Now I'm again legally in Mexico; I finally got my visa decision on Wednesday. But I still have to get my actual visa (a green booklet) made. First I was told it would take almost a month more to get it, but after I begged desperately, they promised it would be ready in couple of weeks. I really hope so! If I don't get it in time, I will lose the whole semester and all the classes I have taken at the university.
On Wednesday I also visited Ashes and Snow, Gregory Colbert's exposition that has been in Zócalo (City's main plaza) since January. The photos and videos are incredibly beautiful and poetic! There were thousands of people and the day was very hot (32 Celsius degrees), which made the experience quite tiring, but I'm still very happy I visited the Nomadic Museum. If the exposition ever comes to your city, you definitively should visit it! And if it doesn't, the web page (see the link above) gives you a good idea of the exposition.
Showing posts with label inmigration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inmigration. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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...
- 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...
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