I am a U.S. citizen, if I was to go to Mexico to marry a Mexican what kind of documentation would I need. I have my passport and I was planning to get my tourist card when I crossed the border. Is the tourist card enough or do I absolutely need a visa? Do I have to get my birth certificate translated to Spanish? And after I marry him can I apply for change of status there or would I have to come back to the states? Please help!!

Why are you doing this in the first place? Do you want to become a Mexican citizen? Do you want to bring him back here with you to live?

I want to do anything it takes to keep us together... it's not possible for him to come back to the U.S. right now without paying a lawyer about $3,000 and I figure for now it would be a lot cheaper if I just went there.

How long have you been together?

We have been together for two years in May.

If he can't get back into this country unless he pays a lawyer $3K, then you going and marrying him there isn't going to do much good either. The only thing you'll end up accomplishing is having a husband in another country and coming back here without him. What is the reason he needs to spend that kind of money on an attorney? Don't understand that part Jessy.

Ok, he had his tourist visa but overstayed it... then in December he had to go to Mexico... I know that he SHOULDN'T have went but under the circumstances, his mom was dying, there wasn't much of a choice. When he tried to fly back into the states customs told him since he had stayed here longer than allowed that his visa was going to be taken for five years. That's part of the reason for the lawyer, to get a waiver for him. He did have a drug charge about three years ago before we met, that's another reason for the lawyer. The third reason is that he's going to be here illegally when he gets back. I know that's not the "right" thing to do but he was some important business to tend to here. So with a lawyer and a lot of money I know it's not a definite that they will grant him a visa on my behalf but it's worth the shot. I just want a way for us to spend our life together and if that means I have to marry him and live in Mexico then that's what I'm willing to do... I'm just lost and don't know exactly what I need to go as of now.

The part about his drug charge plays a role in him staying here and the chances don't look good for that happening. Also, his important business sounds fishy to me.

If you can somehow figure out how to live in Mexico with him, that would probably be better for you as 5 years is a long time to wait, and if he somehow swam the Rio Grande and came back here, then you'd have to keep looking over your shoulder so to speak waiting for the authorities. Also, how will he get a job with no SSN? Nowadays the gov't is making it harder for illegals to work at a decent job that is not "paid under the table wages". Are you willing to support him totally?

Honey, you have a lot to consider. Just paying an attorney a whole bunch of money is NOT a 100% for sure guarantee either as attorneys like to take money and promise the moon and then when it is all over tell you... gee, I didn't know that the judge was going to do that.

He got hurt on his job while working here and the insurance company is paying him for his permanent damages, it's not fishy business. I know it doesn't look good but even if it's a 10 percent chance we're willing to pay for it. He does still have his job waiting for him when he gets back as he still has all the identification for it. JUST A BIG COMPLICATED MESS WE'VE GOT OURSELVES INTO. The only other question I have is that if I go to Mexico, is there a limited number of times that I can leave and re-enter. I know that I can enter and stay there for 180 days, leave and re-enter and get another 180 days, etc...

First of all don't let anybody make you feel bad about your relationship with an illegal mexican that will only drive a wedge between you two. If you are truly in love with this man and are willing to make a cultural change like I did then it is certainly a lot cheaper for you to live in mexico for the time being. Listen to me I am speaking from experience on this subject where as my husband was deported twice and is grounded for the next 20 years from america I decided that I would marry him in mexico and live with him until the day he can return. If you are really committed then you don't have to leave and return to mexico every 180 days and I will tell you how. First you have to marry your guy. Go to the civil registry where ever he is living because only they can give you the permission you need to marry a mexican citizen and believe me you need permission. So take your passport, your boyfriend, and 200 dollars and appy for what's called a permiso para casar con un ciudadano mexicano. Once you apply and pay for this permission which could take 2 days to 2 weeks to get depending on the town you take that with your birth certificate( that is translated to spanish and appostiled in the state where you live now. Its best if you do this before you leave so that you won't have to worry about it when you get there), your tourist visa (upon entry to mexico), your passport 4 witnesses with their id's, your fiancés birth certificate and id, and 35 dollars for the marriage ceremony along with the analysis done in mexico. Fill out an application for marriage and wait until they call u. if all goes well it takes anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 week. Once married legally to him go to the mexican consulate where ever you are and apply for a FM3 non immigrant visa which allows you to stay in the country for 1 year without having to leave and come back every 180 days. It needs to be renewed annually but there are perks to having an FM3 like you'll be able to have utility bills in your name, open a bank account, and if you apply for a work visa you can work legally there too. You just have to prove your income of 1000 dollars monthly. I hope this information helps as I just went through this all myself. Good luck and try to have fun with the situation. Look at it as an adventure.