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Puerto Vallarta General Information
The following are general notes about little things
one need know if one is going to spend any time here.
Metric Conversions
inch x
25.4 =
millimeter
inch x
2.54 =
centimeter
foot
x .3048 =
meter
yard
x .9144 =
meter
mile
x 1.6093 =
kilometer
quart
x .9463 =
liter
gallon x
.004 =
cubic meter
ounce x
28.3495 = gram
pound x
.4563 =
kilogram
millimeter x .0394
= inch
centimeter x .394
= inch
meter x
3.2808 =
foot
meter x
1.0936 =
yard
kilometer x .6214
= mile
liter
x 1.0567 =
gallon
cubic meter x 284.2
= ounce
kilogram x 2.2046
= pound
Women’s Dress Equivalent Sizes
USA
Mexico
6
30
8
32
10
34
12
36
14
38
16
40
Men’s Shirt Equivalent Sizes
USA
Mexico
14
36
14.5
37
15
38
15.5
39
16
40
16.5
41
Shoe Equivalent Sizes
USA
Mexico
5
3
6
4
7
5
8
6
9
7
10
8
Mexican Federal Holidays
Jan.
1 – New Years
Feb. 5 – Constitution Day
Mar. 21 – Benito Juarez Day
May 1 – Labor Day
May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
Sept. 16 – Independence Day
Nov. 20 – Revolution Day
Dec. 1 (every 6th year) Change of Presidents
Paying Bills
All bills can be paid at a bank, at the establishment issuing
the bill or you can look on the back of the billing statement
for a list of which stores such as Gigante, Leys or Mega will
accept your payment. Payments are NOT mailed. Most bills are
hand delivered to the address receiving the service.
(with the exception of telephone and bank statements). If
you have not received a bill (telephone, electric, cable)
by normal billing date, it is your responsibility to go to
the office and pay the bill. Your service will be cut off
if bill is not paid, even if you have not received a bill.
Telephone System (AKA Recent History of Telefonos de Mexico-Telmex
Up until 3 years ago, Puerto Vallarta phone numbers consisted
of only 5 numbers…and our area code was (3). Life was
simple. With the enormous growth we have experienced
in recent years, Telmex (Mexican national phone company monopoly)
realized they were quickly running out of numbers. They
then added the 22 prefix in front of all five-digit phone
numbers. In other words, if your phone number was 2-1890,
it became 222-1890. It took us a while but we got the
hang of it after hearing the Telmex recording over and over.
Once they thought we could handle this leap, they then changed
area codes throughout Mexico, changing Puerto Vallarta from
the old (3) area code to the new (322) area code. One
word to describe it…BEDLAM! All those wayward
2’s running loose confused everyone. Change comes slowly
to those of us caught in the baby boomer vortex.
Now, those wonderful cell phones that everyone has these days
are another challenge. If you are in Puerto Vallarta,
and call someone’s cell phone who lives here, you must dial
the 044 prefix, then the area code and the 7-digit number.
If you are calling from the USA, Canada or another part of
Mexico, you drop the 044 prefix. For example,
Here is a sample cell phone number…
(322) 296-1543.
From PV you dial:
044 (322) 296-1543
From Mexico City:
01(322) 296-1543
From USA or Canada: 011-52-(322) 296-1543
(You can certainly understand why any person not working for
Telmex would become confused.)
In Mexico he who calls a cell phone pays, not both parties.
If you are making a national call (inside of Mexico), you
must dial the 01 access code before the area code and 7-digit
phone number (8 digit in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey,
i.e. 01-(33) 3911-1051).
If you are dialing a number in the USA or Canada, you must
dial the 001 access code before the area code and 7-digit
phone number. If you wish to make a collect call (por
cobrar), dial 090, wait for message in English and push the
number 2 as indicated for English language assistance.
If you need local directory assistance, you dial 040 and hope
your lucky streak is holding.
Okay, we are almost through with the phone stuff. One
more thing though, if you are trying to dial an 800 number
in the USA or Canada from here, you must dial instead, the
001 prefix, then 880, then the 7 digit phone number.
