Immigration Lawyer for Visa Renewal

Rob said,

I could be mistaken, but I believe Migración wants to see you in person, not a lawyer, for any renewal of your visa. I've never even heard of a Mexican immigration lawyer for renewal of a visa. I'm sure there are lawyers who will happily take your money, but I just don't believe there is any "bureaucracy" to be navigated that merits using one. Granted it's been over two decades since I renewed anything, so it's possible something drastic has changed since then.

Your last renewal was about the time of my first experience with migracion.

I remember back then making literally dozens of appearances at the office to get an FM3, sometimes two or more visits in a day. Then doing it all again a year later. I rented a car on each of my autumn trips to Troncones because I knew I would need it for getting to Zihuatanejo so many times.

Over the years, the processes became easier and easier. I would like to take credit, but I know that really it was because the procedure, the office, and the employees all became more efficient and helpful. By the time I got my permanent resident status maybe five years ago, I realized I would actually miss some of my visits there.

I still deliver flowers to the office every year or two, expressing my appreciation for their assistance over the years.

I almost always had friends in the office back then who were glad to help me. When I first started renewing my visa the office was where the abandoned Módulo de Policía is by the zócalo. I had known some of the people working there from when we were teens playing soccer on the beach and dancing at the Chololo back in the mid-70's. They helped me cut some corners, to be sure. Applying for citizenship was a mess back then up until there was a streamlining of the process, then it became ridiculously easy. Especially considering the absolute twilight zone nightmare most Mexicans have to go through to get any kind of visa to enter the USA, as you partly illustrated in another comment.