How to do Your Change of Address in Merida, Mexico

Every time you move to a different address, the government requires you to notify them of that change. Does everyone do it? No, not even born and raised Mexicans always do it either. Probably because it's a pain in the butt.

Here is our experience doing our change of address to hopefully help you if you are going to attempt this yourself.

You can go online to the INM website to find the information you need for your change of address. We are in a new rental so needed to update our visas with the new address, not only to be good law-abiding foreigners, but also before renewing our visas for another year so that info is up to date and we don't have any hiccups.

The process is free but you can hire expat services to help. They charge about $100 per person. So in the spirit of saving money and balking at how much we would be charged for something that is free, we undertook this task ourselves.

I printed all the information, filled out all the forms, put a paperclip on each person's stack. I had it all done.

                     

  via GIPHY

Here's what you need:

1. Letter stating under oath that the information is true. Can be obtained on the INM website to print and sign.(They have a certain form for both adults and minors so make sure you get the right one if you have kids.)

2. Document with a barcode and your information for the office. This is also obtained on their website and you print and sign. You have 30 days to use it or it expires and you have to print it again. (At the bottom there is a note where you can add authorized people who can handle your information. This is where I put my hubby's info on each of the children's forms.)

3. Passport and copy of it

4. Temporary or permanent visa and a copy

5. Proof of address via electric bill, water bill, or phone bill

Upon getting there we were told to wait in the line outside. We waited about 15 min and then were brought inside to wait again. It's supposed to be in the order that you sign in, but people are savage sometimes. The lady would just call out "information" and like 3 people would raise their hand and get up and go. So I had to show some muscle after waiting 30 minutes or so. In all actuality another lady waiting helped me out and let everyone know I was next. Finally it was our turn. I explained to the lady what we needed and she said ok well that has to be done before 9 am! It was 12:30pm. 

Good golly miss Molly! Welcome to Mexico! Couldn't the three other people I spoke to before whom I told what we needed not tell me this before I sat around for an hour? 

I guess not. It's to be expected though. So the following week, off we went again before 9 am this time, mind you. It's interesting to note, they say get there before 9 but they don't even open until 9am. We got there a little before 9 to be greeted by a line about a block long. Now the way the Merida office works is you go to the entrance ahead of everyone and tell the man what you are there for so he can take note of how many people need a certain procedure.

Once you do that you go to the end of the line. Then they'll start calling out procedures whether it be residente, cambio de domicilio, informacion, etc. They will then line everyone up in a certain area according to what you need done. Although sometimes they don't even know what line is for what. 

We waited about an hour or so outside until they allowed us in to sign our names and note the time. You then are directed to the lady at the counter who verifies your name and gives you a card with your window(ventanilla) and number for your place in line. Then you wait some more. At about 11:30 we got called up. The person helping you then checks your information, gets any signatures needed, and types in all the info. 

If you have children, you will do the signing for them.

By 11:55 we were done! Thank goodness I got all the paperwork correct.

It's important to note that for your change of address, copy what the electric bill or whatever other bill you are using EXACT. You may use a different one for deliveries or your bank but I've found the electric bills address for you is wonky and makes no sense but just copy it! 

This was our first attempt doing something like this ourselves and we saved $400. That's a win in my book.

Next week we are renewing our visas by ourselves so look out for information on that soon.

-Bee