Saturday, January 06, 2018

moving to mexico -- driver's license

I have been driving in Mexico for almost a decade -- without a Mexican driver's license.

That is not as bad as it sounds.

I really do not need one. I have a valid driver's license from Nevada, and it is all I need to maintain my car insurance and drive legally here.

I have been teaching a young Mexican to drive. He is at the point where he needs to get a license, and I thought I would get one, as well. So, we both headed off to the county seat on the same day I dealt with other financial matters (moving to mexico -- caesar's cut).

My friend had been told that we needed to schedule an appointment online. That was not true -- unless we were getting our licenses in Guadalajara. We weren't.

I knew we would need proof or residence and I would need my passport and visa. But, as is often the case when seeking something from the government, there was more.

When we stopped at the Transito office, the police officer in charge rummaged through a stack of papers and gave us the appropriate list of documents required to get a license. Mexican citizens, not surprisingly, have to provide different documents than do expatriates.

Here is what I need to take back to the office next week to support my request for a driver's license. The original and a copy of:

1. My permanent resident card.

2. A certification of my CURP number -- CURP is a unique identification number for all Mexican citizens and residents of Mexico. I got it online at: https://www.gob.mx/tramites/ficha/consulta-e-impresion-de-la-curp/SEGOB175

3. My passport.

4. Proof of residence -- a bill containing my name and address. I will use my electric bill. That is the most common form used by my neighbors.

5. A medical form showing my blood type. The officer sent me across the street for a medical consultation. 50 pesos after being weighed and measured, I walked out with my form.

Now, all I need to do is return to Cihuatlán next week with my car. I assume there is a physical driving examination based on that requirement. And I think there is also a written examination in Spanish. I will find out.

It all seems quite simple. To this point, it certainly has been far easier than dealing with departments of motor vehicles in Oregon, Texas, Colorado, California, Nevada, and Great Britain.

If all goes as planned, I will pay my $558 (Mx) next week and be just a little bit more part of the community in which I live. 

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