Luckily, this new law will not affect those of us that were born abroad and living in Mexico. The law does affect those that were born in Mexico, are living abroad, have become naturalized citizens of the country where they are living, and are traveling back to Mexico for a visit.
A friend who became a US Citizen and is living in Los Angeles for the past 45+ years or so, arrived here in Merida for a visit with family and friends. A trip she has made approximately every other year. Normally, she presents her US passport and enters Mexico with no questions or problems. Not so this visit. In Houston, she was told she had to have a Mexican passport to re-enter the US. At the airport here in Merida, she was told the same. Because she had made this trip numerous times before, she paid little attention to the Immigration officials, but asked her nephew to check on this for her.
After several phone calls to Mexican immigration officials and much wasted time on the telephone, a specific answer to the question could not be ascertained. One young lady said yes, she would need a Mexican passport to leave the country. When asked if this was something new, she said it was not and that it had been in effect for ages. Absolutely not true.
I called the US Consulate here in Merida, explained the situation, and was advised that yes, my friend would have to have a Mexican passport to leave the country. This was the result of a new law that was passed approximately one year ago.
While I do not begin to know the requirements to get a Mexican passport, I do know it requires lots of paperwork. The gist of this post is to advise any friends or relatives you may have or know of that were born in Mexico, and became citizens of another country, of this new law and how it affects them. The price of the passport is approximately 2,100 pesos, and there is a myriad of paperwork requirements, including birth certificates, passport photos, you name it. While it only takes 2 or 3 hours to get your passport, getting to the point of receiving it will be much more intense.
Pass this on to anyone you know who may fit the category. You will have saved them lots of heartache.
Ahhhhhhhh, Immigration – wonder what they have in store for us next time we go to renew our paperwork so we can stay here and spend lots of money.
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