Living & Lifestyle
January 30, 2023

Mexico Newsletter —
February 2023

Immigration updates for 2023; Long-weekend holiday; eBook updates; Butterflies peak viewing season; tips for winter wellness; dry season benefits & challenges

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.

February highlights in Mexico

Those who were served a sliced of Rosca on January 6th containing a baby doll traditionally host a party at their home on February 2nd, Candlemass, and serve tamales to their guests.

February also brings the first long weekend holiday of the year to mark Mexico’s Constitution Day, and the Jacaranda trees will begin to bloom across Mexico during mid-to-late February, dressing their branches with bursts of color and afterwards covering the gardens, streets, and lanes beneath them with a carpet of their distinctive purple flowers.

The cold spells, which can be felt especially across the country’s highland regions, begin to diminish by late February as air temperatures begin to warm-up considerably heralding the passing of winter and the first glimpses of spring leading into March.

Immigration updates

New qualification criteria came into effect from January 1; paper FMMs are being phased out across all ports, and a warning about the new automated immigration kiosks if you’re resident in Mexico.

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.  Don’t use the automated immigration kiosks if you’re resident in Mexico, regardless of whether you are a Temporary or a Permanent resident. Some residents have been mistakenly registered as visitors by these machines.  We recommend that when you arrive in Mexico as a resident, you ask to be attended by an immigration official until the new kiosks are known to be processing residents appropriately.

Residency qualification for 2023

There was no indication that Mexican consulates abroad would adopt UMA this year—and they didn’t.  To qualify for residency using income or savings/investments, applicants applying via consulates need to show multiples of Mexico’s Daily Minimum Wage—that rose another 20% this year.

Paper FMMs being replaced by stamps in passports

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 instead visitors and residents are having a stamp placed in their passport.

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.

Lake Chapala lifestyle discovery program: February 26th

If you’ve been considering a move to the Lake Chapala region in Mexico, the Focus on Mexico team have announced additional dates for the 6-day “life at Lakeside” program that enables you to discover local lifestyle opportunities there and determine if the Lake Chapala area is right for your lifestyle intentions.  The next  program is taking place between February 26th and March 3rd, 2023.

Last call for Monarch butterfly tours

Peak viewing season at the butterfly sanctuaries is here; the butterflies begin to depart in early March.  If you want to see them this winter, now is the time to arrange your visit.

Mexico eBooks updated for 2023

Visit our Mexico eBooks library and download the 2023 versions of our Mexico eBooks—the most complete and comprehensive online collection of eBooks about lifestyle in Mexico. Every title is offered as a free download.

Don’t miss the dry season sunsets

Sunsets 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.

Long weekend holiday

Mexico marks the enactment of its Constitution in February—one of the three national holidays that were moved to the closest Monday to create long weekend holidays.  Roads, bus stations, and airports are busier than usual during the long holiday weekends, and advance travel planning in recommended.

Winter wellness in Mexico

Mexico offers relatively mild winter climates in many places, accompanied by crisp and bright days with springlike air temperatures even at higher elevations. Here are some articles and guides to help you make the most of the winter season in Mexico:

Coverage for your travels and lifestyle

Winter is a good time of year to take stock of your lifestyle arrangements and make plans for the year ahead.  Having insurance coverage for key aspects of your lifestyle helps to manage the risk and mitigate the financial consequences of having to deal with unforeseen events.  We offer a range of guides and connections to help you get your insurance coverages organized for 2023.

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.

Winter leisure tours

Whether you’re visiting Mexico for a short 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.

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Discover and experience more of Mexico

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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:

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