| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay | March 2009 
Expats Need Permits for Volunteer Work
 Twila Crawford - PVNN
 |  | Questions undoubtedly will be endless about what is volunteerism, and what is not. |  | | |
Expatriate volunteers in Puerto Vallarta need to file papers to receive permission from Immigration to volunteer here. No fee is charged at this time. Compliance by volunteers is to be by the end of April. A brochure of rules is to be available by March 15th. A news media release also is to be provided by Immigration to media.
Talk to the organization heads where you volunteer to receive their form, write a letter yourself in Spanish explaining how you volunteer, and provide copies of the first two pages of your passport, that includes your photo, for presentation to Immigration.
Last week, the International Friendship Club (IFC) community room was packed with expatriates full of questions. U.S. Consular Agent Kelly Trainer coordinated the two-and-one-half-hour meeting with three Immigration personnel present. The new director, or subdelegado, is Alejandro Sandoval Hernandez, handling regional Immigration.
Examples of concerns given by Immigration are some bartenders saying they are volunteers... and issues in the real estate area. Volunteer musicians and receipts of donations and tips (considered income) are going to need some further discussion.
Issues also came up concerning churches and their charities work. Further clarification also is needed concerning condo boards and what is considered volunteer work and what is going to require work permits. Questions undoubtedly will be endless about what is volunteerism, and what is not.
Persons earning money, who do not have working papers, need to get their papers in order. Whether earning money, or volunteering, note that the persons fined recently at Santa Barbara Theater, needed to pay up or were to be deported within 24 hours. As in our own countries, we need to follow the rules, regulations and laws of this country, Mexico, whether we agree with them or not. Or probably move on.
The director of Immigration will be available at the Immigration office from 9 am to 1 pm, Monday-Friday, to receive papers from expatriates. Attendees at the meeting also were reminded to carry a copy of your visa and of your passport at all times.
The Immigration phone number is 322-224-7970. If you feel you must state your observations to U.S. Consular Agent Kelly Trainor, her email is amigakelly(at)prodigy.net.mx.
If you need help with typing or filling out forms any time, Lorenza M. de Arias' business is located in Plaza Marsol, next to the Immigration office. Her telephone number is (322) 224-3555. She is very helpful.
 An award-winning journalist, Twila Crawford lives in Puerto Vallarta, where, in addition to contributing articles to BanderasNews, the PV Mirror and other local publications, she writes Out and About in Puerto Vallarta, an informative column that offers inside information about who, what, why, where and when it's happening around Banderas Bay.
Click HERE to read more articles by Twila Crawford. |
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