Some 800 numbers up north are only valid within their country
boundaries, such as some airline reservation numbers.
Although these calls are toll free up north, they are charge
calls here.
A great way to call home inexpensively is to go to
one of the Internet cafes in town, which use a consolidator.
They have very economical long-distance rates. Café.com
on the corner of Basilio Badillo and Olas Altas provides this
service.
If you wish to get phone service at your home, refer to the
Telephone Section of this book.
Mexican Addresses and what
they mean
In reading this book you might
become confused by
some of the addresses and how
they read. Here is a
quick lesson:
Street addresses always begin with the name of the street,
followed by the house number, then the apartment number.
Then, there will usually be the Colonia (which are designated
neighborhoods in cities), abbreviated as Col., then the city,
state, and the 5 digit CP code very similar to the zip code
up north. Here is a sample address:
Sr. Armadillo’s Bar and Grill
Juarez 113, local A
Col. Centro
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, MX
48390
General
Information about Puerto Vallarta
Location: Latitude: 20 degrees, 36 seconds
North Longitude: 105 degrees, 20 seconds West.
Climate:
sub-tropical,
Rainy Season:
June through October
Average rainfall
(last 5 years): 93.14 inches
Time Zone:
Central
Daylight Saving Time:
at present same as United States
Population:
2000 Census 250,000 inhabitants
Legal Foreign Population:
about 7,000, 3,500 US, 2,500 Canadian and 1,000 other-Asian,
European and Latin American
A. Brief History
of Puerto Vallarta
300 B.C.-Pre-Colombian settlements
900-1200A.D. The Aztatlan Civilization. It was
agricultural based, but also known for its fine pottery. Excavations
have been done in Ixtapa (just north of the airport. See Rio
Cuale Archaeology Museum for more information.
1525- Discovery and naming of Bahia
de Banderas by Francisco Cortes de Buenaventura,
nephew of Hernan Cortes.
1851-December 12, Don Guadalupe Sanchez and his
15-year-old wife, Ambrosia and family members, settled
at the mouth of the Rio Cuale. In honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe
(still celebrated December 12), Sanchez named the settlement
Las Penas de Santa Maria de Guadalupe.
1918-May 31 The Jalisco State Congress
officially declared Las Penas a municipality
and changed its
name to Puerto Vallarta in honor of noted statesman Ignacio
L. Vallarta.
1955- Gringo Gulch area received
its name 1963- Filming of ‘Night
of the Iguana’.
1968- May 31, The Jalisco State Congress
officially declared Puerto Vallarta a city .
1968
Highway connecting Compostela with Puerto
Vallarta is completed.
1970-
August 20, Historic meeting of Mexican
President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz and US President
Richard Nixon. International airport inaugurated.
First Federal Electric Plant inaugurated.
2001-
May 31, 150th Anniversary of founding of
Puerto Vallarta.
2002-October
26, Hurricane Kenna tidal surge
destroyed the historic Arches and Malecon (Seawall).
2002-
December 1 Arches rebuilt and amphitheater inaugurated
for Arts Festival.
2002-December
31 Malecon finished officially re-
opened.
For
more information in English see:
‘Puerto
Vallarta, My Memories’, by Catalina Montes de Oca,
2003, University of Guadalajara or
‘Puerto Vallarta, Hidden Paradise’, by Carlos Mungia Fregoso,
1996. Both
books are available for reading at
the Puerto Vallarta Public Library,
Francisco Villa 1001, Colonia Los Mangos. Mungia’s
book can be purchased at the Library, Montes de Oca at the
Auditorium Office, CUC,
University of Guadalajara, Ixtapa.
B.
Puerto Vallarta
Weather patterns
Myth has it that it is easy to predict the weather…
hot, wet, and humid in the summer and cool and dry
in the winter. Easy! But with El Nino and La Nina
peak years, it can be unpredictable. Each year is
unique in the time of day the summer rains come,
but most days have sunny periods. Rest assured that
the following general guidelines hold. A few
anomalies are always bound to crop up just when
you were planning that sunny day on the bay.
