#451 – The Expat Files: Residency, Citizenship, and Practical Tips for Living in Latin America

Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.

[00:00] South of the border down Mexico way That's where I fell in love when the stars above came up to play and now I wonder Hello there all you expat wannabes. I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America The show that tells you just what it's like to live work play and or retire down here in Latin America It's a mix of the good the bad the ugly and the great and it's all right here. So let's get started Okay, then welcome back to part two of how to get residency both permanent and temporary leading to a full passport and citizenship in a Latin American country and Again, we'll be focusing on a 100% true case of a person that came down to one of my expat wisdom seminars

[00:50] And it's now completed the process and has that little plastic identity card called the DPI which stands for documento personnel the Identity that that's document of personal identification. Oh, yeah, it looks very first-world and professional It even has that little RFID chip in it, which doesn't work and never will Oh, and by the way when Latin countries contract out to do that kind of work Who do you think they contract first-world companies just like they contract first-world companies when they have their currency printed out They don't have companies that can do it down here. That would be a joke instead they contract European US and Canadian companies to do that kind of work and like I said in last week's show Latin governments are

[01:36] Unbelievably lazy and inept and corrupt beyond hope of course, but we knew that now just for a little backup proof for those of you Who still don't quite believe it like I really have to dig deep Why you might ask do they even have an RFID chip in an official identity document that doesn't freakin work Well, that's because it certainly looks like a real first world style document and looks all shiny and techie and first-world and official Now really I'm not making that up. That's exactly what a high-end government guy told me in Spanish and in a roundabout way Of course and get this when I asked him if the government even had any chip readers He kind of gave me a blank stare at first and then he repeated the words Chip reader as if he'd never heard those two words strung together before now at that point

[02:26] I would have bet a hundred bucks. I knew exactly what he was thinking chip readers, huh? Hmm. Guess we should have ordered some of those Yeah, gotta love it now. Don't you anyway when you finally get that police report back in your hands from the Guatemalan consulate? And to refresh your memory just go back to my last show up to that point. It's all laid out completely and in great detail there Anyway, like I said Once you've got that police report in hand and you've gone through all those preliminary steps up in the states You either bring it on down with you or send it certified mail DHL or UPS courier to your Latin lawyer in Guatemala Now note all the major international couriers like UPS DHL and FedEx They service pretty much all of Latin America, too

[03:12] But do note if you send anything down to Latin America via one of these couriers or send anything up to the states or Europe Or whatever from Latin America using one of these couriers. It's gonna cost you anywhere from 60 to 100 bucks Expensive yes for a simple letter or document, but you know, what's gonna get there 100% reliable and you could go on your computer at any time and check the tracking number and watch it as It makes its way south of the border. That said once you settle down here in Latin America You'll probably never have to use those expensive courier services again Instead you'll more than likely use one of those private mailbox services ones down here that are similar to mailboxes, etc That have an office in Miami. Yep

[03:58] It seems like all of those services throughout Latin America have an office where in Miami and of course branch offices near big airports all throughout Latin America And I suggest you use those services to or as some people do they piggyback on the service of their trustee Latin American lawyer They all use those mailbox services that originate in Miami because you see once you're in the groove down here in Latin America You'll see that you can send things back and forth from the states Even very important documents that you'd never want to see lost for well under 10 bucks for a letter or a document In fact, I've had things sent from people in Chicago to me and I tell them to just address it to a service in Miami What they do is they send it registered mail from the US post office

[04:43] What's that cost five bucks? Maybe and it lands at that private mail service in Miami Then it's sorted and sent by plane to one of their offices closest to where you are according to a specific code you put on the outside of the envelope and it lands at the closest Latin International Airport near you the service picks it up at the airport and brings it to their office nearby as soon as it arrives They notify you by email and you could either go down and pick it up yourself Or they'll come right to your office or whatever location you tell them in that country for like three bucks Now I'm talking about regular letters and documents Of course, if it's a parcel that weighs over a pound Let's say you'll pay more accordingly But just know that at first you might have to pay sixty two hundred bucks to have documents sent back and forth though

