Lake Chapala Ajijic Mexico Information

Thinking of Living at Lake Chapala

If you are thinking about living at Lakeside or you have recently arrived and are still settling in, there are some basic facts you should know, particularly about health, the law, your personal safety, and finances. Once you have these taken care of, you can concentrate on what brought you here: enjoying yourself. The following paragraphs cover the basics. The observations of a chartered financial planner from California are given at the end of this section. The Legal section of this web site provides more information on Mexican law, courtesy of Ajijic Legal Services.

Since so many retirees from Canada and the US live here, there is an infrastructure catering to their needs. You can buy almost anything here that you want, many shops and restaurants have English-speaking employees, and there is a wide variety of clubs and organizations for expatriates. However, there are a number of factors that you should be aware of in order to make your stay as trouble free and enjoyable as possible. Detailed information is available at the Information Desk at LCS, from 10 am to 2 pm Monday through Saturday. A Mexican lawyer answers legal questions on the Patio at LCS from 10:30 am to 11:30 am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

BE LEGAL

The following are summaries of more detailed info found in Legal Matters.

There are four immigration status options, FMT, FM-3, FM-2 and Inmigrado.

FMT is a temporary tourist visa, good for from three to six months. Renewing it requires a trip to the border. It is recommended only for initial trips to Mexico to determine if you might want to settle here.

FM-3 is good for five years, renewable yearly. It allows you to bring in one motor vehicle and one shipment of household goods. The FM-3 has a minimum income requirement of $1000 dollars per month for an individual and $500 dollars per month for a dependent. These income requirements are cut in half for those who own their home in Mexico. There is no limitation on how much time can be spent outside Mexico, as with the FM-2. FM-3 holders may drive foreign-plated cars. If the FM-3 is obtained outside Mexico it MUST be activated upon arrival.

FM-2 is good for five years, renewable yearly. It allows importation of one motor vehicle and a household goods shipment. It is intended for those who are considering permanent residence in Mexico. Minimum monthly income is 1300 US dollars or equivalent, and 650 dollars per dependent. These are cut in half for those owning their own home in Mexico. Holders of an FM-2 cannot leave Mexico for more than three months a year. Holders of an FM-2 may legally drive foreign-plated cars. After holding FM-2 status for five years, you may apply for Inmigrado status.

Inmigrado… Visit website