How to survive the Inmigration procedures in Mexico

When you need visa in Mexico, you'll have to go to the Inmigration office. To survive the experience, you'll need:
- looooots of patience. You can't have too much of it.
- to go there as early as possible. At nine o'clock, when the offices open, is the best time; there aren't so many people there. With luck, you might get out by lunch time.
- lots of time. Even if you go early, it can take hours.
- something to read. Sleeping while you stand is a good way to spend you waiting time too, but might cost you your place in the line.
- good shoes. You will be standing in different lines for hours, so don't even think to put on your high heels.
- to be prepared to go back many times, because something in your original application was wrong.

You'll also need to understand that you're always wrong. No one told you you need a certain document? That's your own fault. It maybe isn't in the list of the documents, but you should have guessed. The inmigration officer has a bad day? That definitively is your fault. Stupid immigrant! They lost one of your documents? That must be your fault too. So just accept it, take a deep breath, keep smiling and be very polite and someone might help you after all.

As you guessed, I had to go the Inmigration today. But I have to say, I'm really getting better at it, even though it took me about 4 hours standing in different lines. I was mentally prepared to go again tomorrow for some missing documents, but it seems I don't have to go back until I get the decision in couple of weeks. Hurray! The best thing is that I didn't get desperate or angry as on my earlier visits there. I guess I'm reaching some kind of zen state of mind...