Obtain an apostille for your birth certificate. An apostille is a fancy word for a seal that confirms your document is legal and valid. Go to Apostilleinfo.com and find the government office that can provide you with an apostille. You must get your apostille from the state of your birth certificate. The fees for an apostille vary, depending on the state, but run anywhere from $2 to $20 as of 2010.
Review job postings online for jobs in Mexico at sites such as DavesESLcafe.com, Monster.com and Idealist.org .
Call Mexico, if necessary, by dialing 011-52, followed by the three-digit area code and the seven-digit phone number.
Enter Mexico with your valid passport as a tourist, and receive a Multiple Immigration Form, otherwise known as an FMM visa. An FMM visa is valid for anywhere from 30 days to 180 days maximum. The amount of time on your FMM is up to the Mexican immigration official. Most people receive 180 days on their FMM. Keep the FMM visa with you at all times.
Apply for an FM3 once you are hired for a job. If you do not get a job, and the time on your FMM runs out, you must leave Mexico and enter again as a tourist.
Obtain a job offer before you go, if possible. Mexico City has the most opportunities for employment. Even if you are hired before you go, the FM3 process won't start until you arrive in Mexico.
Start the process for your FM3 after you are hired. You do not need an FM3 until you get a job.
Complete part one of the application process and pay all required fees when you have a legitimate job offer. Each Mexican state has one immigration (INM) office.
Supply an original and two copies of your birth certificate with the apostille, as well as an original and copies of such documents as your marriage certificate. Hand in an original and two copies of a letter from your new employer, stating your position, salary and length of stay at the job. The National Migration Institute of Mexico (INM) has a checklist of requirements to complete. Wait anywhere from two weeks to one month for approval of your initial application, then begin the second phase of the FM3 application process.
Begin work; you will probably be paid in cash, with the appropriate amount of taxes taken out. Upon acceptance of the first phase, you have 45 days to complete and hand in the package for the second phase of the application. This involves completing INM forms and handing in two "infantil"-sized photos.
Pay all required fees. The fees can vary, but 2010 fees for an FM3 are approximately $100, plus taxes. You'll receive special forms from the INM and pay the amount to the INM at any local bank. Review and confirm all of your information from your first packet. Receive your FM3 the same day that you hand in your second phase packet.
Pay taxes and receive all of the employee benefits under Mexican law after you have your FM3.