[05:33] After you're settled in you'll find there's some very very cheap and just as secure alternatives for under ten bucks But I digress as usual anyway back to residency now once again remember if you have a pension or Social Security of a thousand dollars or over and Can prove it at least when you and your lawyer are filing the paperwork Then you can skip that temporary residency two-year wait and go right to permanent residency Which will lead to a passport in Guatemalan citizenship in five years again? We're talking about Guatemala here particularly because so many people have sent me emails Asking if it's possible after they attend the expat wisdom seminar in July If they can just stay on a week or two and get that paperwork going for Guatemalan residency

[06:22] You know kill two birds with one stone and while I'm at it. Let's talk about that seminar for a second Yes, you too can come down to the expat wisdom seminar in July Spend a couple extra weeks there after the seminar and apply for your temporary or permanent residency Just go to www expat wisdom calm click on the Latin seminar link for full details And don't forget to sign up before May 1st because the prices go up five hundred dollars per person Oh, and by the way for all you guys and girls out there who've been sending me emails saying well You'd like to come down But you really need a little bit more Hand-holding to figure out what to bring what to wear how to manage yourself and your things once you get down there since your Spanish sucks In fact one lady said I really want to come down

[07:09] But what happens if my plane is late or delayed and I'm stuck at the airport And I don't know what to say what to do or who to turn to in fact She's one first world lady who's never been out of the country before well just remember This is a hand-holding trip all the way and we do pick you up at the airport right when you walk out the doors Yep, it's curb service and another really big help is the fact that I send out six Extensive seminar messages one every two or three weeks as the time approaches Explaining nearly everything and anything you need to know about coming on down in fact We discuss how to dress how to pack when where and how much of your money should change to the local currency We talked about the food and the arrangements and the transportation and yes We've had a lot of vegans and people on limited and strange diets

[07:57] We accommodate everyone and yes in those messages we talk about vaccinations, too Which you don't need any by the way what a relief, huh? Anyway, just remember you're not on your own. We're holding your hand all the way not to mention as soon as you arrive We give you a free cell phone That's all charged up with minutes and all the functions have been switched to English So now you can communicate with me and everyone at the expat wisdom seminar. Yep We've got all the bases covered and single ladies. Don't worry Dozens of singles have come down and of course we have that strict no gringo left behind policy and that means gringas, too Okay enough said about that back to residency Let me repeat this because this is important, too

[08:42] If you're skipping that temporary residency part and going direct to permanent residency You'll have to bring proof of that $1,000 a month or more income You'll need to bring proof of this pension or monthly income to your lawyer in Guatemala by bringing a certified Document from your social security department or from your pension accounting department or trust it must then be certified by your own states State Department and then authenticated by the closest Guatemalan counselor office Just like you did with that police report and again, that's explained in great detail in the previous show So go back and review it now Let's talk about some frequently asked questions people who send emails to me all the time asking me little bits and pieces about this process

[09:30] number one exactly how long does it take for temporary and permanent residency Again, I repeat for the residency process whether it's temporary or permanent You must be in Guatemala or your Latin country for a couple of weeks about 10 to 15 days to complete the filing now remember you'll spend some time in your lawyer's office and He'll walk you down to the proper government agencies during that time because you'll have to show up get your photo taken Sign a few things etc. And note for most countries off the gringo tourist trail like Guatemala You can leave the country after you've filed But you must be in this case in Guatemala at least get this one day a year

[10:19] Beginning as soon as you file your application Now that's not true in countries like Costa Rica and Panama and Mexico, etc With countries on the gringo tourist trail, they're quite a lot more strict about that Sometimes you have to be in your Latin country 30 60 90 or even 180 days a year to maintain that temporary or permanent residency Which is why I repeat you must really start thinking about getting on this permanent or temporary residency thing and Guatemala's are a very good country to do that in because you only have to be here one day a year One of the most lenient residency policies there is but like other Latin countries on the gringo tourist trail This is bound to change some time or another but right now. It's a very big advantage in selling point

