If this is your first time moving to a different country (or even if you’re a weathered traveller), you can guess that obtaining residency for any country is a tricky process filled with lots of paperwork and steps. So buckle down and read thoroughly to effortlessly move through the process required by Mexico.
Becoming a Temporary Student Resident of Mexico occurs in two steps:
- Obtain your Mexican Student Visa.
- “Exchange” your Mexican Visa for a Temporary Student Resident Card.
Let’s break down Step 2: “Exchange” your Mexican Visa for a Temporary Student Resident Card
Preface:
At this point, you must have your Mexican Student Visa already. This is the document you received prior to entering Mexico and it is located in the passport. If you need help getting your Visa visit my post: How to get your Mexican Visa.
Important Points:
- The appointment to exchange (Canjear) your Mexican Visa for a Temporary Student Resident Card MUST be made within 30 Days of entering Mexico. Schedule ASAP to get the appointment date within the 30 days. The sooner, the better.
- You CANNOT leave Mexico before you have exchanged your Visa for your Resident Card. If you leave, this will invalidate the Visa you entered with and you will have to start the Visa process over again.
- All official paperwork in Mexico MUST be filled out with BLUE ink. This is a weird quirk, but easy enough to execute. Leave the black pen behind and fill everything out with blue. This way there is no opportunity for error.
Fill out the Solicitude de Trámite en línea:
To access the online Solicitude de Trámite en línea, click here.
If you need help filling out the Solicitude de Trámite en línea follow my instructions here.
Save the Pieza or number of your Trámite.
Remember: If you have an apartment number you MUST put that apartment number on the Trámite in addition to the building address.
Make an appointment:
To make an appointment with the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) – Guadalajara click here.
**Update May 2022: INM has suspended this feature. You will have to go to the direct location and make an appointment IN PERSON for the time being. You can skip to “List of Required Documents” to see what you need to bring.
Please note: You CANNOT, as a UAG student living near the school, get your visa at any other INM office such as Puerto Vallarta (I tried it and I failed so that you don’t have to). You must go to the INM office that lies within the region of your intended place of residence.
Once in the website, create an account with a trusted personal e-mail.
From there you will enter the system and fill out the page systematically.
Select “Jalisco” as your INM office.
Under “1. Solicitude: Registre Información” enter the “Número de Pieza” from the Trámite you filled out in the first step of this post.
Click “Validar Pieza”
The Trámite should pop up next with the Pieza number underneath it. You will then need to enter:
- Entidad del Domicilio en Mexico
- Fecha de Nacimiento
- Número de Documento (Passport)
Click “Verificar información”
The following section should populate Under “Trámites Seleccionados para Agendar Cita. Es necesario validar información”.
Click on the Orange Paper with a check mark to validate the Pieza. If you have more than one active Pieza, make sure you are validating the correct one.
On the next pop-up window, click “OK” to complete the validation process.
The Orange Paper with a check mark should turn green and the button “Agendar Cita” will pop up.
Click on “Agendar Cita” and select the date and time that works best for you.
After you confirm your appointment, ensure you receive your confirmation e-mail.
