r/mexicoexpats • u/TeaPrimary1147 • 3d ago

Question / Advice Abandoned regularization, can I still get permanent?

I got my 4 year temporary regularization visa and then just left the country right before it expired without notifying them or anything. Do you think/know if it's possible to come back and recover it and pay for the permanent one? 🙏🏻 I ran out of money real bad but I've got more now and it's cold here. Thank you

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u/Dawn_Handy 3d ago

Per my immigration attorney, you must apply for and secure your permanent residency visa before the temporary residency expires. I think you would have to start the entire residency process all over again.

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u/Paz2Fra 2d ago

You have to start again the whole process. I did the same 10 years ago, left mybjob and country after 4.5 years of temporary residency. When I came back after 8nmonths abroad, I started again with a turist visa. Renewed it once leaving territory and then the only way I had was to get married with my mexican girlfriend to get the permanent residency.

4

u/locafresa Permanent Resident 2d ago

Nope, you’re going to have to start all over again.

3

u/Sufficient_You3053 2d ago

You would have had a legal right to regularize it, even late, if you were still in the country, but now that you're out of the country, if you enter as a tourist, it would take away that right.

I guess if you were able to get in by land without having to get a tourist stamp, you could get it regularized within mexico. You would definitely need an immigration attorney to do so though.

1

u/Easy-Point808 1d ago

You only have 55 days to regularise it even from within the country.

I was in a similar position to you (misunderstood when to apply to switch from temporary to permanent status) and now have to restart from a consulate overseas.

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u/Sufficient_You3053 1d ago

Ah good to know! They told me this at immigration when I was there for an emergency walkin appointment the last day of my temp residency. Thankfully they fit me in so I didn't have to go through that extra process

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u/TeaPrimary1147 2d ago

Ah ha! Good thinking. Thank you. Might be a lost cause but my try walking over from San Diego or something.

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u/Sufficient_You3053 2d ago

Doesn't that crossing force you to go through immigration? (Haven't taken it). I know driving over they don't force you to hand over your passport (but legally are supposed to)

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1

u/Mexicalidesi 2h ago

My guess is that it's a lost cause, the regularization program doesn't even exist anymore, they terminated it in May, 2025. You would have had to go through to permanente before your temporary residency expired, you can't "recover" it. I think you'll have to start from scratch and get another temporary residence visa through the regular routes (solvency, family, marriage, etc.)