[11:07] Now once you've applied for temporary or permanent residency The waiting game will begin and the process will take from six to eight months till you actually receive your personal identity residency card called a DPI Now no, you'll only get that little credit card size DPI With a non-functional RFID chip in it in that nice You'll only get that little card for permanent residency if you get temporary residency You'll just get a stamp on your passport indicating such Then after being a temporary resident for two years, you'll get that permanent DPI card and note this also important upon Applying you will get a certified paper copy that shows you have applied for residency

[11:52] You'll get that whether you've applied for a permanent or temporary residency and at that point you will be immediately In the system and considered a resident even though you haven't actually got the final word that your residency went through How do you like that and from then on you will no longer have to leave the country every 90 days like tourists do To prove you haven't stayed over and violated your tourist visa So once you've actually applied for a permanent or temporary residency Basically, you're in That's why you should always carry the paper you received when you applied for residency when you're traveling in and out of Guatemalan borders and When booking air flights because like I mentioned in a previous show these days when you're flying from anywhere into a Latin country

[12:41] They'll ask you at the airport if you have a return ticket, and if you don't they'll make you buy one right there Meaning you can't come in on a one-way ticket But now that you've applied for residency whether it's temporary or permanent in a Latin country You'll have that certified paper copy, and you'll flash that and the question cease Okay, the next most frequently asked question is how much do residencies cost and how much does it cost on through the residency program? resulting in citizenship and a passport well in Guatemala the temporary residency costs about 1500 bucks the permanent residency about 1700 and the naturalization process leading to a passport about

[13:27] 2100 bucks those are today's costs and that's why it is Preferable to go right to permanent residency if you can then you can realize the savings of 1500 bucks that's the temporary residence fee and You also shorten the process in getting your final passport and citizenship by two to three years Now by the way you can go on the internet and find so-called lawyers outfits That'll get you temporary and permanent residency in Guatemala and other Latin countries for around six to eight thousand bucks My recommendation skip those internet deals you just could be sinking money down a black hole Instead if you come down yourself and hook up with a trusted recommended lawyer You'll be paying less than half even less than a quarter in some cases if you go straight to permanent residency

[14:15] And of course through a recommended lawyer. It's a hundred percent legit Okay, then let's talk about the normal time frame for this for the temporary residency Including the processing which could take anywhere from a couple months to six or even eight months figure the total time You'll have that temporary residency will be two to three years Then from there you move to permanent residency right away and the length of that period is five years After that five years of permanent residency you'll be able to achieve a Guatemalan citizenship and obtain the Guatemalan passport Next question how many days do I have to be in Guatemala to sign these things and do that paperwork process? Well, some people think they can't leave once they've applied and must remain in Guatemala for a long period of time or lose residency

[15:06] That's not true. It may be true in other Latin countries Especially the ones that are gringo fired like Costa Rica and Panama But in Guatemala and other Latin countries off the gringo tourist trail. It's just not true The fact is clients applying for residency in Guatemala have to be in the country only from 10 to 15 days to file that application During that time that 10 or 15 days They'll be asked to go to a few government offices at varying times accompanied by their lawyer or one of their lawyers staff members Then people can leave the country right after filing that application However from then on they must come back to Guatemala at least one day a year To keep that residency valid now. I said that before but you have to know that really is a convenience

[15:55] I mean, come on, what could be easier than that? Okay. Here's another frequently asked question for pension Autos those are people who are going straight to permanent residency The ones skipping temporary residency because they have a monthly outside income of a thousand dollars or greater The question is what papers and proof do they need from USA banks Social Security and pension funds, etc Well, what you need is a certified letter from the pension plan from your trust or Social Security that states the monthly income Of at least a thousand bucks. It must then be authenticated by your state and the nearest Guatemalan consulate as Described earlier. So just go back to the last show interview with that Okay, the next question that comes up all the time

