Dis-Advantages of Permanent Residency

NGPT wrote:

Hello All,
Could someone experienced with 2017 law give me a run down of the Dis-Advantages of obtaining Permanent Residency. Since each of us have differing circumstances we each need to weigh out all of the factors. For instance, I have a good friend that has resided in Mexico for 25 years and is still on a Tourista Visa....because that fits his circumstances best.
One BIG disadvantage for me is losing your foreign plated car status...contrary to popular beliefs, we have found that we are NEVER stopped at checked-points or by any officer. However, every vehicle I have ever seen stopped always has Mexican plates. SO if we get stopped I will now know that something unusual is up and be on guard.

I would like to know if there are other current (2017) reasons NOT to remain on Tourist status?
BTW...We long-term rent and don't mind leaving every 6 months, as I retired here 1 year ago, and we get to go back home and tease our friends and family.

Thanking you in advance,

Your questions are sort of confusing, but I will try to answer them.

It sounds like you would prefer to just go back and forth, which is fine as long as there are no changes in the laws. Remember that the rules for your friend were 25 years ago.

They have been redone many times in that time frame,and they are using computers to track now.. In some parts of Mexico the borders have been following closely now that they are using electronics . They are noticing how often some people go and may want to chat with you. Several people I have known have been stopped and questioned especially at certain borders.

Disadvantages of being permanent ? other than the U.S. car thing none that I know . But there are many advantages. Being permanent opened many doors for me that would not have opened without it.

As for being stopped, of course Mexicans get stopped, it is Mexico, they are the majority, but that said, when you look at the numbers foreign pates especially in southern states are stopped more often. So perhaps you should just drive back and forth into Sonora many people do, you act as a day traveler and just drive back and forth to there. if you chose to go beyond Sonora or Baja it will be another story.

Hello Travellight;
Thank you for your assistance. We live in QRoo which is a free zone from Cancun to Belize, so plenty of tourists that are rarely hassled by check points or officials unless you are doing something illegal, which applies to every country.

The reason for this question was -- many friends here continue to tell us we should get PR for all of the benefits, but upon doing some digging, we find out that "oh, yeah, I can't drive my Canadian car with PR", which is a BIG issue for me.
So I'm wondering... What other hidden rules would PR inflict that I enjoy on my t-visa?

I'm trying to do an analysis to be sure which is truly better for me.
I'm familiar with the non-working status rules, and the owning property taxes....but these are non-issues for me.

Thanks for all your help

If you apply for Residente Temporal status instead of Residente Permanente status you can keep a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico that has a TIP sticker. After 4 years on a RT you have to get a RP visa/card or leave Mexico and give up your RT status and apply for another RT visa/card at a Mexican Consulate.

As another poster mentioned INM [Mexican Immigration] can track how many FMM tourist cards a foreigner has gotten. One day they may make a policy to not give multiple back to back FMM tourist cards to foreigners anymore; who knows for sure.

NGPT wrote:

Hello Travellight;
Thank you for your assistance. We live in QRoo which is a free zone from Cancun to Belize, so plenty of tourists that are rarely hassled by check points or officials unless you are doing something illegal, which applies to every country.

The reason for this question was -- many friends here continue to tell us we should get PR for all of the benefits, but upon doing some digging, we find out that "oh, yeah, I can't drive my Canadian car with PR", which is a BIG issue for me.
So I'm wondering... What other hidden rules would PR inflict that I enjoy on my t-visa?

I'm trying to do an analysis to be sure which is truly better for me.
I'm familiar with the non-working status rules, and the owning property taxes....but these are non-issues for me.

Thanks for all your help

Hi there again NGPT,

First  tell me what you think "free Zone" means.

Then let me say once again "Where the “Mexico Free Zones are”?

All of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, including the states Baja California and Baja California Sur are inside the Free Zone.
The northwest portion of the state of Sonora also is a “Free Zone” and is outlined by a couple of Mexican Federal Highways."
Notice all of Quintana Roo and Cancun to Belize are not mentioned there. Belize itself is a border, so right there it is a free zone. You have to be careful to know that. Free zones involve borders with other countries. Quintana Roo is not a border state.

If you didn't pay an import fee to get your car to where it is , someone slipped up and if you get stopped it could nail you, as in impound your car. Cancun does have a " party zone" and a "hotel zone" those are not the same as a free zone, just a map to the hotels and late night action. The tourists don't get stopped often at checkpoints because it is a money making tourist area, and checkpoints are primarily just between states. Yet  the Cancun area has had at least two checkpoints in the hotel zone in the last 6 years.  I travel to Cancun at least once a year, and I have seen them. Merida has some occasionally and Campeche has none except between states.

The residente permanente really seems like something you do not want to do. As I said before the only down side is the not having a U.S. plated car. I am aware of no down sides other than that. Not having to cross the border somewhere every 6 months is a plus to me.

The agent at the border has the final word and he can play you for a bribe ( arbitrary tax) get very picky on decided time frames or just give you 30 days instead of 180 , it's all up to him.

Pluses, it becomes easier to get a  mexican driver's license, Mexican bank account, pay cell bill on a card and apply for credit, to start a credit history. The credit history from your country does not count. You don't have to dig out your passport everywhere you go. Your RP Id is good enough, and if you do business with them often they don't even ask for an iD any more.

People have a different attitude about you and quit treating you as a tourist.  Those things are important to me, and they must be for others also, because I know of no one who gave it up. Including a woman who returned to England but was still figuring out how often she has to visit to keep her RP current.

http://www.sat.gob.mx/aduanas/pasajeros … eriza.aspx


"Strip and border region

Northern border strip

It is the territory between the international dividing line of the north of the country and the parallel line at a distance of 20 kilometers towards the interior of the country, in the section between the boundary of the partial region of the State of Sonora and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the border municipality of Cananea, Sonora.

Border region

The states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and the partial region of Sonora; the southern border strip bordering Guatemala and the municipalities of Caborca, Sonora, Comitán de Domínguez, Chiapas, and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.

Partial region of the state of Sonora

The zone comprised in the following limits: to the north, the international dividing line from the current channel of the Colorado River to the point located on that line 10 kilometers west of Sonoyta; from that point, a straight line until reaching the coast at a point located 10 kilometers east of Puerto Peñasco; from there, following the channel of that river, towards the north until finding the international dividing line.

Southern border strip adjoining Guatemala

The zone comprised by the territory of 20 kilometers parallel to the international dividing line of the south of the country, in the stretch between the Unión Juárez municipality and the mouth of the Suchiate River in the Pacific Ocean, within which the City of Tapachula is located , Chiapas, with the limits that correspond geographically.

Franchise border residents

Persons of legal age who are residents of the border region or region may import goods for personal consumption under the following criteria: ... "