Mexico M8 work Visa?

[rondeb]

I'm shooting a wedding later next month in the Riviera Maya at a gorgeous resort. I'll be bringing the M8, 3-4 Leica lenses and my 2 Canon's(my wife will carry 1) plus lenses and minimal accessories.

Anyone know if we need to get an official work Visa? The bride has told the resort that we are shooting the wedding as a gift so as to avoid taxes, etc. but we're not sure what to do on the work permit issue.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Best,
Ron

[Gareth2]

Are you nuts

Seriously, I own a place in Mexico and the bureaucracy in trying to get one would be hideous. It's a fairly popular area for on-the-beach weddings so you won't raise any interest showing up with a bunch of camera gear.

Perfectly safe as well.

This was shot off a tripod with a 5D standing next to a complete stranger in the bush who was holding a well sharpened machete.

Tulum2 copy.jpg photo - Gareth Callaway photos at pbase.com

[rondeb]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe I mis-typed. It wouldn't be a "visa" per se, but I guess you have to sign something at customs declaring if you're there for business or not. I too believe this is a no-brainer, but the resort has mentioned that we have this "documentation" if asked.

Thanks for any more thoughts on this.

And gorgeous photo. Aren't you glad that machete wielding Mexican made you take it?

Originally Posted by Gareth2

Are you nuts

Seriously, I own a place in Mexico and the bureaucracy in trying to get one would be hideous. It's a fairly popular area for on-the-beach weddings so you won't raise any interest showing up with a bunch of camera gear.

Perfectly safe as well.

This was shot off a tripod with a 5D standing next to a complete stranger in the bush who was holding a well sharpened machete.

Tulum2 copy.jpg photo - Gareth Callaway photos at pbase.com

[Gareth2]

Funny That mexican was the Creative Director.

When you enter Mexico everybody has to fill in a tourist visa. You'll need it to leave the coountry so tuck it in your passport. This is called an FM2 I believe. An FM3 means you're there semi permanently (or vice versa, it's not important). This is where you'll specify the purpose of your trip.

Don't lie and have supporting documentation such as a copy of the contract from the bride and groom and proof of where you're staying. You could say you were going as a guest I guess but then the grief comes fromt he hotel not from immigration and hotel employees there can be true busy bodies. It really is a painless process through immigration. Everybody at Cancun Airport knows that alot of people go to the Mayan Riviera for weddings so bringing a photographer is not unusual.

Where are you staying? Don't expect too many blue skies, they're coming into hurricane season and it's expected to be above average in terms of activity.

[rondeb]

We're going to be staying at the Eldorado Royale. The wedding is here also.

So you're saying that this FM2 is all I should need and I can go ahead and tell customs I'm there to photograph a wedding? The bride and groom are close friends so we are guests, to a point.

I've had a couple of photog friends tell me not to say I'm there for biz because customs can give you a ton of grief if you do.

....The Creative Director had a machete. THAT is funny.

[Printmaker]

I've heard that with a FM2 (or FM3) and an extra $250 you can stay 6 months and get full health insurance coverage in Mexico. I've also heard that when it comes to money earned, nobody much cares. Of course my information comes from retired yachities who make an extra buck tuning a rig and not behind a camera.

Tom

[Gareth2]

The FM2 is tough to get, it's more than just $250, that's when Mexican bureaucracy kicks in. If the bride and groom are friends I'd be tempted to just say I'm a guest but like I said the real issue is with the hotel, not immigration.

it wouldn't surprise me if the FM3 gets you health coverage. the Mexican health care system is very similar to the Canadian model and is very good actually. probably among the best in the Caribbean. it's also not a system that will necessarily not give you health care if yoiu do not have coveragte.

[fotografr]

I have a wedding photographer friend who has also trained his wife to carry the heavy stuff. My hats off to both of you. My wife would want to carry the M8 and I'd get the Canons.

[Skippy Sanchez]

I have traveled to Mexico dozens of times and always officially travel as a tourist. Unless you're carrying a boatload of lights and gear, no one will raise an eyebrow.

just because you're shooting a wedding doesn't mean you're not a guest of the wedding party. No one is going to ask whether you're getting paid for it or not. And if they pay you when you're back in the states rather than while in Mexico, it violates no work visa provision that i know of.

Be sure to register all your gear, laptop, etc. with US customs before you leave so you can get your gear back into the states without duty hassles.

[rondeb]

Thanks Skippy. I suppose the bigggest concern I have is that this particular resort does state that they can ask for proper documentation.
We are official guests of the wedding AND of the resort - so I can't imagine what they could really do anyways. Our gear is very compact as well.
Thanks for the reminder about registering my things in the US.

Best,
Ron

Originally Posted by Skippy Sanchez

I have traveled to Mexico dozens of times and always officially travel as a tourist. Unless you're carrying a boatload of lights and gear, no one will raise an eyebrow.

just because you're shooting a wedding doesn't mean you're not a guest of the wedding party. No one is going to ask whether you're getting paid for it or not. And if they pay you when you're back in the states rather than while in Mexico, it violates no work visa provision that i know of.

Be sure to register all your gear, laptop, etc. with US customs before you leave so you can get your gear back into the states without duty hassles.

[dont458]

Originally Posted by rondeb

... I'll be bringing the M8, 3-4 Leica lenses and my 2 Canon's(my wife will carry 1) plus lenses and minimal accessories...

Best,
Ron

I'm going to Morelia on business and would like to take my M8 and MP, but in reading the Mexican Customs declaration form they say you can only take one film camera and one video camera. Should I be concerned?

Can I convince them that the M8 is video and the MP is a camera?

Have a great trip!

Don

[Riccis]

Ron:

If you are a professional getting paid by your clients, I highly recommend you to look into getting the proper permits. I travel all over the world to cover weddings and, even though it is a major pain, always have the proper work documents (specially when traveling to places like Bahamas and Mexico). If you are a friend of the couple just helping them out by making some images of their wedding, then you should be ok (just state that you are coming for personal and not business reasons).

I've never had an issue in Mexico (just came back from shooting a wedding in Cabo 3 weeks ago) and traveled with an M7, two M8s, four lenses and a lot of film. If you are bringing film, please keep in mind that you are only allowed to bring in 20 rolls and you risk loosing anything you bring over that limit.

When you pass thru customs, they will ask you to push a button that will either flash a red or green light. If you get the green, you are good but if you get red they will go through your bags again. This is completely random and, while I've been lucky enough to never gotten the red light, there is another fellow photographer who was only allowed to enter the country with one professional camera (had to leave the other one with immigration and given back to him upon leaving the country, these are the rules specially in the major tourist areas)

I hope this helps.

I agree with riccis, if you're a professional and working in another country you should always make sure to have the proper visas and work permits.

I travel frequently and when photographing for publications I always make sure to respect the laws of the places I'm visiting. It's always a good idea to check out the state department's page on the country you're visiting as well as their embassy site so you can check on the requirements and restrictions.

If, by some chance, you or your wife get tagged by the dreaded red light at customs, you could have problems. Do you really want to shoot the wedding with one M8 while the other sits at the airport customs office? I've only traveled to Mexico for pleasure and so intentionally only brought one camera, but I have heard stories about people getting hassled for more than one camera or too much film.

Yes, it might be a pain, and yes, there might be fees involved (which you should have researched ahead of time to include in your expenses) but I do believe that it's your job as a professional to act in a professional manner.