Bus to Vallarta

Took a Coordinados bus from Melaque because it was the next to leave and little did I know it was going to become a milk run.  We made 16+ plus stops along the way.  Last time I took one that was headed south at 11:30 PM and only one stop.

I'm grateful US passports are issued for 10 years so I don't have t do it soon or maybe never again. The last renewal was in Vallarta in 2007. Last time I drove but I hardly recognize the town anymore and highway 200 is a mess with the construction.

I never got a hotel recommendation of a hotel near the bus station but Hotel Terminal is less than 2 blocks away. Nice and inexpensive. Try to get away from the street as it's a busy street.

Up in the morning and grabbed a taxi from the bus station for only 140 pesos. I was early so had time to have some pictures taken. The consulate suggests you download the application and have it filled out but they will give you the form at the window and you can fill it out there. Worked well for me

Boy have I been lazy with this blog

Visa under the new rules

I decided to deal with my visa early this year rather than wait till the last minute and was interested in the new process. I got to Immigration a minute before 9am and got ticket #11. It was a quarter to 12 before I finished with my paperwork. The reasons for it being so slow were people coming in for new cards that had arrived, people making a second trip to be finger printed and half the people didn't know the rules had changed and had to have all the options explained to them. I had a great interviewer and the prettiest one in the building. I was pleased with myself that I didn't have to revert to English once. She allowed me to be finger printed the same day when I told her I drive a kid to school every day. Others are making 3 trips but I'll make only two.

I took in the online form and a request letter but all they wanted was my old visa, my passport and 6 months of bank statements. The income level was not mentioned so I assume renewals are using the same levels as before. Only new applicants need to meet the $1900-2000us levels. I walked away with a 2 year visa that will be ready in 3-4 weeks with a cost of about 4800 pesos.

I was surprised to see so many people that didn't know the rules had changed. I guess they don't spend much time on the Internet. Two couples were forced to move to permanent resident because they had 3 or 4 renewals. Their only other option was to leave the country and apply at a Consulate. The guy interviewing them also asked if they owned a house and needed their fideicomiso (bank trust) and copies of tax records. Why he as asking about owning a house I have no idea because it will not effect the outcome. These poor uninformed people didn't know the difference between a fideicomiso and a presta nombre which is what they had but insisted it was a fideicomiso. Maybe they just wanted to shake their heads YES to everything because they were so lost?

Captain of the Port of Manzanillo

New Immigration Office