Living & Lifestyle
February 25, 2023

Mexico Newsletter —
March 2023

Springtime in Mexico; long weekend holidays; immigration updates; (no)clock change; custom leisure tours; surviving the dry season; property & real estate...

by Matthew Harrup
Mexico Letter Box

Your monthly Mexico newsletter is filled with inspiration, meaningful knowledge, helpful connections, and tips for better living, lifestyle, and leisure in Mexico.

March highlights in Mexico

The month of March heralds a significant seasonal change as winter yields to spring, day- and night-time temperatures begin to climb significantly —even in the highland regions that get quite cool or cold through the winter— and the dry season becomes unavoidably noticeable with landscapes parched, and gardeners busy keeping plants in their home gardens refreshed with regular watering.

Hot-off-the-heels of last month’s long-weekend holiday commemorating the enactment of Mexico’s Constitution, March brings another long weekend holiday to mark the birth of Benito Juárez, Mexico’s most revered former president.

Wind storms can be experienced this time of year: they often arrive during seasonal changes and can appear from nowhere, sometimes causing structural damage, and electricity power cuts. (A reminder that home insurance coverage can allay the costs of damage if a wind storm affects your property.)

This month’s newsletter features articles and insights to help you prepare for and enjoy springtime in Mexico, as well some practical highlights about immigration and lifestyle.

Finally, a reminder that Mexico will not be moving its clocks forward this spring (except for some municipalities along the northern border that synchronize their clocks with corresponding border cities in the US), but clock changes elsewhere will create time differences to note when you plan travels and meetings

Wishing you and your family an enjoyable start to the spring season!

Medical Insurance vs Medical Evacuation Insurance

When you’re staying in Mexico longer-term, a travel insurance policy won’t cover you. You can learn about options for medical insurance coverages here. If you are covered under a medical plan in the US, a medical insurance evacuation plan could be helpful to you, for example, if you live here part of the year.

Immigration and residency updates

Highlights, reminders and helpful resources about immigration and residency

Mexico’s new automated immigration kiosks

Mexico has begun to roll-out new automated ‘immigration gates’ at ports of entry.  These gates read your biometric data and register your arrival in Mexico.  Not all ports use these automated gates yet.

We continue to receive messages from residents here that their entry record is mistakenly registering them as ‘visitors’ when they re-enter Mexico using these machines.

We therefore recommend that you do not use the automated immigration kiosks if you’re resident in Mexico, regardless of whether you are a Temporary or a Permanent resident.

We recommend that when you arrive in Mexico as a resident, you politely ask to be attended by an immigration official in person until the new kiosks are known to be processing residents correctly.

If you are given no choice at the port of entry but to use the machine, and you are mistakenly registered as a visitor, you can visit your local INM office for advice. We also recommend you keep records of your travels from/back to Mexico (e.g., flights) for future reference. This is an issue created by the INM’s machines and so ultimately the INM will need to resolve the issue for those affected.

Immigration updates and resources

Change of home address: If you are a legal foreign resident in Mexico and you move house, you need to attend your local INM office in person and file a change of address within 90 days of your move date.  We are hearing that some INM offices are now asking for proof of address when people attend to file this change. Most usually, this is in the form of a recent (within the last 3 months) electricity bill—so if you move house, be prepared to show this evidence in case the INM office you attend requests it as part of the filing procedure.

Paper FMM forms phase-out: Beginning the summer of 2022, Mexico started to phase out the paper version of the FMM forms.  As of now, many ports of entry across Mexico no longer use them, and visitors and residents are having a stamp placed in their passport instead.  See this article for more details.

Further resources:

Immigration Assistance

When you need assistance with your residency permit application or renewals, regularization procedures, expired permits, or troubleshooting, consider using our Mexico Immigration Assistance Service.

If you already have your visa and need help exchanging that for a residency card in Mexico, our associate offers a visa-to-card exchange assistance assistance package.

Mexico’s time zones and seasonal clock changes

An important reminder this month that Mexico will not be moving its clocks forward this spring (except for some municipalities along the northern border that synchronize their clocks with corresponding border cities in the US), but clock changes elsewhere will create time differences to note when you plan travels and meetings.

Mexico’s territory has four time zones, which themselves remain unchanged and unaffected by the abandonment of Mexico’s seasonal clock changes.

Long-weekend holiday in March

March is host to another long weekend holiday, commemorating the birth of Benito Juárez—one of the most revered of Mexico’s former political leaders.  The March 21st holiday was moved to the third Monday in March which this year falls on March 20th.

