My Interesting Visit With Lolita!

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

Photo taken last fall boondocking in front of the botanical gardens in SMA

As a persona fisica (self-employed), I use invoices to get paid.  These invoices are only good for two years from the day of print and I needed to renew mine.  This time around, there were more changes which included an electronic signature as well as bar codes.   Fortunately, the system is Mexico is light years ahead of the U.S.  I went online and found out I had to update electronic signature which I had done originally 10 years ago.  A visit was in line to the main office in Monterrey.  Of course I'm thinking of an IRS office in San Antonio which is filled with paper forms, long lines and tons of confusion. 

I made my appointment on line which was scheduled for 10:06 exactly.  Hmmm, I thought that was odd and began to cover my ass by putting together my birth certificate, the apostal or translation of the birth certificate, latest electric bill (comprobante de domicilio) to prove where I live, FM2, and my U.S. passport.  

On the day of my appointment I wanted to stop and print something, my printer was out of ink so I stopped by the Office Max.   I was done 9 a.m. so I bought the paper and thought I could just wait in the Hacienda office until my appointment.   As I arrived and found a parking spot, the poli (guard) told me I was way early but I could go in and register so they knew that I was there.

I walked up to the front desk and gave her my registration number and she too said I was way early and gave me a number of 6005.  Oh boy, how long is this day going to be?  I looked around in amazement at the office, two story inside with an atrium, offices around the bottom with glass cubicles and offices around the top as well.  Two flat screens with the local news on and a screen with the "who's next number".  As she handed me my slip with my number on it, I turned around and there it was on the screen, my number.   I was called to desk number 17 and I was greeted by a young gentleman in a shirt and tie with his name badge around his neck.  We shook hands and I handed him my USB with the files they had sent me via internet and my folder with originals and copies.   He handed the folder back and said he may not need it.   Sure enough, clicking away on the keyboard and within five minutes he handed me back the USB and said, "that's it".  I asked him about the folder and he said they had everything on file except for a change of address and that I could do that on line at my leisure.

Five minutes and he had processed my request, downloaded my huella digital (digital print) and my exclusive bar code and now I could have my new invoices printed.  Five minutes.  That would never happen in an IRS office.  This country is so advanced in many ways.   I guess here we have the option to live in the here and now with technology or we can continue to ride a burro with a serape and watch life go by at our leisure.   That's a good thing about Mexico, choose the lane you want to drive in.  Fast or slow, here or there, and in almost all cases no one will ever bother you.