Canada Mexico
 |
 TomTom VIA 1535TM Automotive GPS Receiver  US $105.19
|
 TomTom Via 1435TM US including Puerto Rico Canada Mexico Automotive US $86.00
|
 Garmin nuvi 200 Automotive GPS Receiver US $30.00
|
 H13 New 5 inch screen car Car GPS satellites travel navigator 4GB FM free map SD US $69.90
|
 Garmin City Navigator North America NT201310 SD Micro SD US $35.00
|
 43 Touch Screen Car GPS Navigation FREE 4GB Maps MP3 US $24.99
|
 H73 43 inch MTK program GPS car satellite navigation MP3 send free maps 4G card US $50.00
|
 TOMTOM ONE XXL 550 PORTABLE GPS US $33.00
|
 TOMTOM VIA 1505 5 LCD PORTABLE GPS US $32.00
|
 TomTom XXL 550TM 5 Inch GPS Navigator Automotive 5 US $107.99
|
 TomTom Sat Nav XL 335 Maps of US Canada Mexico GPS America US US $66.37
|
 AS IS TOMTOM VIA1405TM 43 LCD PORTABLE GPS US $15.50
|
 TomTom XL 340M 43 Inch Portable GPS Navigator US $49.99
|
 TOMTOM XL 340 S 4EM000102 PORTABLE GPS US $6.48
|
 TomTom VIA 1405 TM Works Great US $23.19
|
 GPS Vehicle Theft Protection Millenium Plus US $97.00
|
 TomTom XXL 540M US including Puerto Rico Canada Mexico Automotive GPS US $79.99
|
 TomTom Via 1405 Automotive GPS Receiver US $57.00
|
 TomTom XL 340S US including Puerto Rico Canada Mexico Automotive GPS US $20.00
|
 TomTom XL 330S Automotive GPS Receiver US $20.00
|
 TomTom 5 Widescreen Portable GPS XXL As Is US $19.99
|
 Garmin nuvi 200 Automotive GPS Receiver Great Condition US $22.50
|
 TOMTOM VIA1405TM 43 LCD PORTABLE GPS US $4.99
|
 NEW 5 Car GPS Navigator Av in FM Free MAP Bluetooth free 4GB TF card US $64.99
|
 AS IS TOMTOM VIA 1505 5 LCD PORTABLE GPS US $14.16
|
 TomTom XXL 550M 5 Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator US $26.00
|
 TomTom Via 1500TM 50 Automotive GPS Receiver US $14.00
|
 TomTom XXL 540S US Canada Mexico GPS Navigation SYSTEM US $47.00
|
 TomTom XXL 550TM US Canada Mexico Automotive GPS Receiver Nice US $36.00
|
 AS IS TOMTOM XXL 540 5 LCD PORTABLE GPS US $22.50
|
 TomTom VIA 1505T Automotive GPS Receiver US $75.00
|
 TOMTOM XXL S GPS 5 LCD MAPS OF US CANADA MEXICO ONLY US $59.99
|
 Hot 70 GPS Navigation Touch Screen 128 RAM Free Maps Built in 4GB US $69.99
|
 NEW IN BOX TomTom XXL 550 BUNDLE WIDESCREEN GPS FREE SHIPPING GARMIN MOUNT US $120.00
|
 TomTom XL 350 Portable GPS Navigator US $19.50
|
 TomTom ONE 140S Portable GPS Navigator US $15.20
|
 NEW BOSS R1100M 1100 Watt Mono Car Audio Amplifier 8 Ga Gauge Amp Wiring Kit US $87.95
|
 AUDIOVOX AVXMTG10U 10 Widescreen LED Backlit Monitor DVD Player w Dome Lights US $285.95
|
 TomTom XL 350T Auto GPS Lifetime Traffic Touch Screen US Canada Mexico US $75.00
|
 Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector Red Leds AWESOME US $179.00
|
 Escort Passport 9500i Radar Detector RED LED AWESOME US $399.00
|
 TomTom VIA 1405 TM Automotive GPS Receiver US $130.00
|
 AS IS TOMTOM ONE XXL 550T PORTABLE GPS US $22.50
|
 TomTom XXL 550SE TM GPS with Lifetime Map and Traffic Updates US $67.00
|
 TomTom VIA 1505M 5 Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Maps US $46.00
|
