[gringotim]

Been reading for years how some consulate officials interpret the financial requirements for visas differently than others. Some are more lenient, some are more strict, so wondering if anyone has any "recent" experiences with how the Vancouver BC office is?. Ex: If current monthly income is on the low side , do they give much consideration to amount in your bank account/investments etc and value of property owned in Mexico etc . Gracias

 

[circle110]

Been reading for years how some consulate officials interpret the financial requirements for visas differently than others. Some are more lenient, some are more strict, so wondering if anyone has any "recent" experiences with how the Vancouver BC office is?. Ex: If current monthly income is on the low side , do they give much consideration to amount in your bank account/investments etc and value of property owned in Mexico etc . Gracias

When you say, "on the low side" - there is no low side, there is a limit. You can use either monthly income or bank/investment accounts. Here is what the Vancouver Consulate uses as its limits for RT:

*investment or bank statements showing an average monthly balance of $27,654.00 Canadian dollars during the past twelve months; or
*employment or a pension with a monthly tax-free income of over $1,659.00 Canadian dollars during the past six months.

If you don't meet either of those requirements, you're out of luck. They do not look at other net worth measures, just tho two things above.

 

[gringotim]

.......They do not look at other net worth measures, just tho two things above.

Over the years I remember reading on more than one occasion that they will often lower the monthly income requirement if you own property in Mexico, was that never true, or it was, but isn't true anymore or???:noidea:

 

[TundraGreen]

Over the years I remember reading on more than one occasion that they will often lower the monthly income requirement if you own property in Mexico, was that never true, or it was, but isn't true anymore or???:noidea:

:noidea: When I applied for Residente Permanente, 8 years ago now, I showed them the escritura (deed) on my house in Mexico. They had no interest. They just wanted to see bank statements showing my monthly income.

 

[circle110]

Over the years I remember reading on more than one occasion that they will often lower the monthly income requirement if you own property in Mexico, was that never true, or it was, but isn't true anymore or???:noidea:

Back in 2008 when I first started to read up on residency in Mexico I read that under a previous law there was indeed a different, lower limit if you owned a home in Mexico, but for the last 10+ years that hasn't been the case. It is purely either your monthly income or a high enough total investment/savings account.

Of course, these requirements are just for the "rentista" class of residency. There are a whole bunch of other ways as well but they might not apply to you (you could get admitted to a university and come in on a student visa or you could marry a Mexican and use "vinculo familiar" or you could invest in a Mexican company or you could be offered a job by a Mexican company or you could be a scientific researcher and come to do your research, etc.)

 

[ojosazules11]

I was quite sure that I had read that under the current "Ley de Migración" owning real estate in Mexico is one of the ways to qualify for a Temporary Resident visa. On the website of the Mexican Consulate in Vancouver, it does indicate that owning real estate of sufficient value in Mexico can qualify you for a RT visa. You just have to scroll pretty far down to find it.

https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/vancouver/index.php/consular-services-foreigners/visas

Under "Types of Visas", click on the "Temporary Resident" line to expand it. You then have to scroll quite a ways down through all the ways to qualify for an RT visa, past a) Economic Solvency, b) Scientific Research, c) Invitation from an organization or a public or private institution, d) Under the auspices of an international legal instrument governing mobility of people and e) Family Unity section. Finally, just past the "Requirements to Prove a Common-Law Relationship" you will find:

f) Real Estate Property in Mexican territory:

Original and a photocopy of the Public Deed signed before a Commissioner of Oaths certifying that the foreigner is the holder of real estate with a value exceeding $3,201,600.00 Mexican pesos or its equivalent of $221,231.00 Canadian dollars.

If you continue to section g) you will find the requirements for those who have various types of investments in Mexico, which also qualifies for RT visa.

Good luck!

 

[circle110]

Well, I stand corrected.

But, you can't take a little of this and a little of that to make up a sum total.

Well, actually, there is a way you can because there is also a points system. I have never needed to investigate the details but there are points awarded to different eligibility standards and if you have enough total points, you can qualify. I don't see the point system mentioned on the Vancouver site though.

In any case, you have to figure it all out first and apply under the appropriate visa type.

If gringotim would share more information on is situation, it might be easier to assess his best chance.

The link from ozosazules basically explains it all from the Vancouver Consulate point of view. That's what I used -- I just didn't scroll enough!

 

[gringotim]

..... it does indicate that owning real estate of sufficient value in Mexico can qualify you for a RT visa... !