Your leisure time in Mexico

Whether you’re visiting Mexico for a vacation or living here and seeking to discover more of the the country you’ve adopted as your home, a custom tour enables you to make the most of your leisure time and absorb the experience of the activity instead of grappling with the details and logistics. Popular this time of year are bookings to visit Mexico’s Copper Canyon and walking tours of Mexico City.

Discover the benefits of a custom tour in Mexico

Mexperience works with selected travel partners who offer custom tours that take the care of all the details and enable you to get the most from your leisure time in Mexico.  Browse all custom tours offered via Mexperience.

Surviving the dry season

March through May can be challenging months in many regions across Mexico as the effects of the dry season become readily apparent.  For example, the dust and dander can cause sinus and eye irritations, and water supplies can become scarce in some places requiring skillful use of the liquid until the rains return around May, or in June to drench the landscapes and gardens and refill natural wells and homes’ underground cisterns.

Dry season sunsets: Sunsets in Mexico are spectacular this time of year, as the dry landscapes lend dust to rise high into the atmosphere that blends with setting sun rays to create compositions of extraordinary late evening light.

Insurance coverages for your life and lifestyle in Mexico

Connect to our insurance associates and get quotes online for essential insurance services that can mitigate the economic effects of unforeseen events and provide practical support through what are often difficult situations.

Springtime lifestyle and wellness in Mexico

Springtime in Mexico begins on or around March 21st each year. Here are some articles to help you slide into springtime here in Mexico:

Ice cream weather: March through May bring the hottest and driest days of the year, making ice cream a popular treat. Get the scoop on enjoying Mexican ice creams, including the wide range of unusual flavors you might not have tried yet.

Driving and road trips: Mexperience offers a wide range of articles and resources that will help you to plan your road trip in Mexico.  Download our free eBook about driving and road trips in Mexico, and don’t forget to arrange adequate vehicle insurance for your foreign-plated car.

Get the insurance coverage you need to drive with peace of mind in Mexico

Your US or Canadian auto insurance policy will not cover you for third party liability when you’re driving in Mexico.  Mexperience is pleased to refer our readers to MexPro auto insurance, which offers comprehensive coverages valid in Mexico using English-language policies backed by a fully-licensed US insurance broker.  Get a quote online.

No car, no car problems? Do you really need to own a car when you’re living in Mexico? Our article describes the opportunities and key matters to consider if you’re thinking about the possibility of living car-free here.

Outdoor get-togethers and dinner parties: The agreeable springtime climate and lengthening evening daylight are ideal for enjoying garden or terrace dinner parties with friends and family in Mexico. Many foreign residents like to fuse delicious local Mexican fare with a taste from their home country, and in this case you can learn about some of the specialist purveyors of imported food and drinks in Mexico.

Cultivating a fruitful home life in Mexico: Our section about Home Life in Mexico brings together articles and guides that share ideas, and help you to discover opportunities to enjoy your home lifestyle throughout the seasons in Mexico.

Jump into a Spanish language course this spring

Learning or improving your Spanish will enhance your experiences in Mexico if you’re visiting—and speaking at least a basic conversational level of Spanish is essential if you’re living here.

Real estate and property matters

We publish an enormous amount of insightful and practical knowledge about buying, owning, renting and selling property in Mexico.

Free eBook: Our free eBook about Real Estate in Mexico is the most comprehensive and impartial resource you’ll find online to help you learn about and understand how to buy, own, rent, and sell property in Mexico.

See also: Read the latest articles about property and real estate in Mexico; learn about working with realty agents, and download our free eBook about maintaining and securing your home in Mexico.

Realty consultants provide advice and practical assistance

Real estate consultants can provide helpful tele-assistance when you need advice about property purchases, rentals and sales, and can also provide practical advice about legal and tax matters related to real estate. Meet our real estate associates.

Discover and experience more of Mexico

Mexperience helps you discover Mexico and experience the wide range of opportunities available here for lifestyle and leisure.

Mexico Lifestyle

Whether you’re considering a move to Mexico, in the throes of moving here, and even if you’re already here and considering ways to reformulate your current situations, our Mexico lifestyle planning articles and eBooks provide invaluable help and local knowledge:

Mexico Leisure

Whether you’re visiting Mexico or living here, there’s an abundance of travel and leisure options for you to explore and experience.

Mexico Essentials

Articles and insights about essential things you need to know as you make your Mexico lifestyle and leisure plans

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