 2 NEW BOSS SKULL SK693 6x9 600W 3 Way Car Speakers US $56.95
|
 TomTom XXL 540 Automotive Portable GPS Navigation System Receiver US $2.55
|
 Built in 4GB 4G 70 7 HD GPS 128MB DDR2 RAM MP3Video PlayerFMT09 10 Map US $69.99
|
 ★BRAND NEW★ Garmin nüvi 2455LMT Automotive GPS Receiver NO RESERVE PRICE US $148.50
|
 BULLZ AUDIO EPAK4BL 4 Gauge Amplifier Amp Wiring Kit 22 Farad Power Capacitor US $51.95
|
 BULLZ AUDIO EPAK4BL 4 Gauge Amplifier Amp Wiring Kit US $30.95
|
 TomTom XXL 550 Automotive GPS 5 Touchscreen Maps Of US Canada Mexico US $33.00
|
 BULLZ AUDIO EPAK4R 4 Gauge Amplifier Amp Wiring Kit 22 Farad Power Capacitor US $48.95
|
 BULLZ AUDIO BPG050BK Car Audio 1 0 Gauge 50 FT Power Wire Ground Cable Black US $54.95
|
 GPS TOMTOM 43 GREAT CONDITION US $60.00
|
 16GB 1080P HD HD119 Camcorder Outdoor Sports Remote Video Camera Car Recorder US $144.99
|
 7 7 GPS Navigator Wireless Reverse Camera 128M RAM Bluetooth AV IN Win CE 4GB US $105.99
|
 4 New ROCKFORD FOSGATE R1675 675 80 Watt 3 Way Car Speakers Coaxial Fits 65 US $98.95
|
 NEW BULLZ AUDIO EPAK10R 10 Gauge Car Power Amplifier Amp Installation Wiring Kit US $12.99
|
 TomTom XXL 540S US Canada Mexico GPS Navigation SYSTEM As Is US $9.99
|
 TomTom XXL 540S US Canada Mexico Europe GPS Navigation SYSTEM World Traveler US $82.00
|
 TomTom XXL 540M US including Puerto Rico Canada Mexico Automotive GPS Rec US $38.00
|
 Garmin nuvi 200 Automotive GPS Receiver BELOW RETAIL COSTS US $69.00
|
 New Mini Spy Vehicle Realtime Tracker For GSM GPRS GPS US $40.05
|
 7 HD DVR GPS Bluetooth AV IN 128M RAM 8GB Memory card Wireless Reverse Camera US $128.99
|
 New 5 Car GPS Navigation FM Mp3 Mp4 WinCE New Map 8GB US $24.99
|
 50pcs Wide Angle Green Light ¿ 5mm LEDs Free Resistors 3 12V Hat Shaped LEDs US $2.98
|
 10pcs 194 168 501 T10 5 SMD White 5050 LED Car Light Bulb DIY Scale Train SMD US $9.99
|
 400 Watt Power INVERTER DC to AC Converter new US $49.99
|
 TomTom XXL 540S US including Puerto Rico Canada Mexico Automotive GPS US $155.00
|
 Realtime GPS Tracking Device Spy Car Vehicle Tracker iPhone Personal Teen GSM TK US $.99
|
Retirement in Puerto Vallarta--how are Gringos Treated in Mexico?
Not all tourists that visit Mexico are treated the same. As an example, those that come to traffic or use illegal drugs are treated rather harshly in Mexico, resulting in terrible vacations while south of the border! Another one that’s probably not anxious to return to Mexico is Dawg, The Bounty Hunter. He was not treated with a great deal of dignity and respect, however he too might not have closely followed the Mexican laws as he handcuffed his fugitive and hauled him out of the country!
On the other hand, as normal law abiding folks, we have been treated like family, like friends, almost like royalty ever since we began making our semi-annual visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 1984, when we purchased a condo in Mismaloya, about six miles south of Vallarta. Back in the 80´s, it didn’t take much more than a photo identification in order to get a Mexican FMT or tourist visa.
