggestions???

Hi ,

That close to the beach would have increased traffic and be very expensive. there are other areas with beaches , so you might want to look around a bit. Perhaps rent a condo on the beach and use that base to travel to other areas. North of there are less glamorous areas like Progreso.

Thanks for the reply. We have been there before and yes the humidity will be brutal. I know the weather is nothing like San Diego, but it will be an adventure. We are not going to stay in a hotel. We have a place set up for the month of September so my husband can find a place and if he doesn't then we will have to change plans, but I know everything will work out. Where do you live in Mexico? We want to live amoungst the locals not the tourists.

Thank you will be getting a visa for 180 days at the airport in Tijuana and then when that is up we will fly back to the states and then get another visa for 180 days. Thanks for the heads up. Also my husband is in the process of getting his dual citizenship.

Travellight,

So you have any other recommendations on other places in Mexico. Family communities, I know that is a vague question.

Hi my name is Terri and my husband is Vic.  We have two dogs and one cat. We are living in NE Oregon and would like to live in the Cancun /Playa del Carmen area.  WE bought a 5th wheel hoping to find an RV park somewhere in that area and have not had much luck online finding many down there.  They have lots over in Baja, but we would really prefer Cancun area.  We are wanting to leave October 1st to start heading down that way. 

So if anyone knows about any RV parks down win that area we would greatly  appreciate any info.  Also  we have been researching the route we would take  and would love info on the best route to drive down to cancun.

thx

vivalavida17 wrote:

Travellight,

So you have any other recommendations on other places in Mexico. Family communities, I know that is a vague question.

That sort of depends on what you are looking for, lots of expats and tourists, beach, small, big?

You might like Merida which is a fairly large city, but not Mexico sized, or Guadalajara sized. There are also small places near there. Are you looking for lots of culture and runes. I live in a capital city on a bay north of Merida, which is fairly small and just oozing history and culture. Much cooler than Tulum and few expats.  Think about what you are looking for.