[16:42] Is there a time limit on any of the paperwork you must supply from up in the first world? Well, yes that police slash good conduct report you get from the sheriff's office and proof of Social Security or pension fund income, etc Must have been issued no more than six months from the date. You submit your application for residency and note as for your US passport it has to be valid more than six months from the date. You submit your application, too So for example, if it's set to expire in four or five months You better go get it renewed before you come down and apply for residency or the Guatemalan officials just won't accept it Okay, here's another frequently asked question. Is there any difference between a nationalized citizens passport and a native-born

[17:31] Citizens passport as to the actual look of the passport or as to the rights of privilege as you get by having that passport Well, the answer to that is nope You have all the rights and privileges of a native-born Guatemalan Including the right to be equally lied to and bullshitted by your new Latin government and all its scumbag politicians But you're living up in the States. So you're more than used to that drill, right? But I digress as usual and do note that once you are a full citizen and have your passport It cannot be revoked unless you do something extremely stupid like getting caught spying against your new government Committing treason or selling state secrets. Yep. I said selling state secrets Now I know that some of you guys and gals are there are troublemakers and anarchists at heart and you're gonna try to get Latin

[18:34] American citizenship just to steal those state secrets aren't you? Well, suppose you didn't suppose you got caught Well, even so they probably won't get around to your trial for 10 years or so And if you have the dough probably never that's just the way things are down here And the fact is in my 25 plus years in Latin America I've never seen a case like that in the press or heard anything about one in any Latin country and in fact I've never ever come across a case and I read the papers all the time of a person who's had his passport revoked for any Reason which brings us to the next most frequently asked question Am I required to renounce my US citizenship upon getting my Guatemalan or any other Latin American

[19:20] Citizenship or passport and the answer to that is well in a casual Latin style way Yes, you have to renounce but note It's not formal or valid in the eyes of the US authorities You simply upon reciting the oath as you obtain your Guatemalan nationality You must mouth the words that you renounce all other Citizenships you might hold but also note you do not sign anything formally to that effect Certainly not to the US authorities and don't forget this to really and truly renounce your citizenship in the eyes of big brother and your perverted uncle Sam You must go through a long and complicated process and swear an oath in front of the US authorities and have a few exit

[20:06] Interviews then you must pay the fines and penalties and fees associated with renouncing Then you must completely square your tax position with the IRS and all that before you ever renounce up in the states It's a big process and there's a lot of hurdles to jump and by the way when you do receive your Guatemalan or any other Latin passport you're under no obligation to report that to the US government Nor does your new Latin country report to the US that you've suddenly or not so suddenly been awarded Citizenship there now, I know all this sounds a little strange, but that's the way they do things down here Alright now the next most frequently asked question is once I have a Guatemalan or Latin American passport What other countries can I visit on my new passport that have good visa free travel?

[20:55] And the answer to that is with a Guatemalan passport and most Latin passports except maybe Venezuela and Cuba You can visit over 100 countries without applying for a visa In other words just show up at the international airport or border of another country and you automatically get a 30 60 90 or 180 day visa So you can travel to almost all Latin American countries and Caribbean countries with the notable exception of Mexico Now if you remember on previous shows I mentioned that Mexico requires almost all other Latin countries to apply for a visa at their consulate It's all about the fact that so many illegals slip into Mexico trying to get to the states In fact millions of them a year So they allow other Latins to have a 48 hour waiver to slip through their country

[21:44] But to stay for a month or two or three to just visit and be a tourist or do business If you're from another Latin country you have to apply for a tourist visa and prove that you have a stable job And you're making enough dough to be a real tourist Meaning in this case if you're traveling around on your Guatemalan passport You can't even go on a cheap Cancun charter flight unless you go on to the Mexican Embassy first and jump through a million hoops Yet oddly enough you can travel to many many first world countries without a visa For example, you can go for six months to the UK Just show up there with your passport at the airport and you're in and with a Guatemalan passport You can go to any European country in the EU on a 90-day tourist visa, too Just show up and you're in and that includes Israel, Japan, Russia, Hong Kong and China, too

