What is an FM3?

The document known as the FM3 is granted to foreigners who enter the country as a nonimmigrant (except tourists).

By legal definition the non-immigrant is a foreigner with permission from the Interior Ministry (Secretaría de Gobernación) who enters into the country temporarily, into one of the following migratory characteristics:

1.- TOURIST.- For purposes of recreation or health, for artistic, cultural or sports activities, unpaid or for profit, with temporary non-renewable six-month maximum.

2.- TRANSMIGRANT.

3.- VISITOR.- To engage in the exercise of legal and honest gainful activity or not, with authorization to remain in the country for up to one year. Aplicable to alien visitors who during their stay live off resources brought from abroad, the income they produce or any income from abroad; or when their visit is for purposes of investment or to find alternatives for them; to engage in scientific activities technical, advisory, artistic, sporting or similar activities; when they enter the country to occupy positions of trust, or attend shareholder meetings of boards of companies; they may be granted up to four equal extensions in time, with multiple entrances and exits.

4.- MINISTER OF RELIGION OR RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS.

5.- POLITICAL ASYLUM

6.- REFUGEE.

7.- STUDENT.

8.- DISTINGUISHED VISITOR.

9.- LOCAL VISITORS.

10.- TEMPORARY VISITOR.

11.- CORRESPONDENT.

Of  all of these caracteristics the most common are NON IMMIGRANT VISITORS, which basically includes all workers who enter the country temporarily to perform any paid work in the country (profit) or unpaid (not profit).

Within the first clasification we can locate managers, supervisors and other positions of trust in companies, we can also fit the technical workers and skilled professionals who undertake business to perform a specific job.

Within the non-profit or non lucrative activities we have the foreigners family members such as the wife and children on these the law provides that any alien who enters the country as a nonimmigrant, can apply to bring their spouses and immediate family members, to which may be granted, without holding an own immigration status, the same immigration status and temporality as the non-immigrant visitor, but in the form or capacity of an economic dependent.

Other foreigners who do not engage in gainful activity are those who perform their work productively in Mexico but did not receive any remuneration for his work in the country, but the payment for the work performed in made in their country of origin.

It is important that when you present your case before the immigration authorities is to demonstrate through appropriate public documentation or other evidence, that the foreign worker has the technical, professional or empirical knowledge to do the job for which the authorization is requested and also that their presence will not prejudice or scathe the national worker base by not exceeding the quota of foreigners allowed by Mexican law (9 to 1), besides once having obtained the permit it is required that the company and the foreigner comply promptly and exactly with the terms in which the permission was grantes, on penalty of fines applying to both the company and foreign worker.

As you can see it requires a thorough knowledge of the rules applicable to foreigners in Mexico, knowledge and experience that we offer to you so you can obtain the necessary permits for your foreigners to work legally in Mexico.

We are available to advise you throughout the process of your application at our offices located on Isaac Garza No. 1326 Pte between Porfirio Diaz and Ignacio L. Vallarta Streets, in the downtown area of the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Telephones 8452-8343 and tMobilphone No. 0448112031390. Emails: mayla.lozano@hotmail.com; martinezylozanoabogados@hotmail.com; mi.services@hotmail.com.