Today, a passport or certified copy of a birth certificate is required for an FMT visitor visa. These visas are good for staying up to 90 days in Mexico; however you can ask for and often receive a 180 day FMT visa. There is no charge for these tourist visas and they are easily obtained at the departure airport or at the Mexican customs office when arriving by vehicle. Upon entering Mexico, the immigration agents stamp your copy of the visa and record your entry into their computerized data base with information regarding the length of your stay and where you’ll be staying. Upon leaving the country, you return your copy of the visa and your departure time is entered into their system. In other words, visiting Vallarta for less than six months is about as simple as it could be.
Now, to put the above Mexican treatment of American and Canadian tourists requesting visas into perspective, let’s compare it to what Mexicans must do to legally visit the US. This can be best done by telling the following story which is based on personal experience and is typical of American immigration practice throughout Mexico.
For many years, we thoroughly enjoyed our vacations in PV, so much so, that in 1997 we bought a beautiful villa and decided to make Vallarta our permanent residence. We have had a lovely couple working in the villa for the past eight years. They are a kind, intelligent, clean, honest, and church going couple with two of their three children now attending the University of Guadalajara. As a bonus for their many years of hard work and loyalty, last year we offered the woman an all expenses paid one week vacation to visit us in the Lake Tahoe area where we spend the summers. She has never been to the States and needless to say, she was very excited and looked forward to the trip.
We called the US Consulate in Guadalajara to determine the required procedure for Mexicans to visit the US. First, a current passport is required, so within a month, she had obtained her new passport. We were also informed that she needed a copy of her bank account statement in Mexico, a copy of her marriage license, a copy of her property deed, employment records, and a letter of invitation from us would be helpful. We wrote a half page typed letter of invitation, thanking her for the years of dedication and service, and then helped her assemble all of the required documents into a single file folder. Again we contacted the US Consulate, informed them that all of the required documentation was in order, and scheduled an appointment for her interview. On the day of her appointment, dressed in her Sunday best, she took the folder full of required documents and the cover letter of invitation to the US Consulate in Guadalajara which is a five hour drive from Vallarta.
The US Consulate was packed with hundreds of Mexicans and they put her in a line with about 50 others, probably all having the same appointment time. She indicated that not a single person of the 50 Mexicans ahead of her was granted a visa. Finally, after an hour and a half, she made it to the front of the line. They interviewed her for less than two minutes, said her letter of invitation wasn’t notarized, and basically threw her out just like the previous fifty people. Of course, during our phone conversation, they never mentioned a requirement of notarization of the letter of invitation when they listed the requirements. In fact, the letter was not even a requirement, but only a helpful addition to her list of requirements. In all probability, the Consulate handed out very few, if any, visas for travel to the US that day.
From what our friend witnessed during her two hours at the US Consulate, they granted zero visas that day. After getting her hopes so high and being so excited about the vacation, after spending her money on the passport, the money for the five hour journey to and from Guadalajara, the night spent in Guadalajara, the time to assemble all of the required documents, and the two hours in the Consulate, there was virtually no chance of getting a visa to the US for a Mexican citizen and the worst part of it was, the employees of the Consulate knew it. Why in the world would the US Consulate treat the thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Mexicans that way when they are trying to visit the US legally?
It’s no wonder that millions of Mexicans are sneaking across the border undocumented. It’s got to be a lot easier, faster, and perhaps cheaper to sneak across the border, thus resulting in the US having no clue as to who has entered the country, where they are, how long they’re staying, or what they’re doing. The Mexicans that we’ve met, including the woman working in our villa, would be happy to have their pictures taken, fingerprints, etc. but the system virtually denies their legal entry into the States.
As a side note of interest, upon returning to PV after our summer in Tahoe last year, we discussed the above story with our local US Consulate agent in Vallarta. She confirmed that visas to the US were just not being granted at this time because of all the immigration related problems in the States.
By comparison, it’s a cake walk getting into Mexico for US and Canadian citizens!
US and Canadian citizens are treated with respect, dignity, and welcomed as guests in Vallarta. Of course, the economy in PV depends solely on tourism and it is in the best interest of the locals to see that all tourists have a pleasant and safe visit while in Paradise.