[22:33] Now this is kind of crazy The only other Latin country that gives Guatemala or any other Latin country a bad time with visas is little Costa Rica Why? Because they've developed as most people will tell you down here in Latin America a better than thou attitude Toward the rest of their Latin American neighbors. In other words, they feel their feces is not melodorous In fact, one Costa Rica lawyer told me that now that Costa Rica is Gringoized their loath to be lumped in with those other poorer undeveloped less educated Latin countries Hmm. The fact is they don't even want the gringos there anymore They want them all to just get the hell out because they say now Costa Rica has a thriving little economy and the gringos are just superfluous

[23:18] Oh sure They want gringo tourists to come for a weekend or a week or a month But they don't want gringos to retire or live there any longer And if you don't believe that just pick up any of the Costa Rican newspapers and read the op-ed pages But unfortunately, you'll have to know a bit of Spanish to do that By the way one more thing since Belize and Guatemala are always feuding with each other since a long time ago According to Spanish colonial documents at least half of Belize used to be part of Guatemala Meanwhile, the British claimed it was theirs and so the dispute began Therefore Guatemala thinks it's been screwed somehow out of a very long Caribbean coastline The feeling around Guatemala is that Belize should still be part of their country and Belize naturally is sort of

[24:05] pissed off about that So if you pick up any of the local Guatemalan or Belize newspapers or talk to anyone that lives near that border There are always scattered little incidents between Belize and Guatemalan folks living near those borders So there is that occasional routiness and unpleasantness between the two countries That's why when you buy car and health insurance in Central America, you're covered in all countries except Belize Now that said a final question is often asked if you hold a Guatemalan or other Latin American passport Dual citizenship totally legal as far as US authorities are concerned Which passport should you use when traveling back to the states? Yes, occasionally We all go back for something or another if not just to watch your friends and relatives shift the deck chairs on the Titanic

[24:53] So then which passport should you use to enter the country? Well always use your US passport because if you use your Latin American one Guatemalan or whatever You will get pulled off to the side and shoved into a little cubicle and quizzed until you've missed your connecting flights and beyond The first accusatory barrage of questions being how why when and where would you do such a thing? No matter how you answer that you'll be stuck in a loop now never say even though you're thinking it It's because of ass wipes like you Let's just say you never want to be stuck in a little cubicle answering TSA questions at all So just make it easy on yourself and use your US passport when you're going to the states however as For the rest of the world at least if you're traveling to one of those hundred plus countries that you don't need a visa to

[25:42] Get into use your Guatemalan or whatever Second passport you happen to get and do remember when you're traveling the world particularly in parts of Europe and the Middle East Etc. If you happen to find yourself in a dicey situation It seems to be a common pattern these days Anyway, the bad guys prefer to toss the US citizens off the plane first Not to mention when you're far away from home and there's picketers on the street yelling go home Yankee dog, etc You could always say Los siento no hablo ingles meaning Sorry, I don't speak English which sort of brings me to one of my last frequently asked questions about passports and residency Do I have to know Spanish or at least be able to get by in Spanish to get temporary or permanent? Residency or even a passport the answer to that question is no yes and kinda

[26:29] You don't have to know a lick of Spanish to get your temporary or permanent residency However, I'd say in almost all cases by the time you put in the five years or so to get your passport and citizenship You will know at least enough Spanish when you're standing there in the immigration office To answer the few questions in Spanish. They might ask you In other words, you should be a rudimentary five on a ten scale as far as the Spanish language now note that your knowledge of Spanish is nowhere as strict as a Foreigner's knowledge of English must be to get his or her Naturalization and passport up in the US and you won't have to study any Latin history books And no one's gonna hit you with any pop questions about Jose Marti Simon Boulevard or Shakira

[27:14] That said if you're planning on going from residency to passport You should make some effort to learn the language figure a third or fourth grade level Spanish should be plenty In other words If you can close your eyes and figure out who got the beautiful underage housekeeper pregnant in the soap opera of the moment You'll be fine You've been listening to the expat files living in Latin America coming to you twice a week from somewhere south of the border Email me the expat files at gmail.com And don't forget to check out expat wisdom calm to sign up for your free reports on Latin America See you next time. No swaymos