List of Required Documents:
| EXTRA form of ID | When it come’s time for your appointment, an ID will be exchanged for a number at the front desk. This is in addition to your passport. Ex. This can be a Driver’s License, LTC, Passport Card etc. Don’t worry, they will return your ID when you leave. |
| Passport | Unexpired! If you have more than one passport, use the same one throughout the whole process (Visa + Exchange) |
| Copy of Passport | Create a quality copy of the main page of your passport. |
| Copy of Mexican Student Visa | Create a quality copy of the Student Visa located in your passport. |
| Solicitude de Trámite en línea | This is a 3 page document that is filled out online. It is a summary of all your information to include Demographic information, Passport information, housing information and it contains your Número de Pieza. For help filling out this form click here. |
| Formato Basico | This is the basic form that contains your demographic information. |
| FMM Original | The original stub given to you after you passed through customs. Remember it MUST have “Canje” checked and “temporalidad” must say 30 days. |
| Copy of your FMM | Make a quality copy of BOTH SIDES – front and back- of your FMM card. |
| E-mail confirmation | Print out the attached document received from making the INM appointment. The appointment confirmation is usually the first page of the file attached to your confirmation e-mail. This page should have a QR code on it along with the information regarding your appointment: date, time, location etc. **Update May 2022: Because you have to make your appointment in person, you will not receive this document. |
| Aviso de Tratamiento de Datos Personales y Notificación Electrónica | Print out the attached document received from making the INM appointment. The Aviso de Tratamiento de Datos Personales y Notificación Electrónica is usually the second page of the file attached to your confirmation e-mail. You will need to fill this out (Remember to use blue ink) **Update May 2022: Because you have to make your appointment in person, you will have to ask the school for a copy of this form. Contact them at: asuntosmigratorios@edu.uag.mx |
| Carta Canje | This is a form provided by the school (UAG). When you start the process, e-mail asuntosmigratorios@edu.uag.mx and they will give you this form to fill out. You can include your appointment date and set up a time to pick up your Constancia de Estudios in the same e-mail! You will be required to fill it out with your – name – nationality – Location at which you received you Student Visa – Degree you are studying – Length of attendance |
| Constancia de Estudios | This is a Pre-filled form stating your information as a UAG student. It includes: – Name – Nationality – Degree – Period of studies – Semester You will need to contact the International Student Affairs Office (ISAO)- Asuntos Migratorios at the school (UAG). They will give you the paper the day before your appointment. Contact them at: asuntosmigratorios@edu.uag.mx |
| Foto Infantil | This is often included in the list of things needed for your packet, but you DO NOT NEED IT! Guadalajara has gone digital. They will take your photo when they take your fingerprints. |
Day of the appointment:
On the day of your appointment- BE EARLY.
Try to arrive at least 10 minutes early. Keep in mind that the traffic gets horrible starting around 2:30 pm. The normal 20 minute drive from ICB campus to the INM building can take up to 45 minutes in heavy traffic. Add another 10 minutes if you’re traveling from the International Campus.
Address INM Guadalajara: Alcalde no. 500 Planta Principal Palacio Federal, Colonia Centro, C.P. 44280 Guadalajara, Jalisco
When you arrive, enter and exchange your extra ID for a number at the first checkpoint. Head into the Migración office – Up the stairs from the entrance, to the left, hang a right towards the courtyard. Once you hit the courtyard, the Immigration office will be on your left.
Step 1: Packet drop off
When you enter the building you will stop by the information desk . They will direct you to the correct window on the right hand side. You will sit and wait until your name is called. Once called, they will ask for your document packet and passport. Once it’s been submitted and validated they will move you over to biometrics and designate a window for you (Left side of the room).
Step 2: Biometrics
Wait patiently and keep an ear open for your name this part can take a while. Once you are called up to the window, the teller will take your fingerprints, ask for a signature and take your photo for the ID card.
DO NOT wear earrings, facial piercings etc. You will be asked to take them off prior to the photo.
After the photos are taken, you will return to your seat until they call your name to pick up your Temporary Student Resident Card.
Thats it, you now have your official Mexican ID card!
A couple of things to know:
- If your paperwork is not correct, there is a Copy & Print store right outside the entrance of the INM. They have computers there where you can access any online forms and fill them out again. You can also send photos to their WhatsApp and they will print for you.
- Take some cash with you to pay for any extra prints you may need.
- The INM office closes strictly at 3pm. They WILL NOT let you re-enter even if you had been there earlier in the day for an appointment. If you end up having to go back to finish the process, make sure you understand when, and where you return to and if you have to make another appointment BEFORE YOU LEAVE for the day. Be persistent and remain informed.
- If you are already inside the INM building waiting for your biometrics and photo, they will finish the process for you even if they close during that time.
If you need to Renew your Temporary Student Resident Card, I’ve got a post for that too!