In the ten years that we’ve lived here, we’re not aware of a single robbery, burglary, picked pocket, or any other crime committed on a foreign resident or tourist. It is so tourist friendly in Vallarta that there are now approximately 50,000 North Americans living here during the “high season” of November through May. There are millions of tourists by plane or cruise boat that visit PV each season and unless they’re really looking for trouble, they’ll never find it.
Furthermore, in 2001 the readers of Conde Nast Magazine voted Puerto Vallarta the eighth best vacation destination in the world and the very friendliest city in the world. That Conde Nast poll pretty well sums up the way tourists or retirees are treated in Vallarta.
For those of us that are retired and having so much fun in Paradise that we don’t want to leave in 180 days, we merely apply for an FM3 permit, a long term visitor permit which resembles a passport, costs about $100, and takes about a month to obtain. We must provide photos, fingerprints, proof of residency such as electric and water bills, and proof of self sufficiency such as any bank statement. The FM3 allows a North American to stay in Mexico for one year and can be renewed annually. This long term visitor status allows the foreigner to bring his car into Mexico and keep it here indefinitely, as long as the FM3 is kept current. Our Grand Cherokee Jeep still has the 1997 Texas plates and no taxes have been paid on the vehicle since 1997. Unlike the US where everything must be politically correct, the Mexicans have no qualms with profiling. If for any reason, a Mexican policeman gets the urge, he can pull over a foreign plated car and check the status of the driver’s FM3. For that reason, everyone keeps a copy of their current immigration papers in the glove box of their car.
After five years of FM3 renewals, i.e., five years of living more than 180 days per year in Mexico, you are then given the option to continue with a new FM3 or convert to an FM2. The FM2 requires the same documentation as the FM3 but costs a little more and still requires annual renewal. The main difference is that an FM2 designates the holder as an immigrant rather than a visitor. This is a critical difference as it pertains to the treatment of capital gains on the sale of real estate. Exemption from capital gains tax is granted only to those that can provide proof of primary residency in Mexico for at least five years, with primary residency being anything greater than 180 days per year. The FM2 document clearly proves primary residency for longer than five years. After the fifth year of holding an FM2, the holder becomes eligible for a permanent resident alien status and no longer is required to renew his FM2 on an annual basis.
All of the aforementioned immigration documents can be obtained at the local Mexican immigration office, which for us living in Paradise, is right here in Vallarta. The FM3´s or FM2´s are stamped and recorded every time you leave or enter Mexico. Compared to the US, you’ve got to give the Mexicans credit; they have a much better handle on who’s in and who’s out of their country.
In summarizing, due to the relative ease in obtaining the proper immigration papers in Mexico, there is virtually no reason for any American or Canadian to be here undocumented. If any problem were to ever occur, both American and Canadian Consulates are located in Vallarta to assist you.
For those really serious about living in Mexico, after establishing your primary residence in Mexico for five years and learning a fair amount of Spanish, for about $1,500 and with the assistance of a local immigration attorney, you can apply for Mexican citizenship. Once all of the applications have been submitted and an interview with the immigration agent is completed, the waiting period is approximately 18 more months. If and when granted, you will hold dual citizenships and have pretty much all the rights of a naturalized Mexican citizen. Although most of the natives in Vallarta speak some degree of English, unlike the US and Canada, Mexico has a primary language. It is Spanish and the immigration officials make it crystal clear when interviewing for Mexican citizenship. It’s not until the two hour interview in Spanish is completed that you learn that the interviewing attorney speaks fluent English! However, to their credit, they do accept Espanglish which is our hybrid between English and Spanish.
Of course money talks, but from what we’ve experienced for ten years, the Mexicans treat the Gringos substantially better than the Gringos treat the Mexicans.
About the Author
Jim Scherrer has owned property in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 24 years and resided there for the past ten years. The mission of his series of 20 articles pertaining to retirement in Puerto Vallarta is to reveal the recent changes that have occurred in Vallarta while dispelling the misconceptions about living conditions in Mexico. For the full series of articles regarding travel to and retirement in Vallarta as well as pertinent Puerto Vallarta links, please visit us at www.pvreba.com