10/27/23

My dad was born in Brazil but is now a naturalized Mexican citizen. Today, I find out if I’m on the road to becoming a Mexican like my dad. I’m still in the States, but I’m visiting the Mexican Consulate in Dallas to ask for temporary residency. My interview is at 10:30. I have been working since February to get my bank statements in order, and trying to get someone from the consulate to talk to me since July.

Later:

I got turned away. I had signed up online to get a passport and didn’t realize it. I saw “matricular” which in schools means “enroll” but it was for a passport, not a visa. However, it was not a completely wasted trip. I learned 3 things:

1) You have to pay $10 to park or else you have to park waaayyyy far away. Our lovely capitalist society always making it harder for poor people. I paid. I realize I’m pulling a LOT of privilege cards to get to Mexico and I’m going to need every one of them.

2) The consulate is SUPER busy right now. Lines around the block, parking lots full which is why they started making people pay. I asked the guard if it was always like this, and he said within the last couple months it’s gotten a lot busier. A lot of people are trying to leave the States. Go figure, I was not the first to have this idea.

3) Don’t bring a lot of extra crap… there’s a metal detector and signs that say “no food or drink.” I will leave my backpack at home next time.

It appears that I was doing things the right way, but I have not heard a peep from the visa office since July. Now I know why. I guess now I will go downtown and eat bagels about it and try to figure out what to do next. At least I have this nice picture of our house, which just got painted.