Post Election Fear Sending Americans to Mexico

There are thousands of Americans heading south as a result of the election that saw Joe Biden claim victory over the incumbent Donald Trump.  The consensus fear among those leaving their country is that the victorious candidate had too many powerful people help him get elected.  “The kind of people we call the swamp,” says Sandra L. from Las Vegas who is moving to her new home in San Miguel de Allende to escape.  In response to the question, “How is President Biden sending thousands to Mexico?” she responds, “they had 95% of the media supporting him with news and just the tone of how they presented the news.  They weren’t even trying to hide who their candidate was anymore.  Isn’t that odd to you?   And the corporations who own those news stations all support that guy.  The swamp wasn’t just politicians, turns out it’s greedy corporations and media.  They own him.”

Post Election Fear Sending Americans to Mexico – Not Just Republicans

Sandra admits she is not a Republican or “GOP person,” in fact, she proudly proclaims that she voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012, but then had President Trump’s vote in 2016 and 2020.   She was raised in California as a Democrat.   She spoke delicately about the loss of her father in the Iraq War.  The “America First” message resonates with her.  Many descendants of military personnel believe is the only way to honor those men and women.  “I just hate politicians anyway, they are all liars.  And Trump was not a politician.  That’s it, that’s all it comes down to.  I felt like he was the leader of the resistance.”

Sandra purchased a beautiful home in a section of San Miguel and put her condo in Las Vegas on one of the home-sharing websites, VRBO.  She says she won’t be making any money on the deal until she pays off her Nevada home, but until then she plans to live in what she considers the most intelligent society in the northern hemisphere.  “The thing about Mexico is that the politicians are the same, corrupt.  But the most important difference is that they know that if they screw over their people, they will die.”   They revere their elderly in Mexico, and they have faith in God for the most part.  It is estimated that eighty percent of Mexicans are Catholic.

Apparently, there are thousands more like Sandra, who are facing the reality that the vote is over.  If you voted, you did all you can and now it’s time to move on, and move out.   Here are the steps you need to take to get out of dodge for the next few years, learn a new language, eat great food and enjoy a truly free society and loving culture.

How to Move to Mexico

As you might expect, there are a couple of things you have to know before you move to Mexico. The first and most important thing is that you’re required to have some sort of immigration status to make the move, either as a temporary resident or a permanent one. You also need to consider what you’re moving, as you might not be allowed to bring some things from the United States into Mexico.

Requirements

Of course, there are some legal requirements when it comes to moving to Mexico. As is the case when you’re taking a vacation to another country, you’ll need to have a valid US passport. Since this can take a while, you should make sure you apply for it a few months before you move.  In addition to the passport, you will need to get a tourist visa.  You can apply for a permanent or temporary visa quite easily either in person at your local Mexican Embassy, or online here.  Check our Mexico Border Crossing page for up-to-date border crossing requirements with all the relevant information and links.

Driving in Mexico

If you want to drive in Mexico, you should consider bringing your own car, or purchasing one specifically for Mexico.  As long as you keep your registration up to date, you can insure it in Mexico, and legally drive it under a temporary vehicle import permit.   If you are concerned about having to insure the vehicle in two countries, don’t be.  You can register your vehicle as non-operational, or file an affidavit of nonoperation, and purchase Mexican insurance.  Mexican insurance is MUCH CHEAPER anyway.  Your registration will be cheaper and your insurance will be cut in half.

See this article for the differences in driving in Mexico vs. the United States and Canada.

Post Election Fear is Sending Americans to Mexico:  Finance and Insurance

Just like in most countries, you need to have some types of insurance to live comfortably (and legally) in Mexico. If you’re driving a car, you need to have care insurance so you can pay for any damages you may be responsible for. Just like in the US, this can be liability coverage at a minimum.  It is required, and you’ll have to show it for your immigration documents and import permit.  Fortunately for you – you’re at the right place.  Depending on the type of vehicle or insurance you want check the homepage of this website.

Health insurance is also a good thing to have if you’re going to move to Mexico. Health care can be fairly expensive in Mexico, but a good comprehensive health insurance plan can save you a lot of money on any medical treatment you get during your stay.  You can open a bank account in Mexico – but there really is no point in doing that.  As long as your US bank has ATM’s and you have a direct deposit coming into your U.S. bank account, it’s no big deal.  Just consider it a long vacation.

Working as an Expat in Mexico

Things get a little dicey when it comes to working in Mexico because there are a lot of legal issues involved. Of course, you can work for cash but this is illegal.  As a tourist representing the United States make sure you follow all the laws.  Your employer will take care of all the paperwork that’s needed for you to legally work in the country, so it’s best to find a job before you plan on making your move or making sure you can work as a remote worker in Mexico for a US company or for yourself!  You’ll need to pay income taxes in both countries but your dollar will go so much further down south that you won’t mind at all…  You can also work remotely in Mexico for a U.S. employer, but you’ll need to speak notify the immigration office.  Your employer also needs to know of your plans.  Some U.S. companies don’t allow it, or will try to transfer you to an office down there.  Here is an article for expatriates in Mexico.

Retiring in Mexico

Just like the United States, Mexico has retirement and pension plans to help you save up money and retire. If you’re not interested in that and are simply wanting to stay in Mexico after retirement, you’ll need to make sure you have permanent resident status. The good news is, there’s no shortage of beautiful retirement destinations throughout Mexico.  Your pension will go a lot further in Mexico than it will in the USA.

Just remember, you can only bring guns for hunting!  Read this article and think twice before attempting to cross the border with guns.

Let’s face it, this election is a tough one for a lot of people. If you’re thinking about moving to Mexico now that Joe Biden is the president, this guide should help you get everything planned out before you go.