My common laws pension is about 40% more than the $1659.00 CDN amount required for her, but I don't receive a pension yet, and even when I do, it won't meet the required amount, so guess i'll have to go with the ""average monthly balance of $27,654.00 Canadian dollars during the past twelve months"", but is it that easy? I thought it would be tougher to qualify, or am I missing something? Also, we will be buying a condo for over""$3,201,600.00 Mexican pesos or its equivalent of $221,231.00 Canadian dollars."" as per Category (F). :fingerscrossed:

 

[travelingrae]

I went through the process at the Montreal consulate in March. I met the income requirements (which are after taxes), but it was complicated to prove it since I'm self-employed so my money goes into different accounts and I don't get a nice regular paycheque. But I had savings and investments worth more than they were asking for, so I thought I'd get in with those.

Well, they accepted the savings and investments documents, but they still asked for proof of income as well. So the OR became an AND for me. Thankfully, I'm a belt, suspenders, and duct tape kind of gal, so I was prepared for that scenario and had pieced together the puzzle that is my cashflow as neatly as I could and they were satisfied... after doing a thorough check that my clients exist... and that I'd had that level of income going back two years.

What I took from that experience is that the information on the website is just general guidelines and the consular office has lots of discretionary power. Go in prepared with lots of extra paperwork and copies just in case. I only had one shot at the consulate, so I came in with a stack of paper literally 6" thick and I ended up needing all of it!

 

[ojosazules11]

My common laws pension is about 40% more than the $1659.00 CDN amount required for her, but I don't receive a pension yet, and even when I do, it won't meet the required amount, so guess i'll have to go with the ""average monthly balance of $27,654.00 Canadian dollars during the past twelve months"", but is it that easy? I thought it would be tougher to qualify, or am I missing something? Also, we will be buying a condo for over""$3,201,600.00 Mexican pesos or its equivalent of $221,231.00 Canadian dollars."" as per Category (F). :fingerscrossed:

If your common law partner meets the requirements, you should be fine. First of all, your partner can get their RT visa at the Consulate, go to Mexico and get all the in-country paperwork done. Of course, you can accompany your partner on the 180 day visitor permit. After your partner has their RT finalized, then they can sponsor you under the "Family Unity" section- same link, section e). Under family unity, you can apply from within Mexico. The financial requirements (proof of economic solvency to show the applicant can support the family member) for that are much lower. As long as you have 12 months of bank statements showing an average balance greater than CDN$553, you should meet the requirements. Actually, how I read the following information is that even for this process, it will still be your partner's financial information which is required. But as travellingrae points out, it's still a good idea to take documentation of your own bank statements, just in case. Better to have extra documentation and not need it, than to need extra documentation and not have it.

On the previously linked website, there is specific information on what documentation is required as proof of the common-law relationship. It can be found after the section which I've excerpted below.

e) Family Unity:

Family Unity Applications can only be accepted at an Embassy or Consular Office if the Mexican citizen or foreigner with temporary or permanent resident status in Mexico is outside Mexico and accompanies the family member at the time the application is submitted. Family ties must be proven as follows:

Ties with a foreigner who holds a temporary resident visa or temporary student resident visa:
If the applicant is the spouse or common-law partner of the foreigner holding a temporary resident or temporary student resident visa, ties can be demonstrated by a marriage certificate or common-law certificate or equivalent figure issued by a competent authority in conformity with the applicable legislation in the country where the legal ceremony took place, original and a photocopy; .....

.....

Economic solvency to support each of the family members during their stay in the country, may be proven with:
Original and a photocopy of investment receipts or bank statements showing an average monthly balance of $553.00 Canadian dollars during the past twelve months; or
Original and a photocopy of documents showing that the applicant has employment or a pension with a tax-free monthly income greater than $553.00 Canadian dollars during the past six months.

 

[gringotim]

.......What I took from that experience is that the information on the website is just general guidelines and the consular office has lots of discretionary power. ....!

I knew it wasn't my imagination, hence my original post. This is what I have been hearing for years, both on this forum and others. Think maybe like you, only some have experienced it, but most haven't.:whoo:

 

[travelingrae]

I knew it wasn't my imagination, hence my original post. This is what I have been hearing for years, both on this forum and others. Think maybe like you, only some have experienced it, but most haven't.:whoo:

I was a civil servant myself in Canada for a number of years and I know a lot of this is about covering your posterior. The person who signs off on your visa application, if questioned by superiors, has to prove that due diligence was met. If you're a "rentista" with a regular monthly pension that meets or exceeds the income requirements, it's a no brainer to sign off on the application since economic solvency is a given.

But if you're a self-employed person who is going to keep working from Mexico for the foreseeable future, it makes sense that you would have to prove that you've been earning sufficient income for a few years and have a steady enough client base to make it evident that you're likely to continue to make that income in the future and won't become a financial burden on Mexico.

So it really isn't an issue of being difficult or demanding. I was granted my temporary residency yesterday (received the official letter, yay, and am waiting to get fingerprinted) and I found the entire process to be very logical and easy. As well as fast!

Good luck with your application!