Who should advise me on immigration law or procedures?

It is important for foreigners to know that Mexico's authorities require a special license to practice law. This license called "cédula profesional" is issued by Mexico's Secretary of Education and constitutes a professional license to practice law. By this license the government certifies the professional studies of all lawyers in Mexico, and without it is illegal to practice law in the country.

It is also important that you know that Mexico suffers from a serious problem with people, who mascarading as legitimate "service providers",  without the knowledge or the necessary preparation, perform "legal procedures" charging for their "services rendered. " These people are commonly known in Mexico as "coyotes" and only serve to complicate, obstruct and confuse the paperwork and procedures, which unsuspecting foreigners hire them to do. Usually you can identify them because they prowl INAMI facilities, offering unsuspecting foreigners their services and claiming they are friends with the government officials;or they tend small copy businesses or they have a desk on the sidewalk where they serve their "clientele".

We have personally witnessed how these people act without scruples, charging stratospheric amounts for "honoraries" and pocketing the government fees foreigners pay up front. If you ask them, INAMI officials can attest to how are these people complicate the lives of foreigners, affecting them so, that they are denied their procedures and have to abandon the country, reporting irregularities and misrepresentations in the paperwork they handle.

Be careful. The immigration process should be served only by a legally licensed practitioner, if you have questions or doubts about your advisor, urge them to show you his or her professional license to accredit a degree in law, and if they don´t or if they refuse to show it, disauthorize him or her from continuing your case, and report them to the immigration authorities.

In Monterrey, there are only a handful of lawyers who specialize in handling immigration matters that can properly and professionaly advise you; if you require asistance on immigration matters we are at your disposal to serve you in our offices located on Isaac Garza Street, Poniente, No. 1326, between Porfirio Diaz and Ignacio L. Vallarta Streets, in the downtown area of the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon; Phone No. 044811-2031390 and 8452-8343. Consultation prior appointment. Emails: mayla.lozano@hotmail.com; martinezylozanoabogados@hotmail.com; mi.services@hotmail.com.

INAMI=Instituto Nacional de Migración=National Immigration Institute