Mid November through Mid April
Weather is cooler during this time, ranging from a
high of 80F to a low of 60F(Fahrenheit) with no
more than 60% humidity. The sun shines day after
day and the water temperature cools off nicely. We
sometimes have several gray days in February with
light showers. It is a regular occurrence but nothing
serious enough to spoil your holiday.
Here are average monthly temperatures for this time.
Nov. Dec.
Jan.
Feb. Mar. Apr.
H-79F 79
74 76
76 77
L-68F 66
67 66
68 72
Mid April
to Mid November
In mid April a switch gets flipped and the
temperature rises noticeably. It continues to get
hotter in small degrees up to June/July when it starts
to rain every afternoon. The sun generally shines up
until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Then, a deluge begins
complete with a spectacular sound and light show
over the bay. The rains cool the air
considerably, making living here tolerable in the
summer. The rainy season continues through
October.
Here are average monthly temperatures for these
months.
May Jun. Jul.
Aug. Sep. Oct.
H-81F 83 84
86 86
84
L-71 72
73 76
77 76
E.
Distances from everywhere
Puerto Vallarta to:
Bucerias
15 miles
Boca de Tomatlan
17
Chico’s Paradise
15
Las Palmas
22
Punta de Mita
46
Rincon de Guaya.
40
Sayulita
27
San Blas
104
San Francisco
32
Guadalajara
216
Tijuana 1,559
Mexicali
1,173
Puerto
Vallarta Commonly Needed Phone
Numbers
A.
Puerto Vallarta Emergency Numbers
Ambulance
222-1533
Air Ambulance (Global)
226-1010
Fire Department (Bomberos)
224-7701
Gas leak
222-2551
or
222-5343
Municipal Police (Policía) 060 or
222-0123 or
221-2258
Power Outages (CFE)
071
Tourist Safety
01-800-90-392
Traffic Police
224-8484
Water/ Sewer (SEAPAL) 226-9191
B.
Puerto Vallarta
Consumer Numbers
Consumer Affairs (PROEFCO)
225-0000 or
225-0018
City Hall (Palacio Municipal) 223-2500
Immigration (Migracion)
224-7653 or 221-1380
Port Captain(Capitania del Puerto) 224-0427
C.
Puerto Vallarta
Hospitals
Hospital CMQ
223-1919
Medasist
223-0444 or
223-0656
Hospital Intermedia Versalles 224-9292
Hospital San Javier Marina
226-1010
D.
Puerto Vallarta
Airlines
Airport
221-1325
Aeromexico
221-1055 or
221-1204
Alaska Airlines
221-1350 or
01-880-426-0333
America West
221-1333 or
001-880-235-9292
American Airlines
221-1799
Air Canada
221-1212
Canadian Holidays
221-0736
Continental
221-1025
Mexicana
221-1040 or
224-8900
Aero taxis de la Bahia
221-1990
Aerotron
221-1921
E.
Puerto Vallarta
Consulates
American Consular Agency
222-0069 FAX:
223-0074
Zaragoza #160, 2nd Floor
Right on the main plaza
Consular Agent: Kelly Trainer de O.
Canadian Consular Agency
293-0098
223-0099
After hours
01(800)706-2900
Edificio Obelisco
Fco. Medina Ascencio 1951, Local 108
Honorary Consular Agent: Lyne Benoit
New Resident Information
A. Puerto Vallarta Immigration (Migracion)
What can I say? It is a lot like going to the dentist…, you
would rather eat bugs than have to go, but, you know you must.
Actually, Immigration services have improved dramatically
in the last few years. As long as you have all the documents
they require, you should have few, if any problems.
Plus, they speak English! In fact, it is now so easy
you don’t need an attorney to do it for you!
So here is everything you always wanted to know about the
state of being legally in Mexico.
There are 3 types of immigration documents available to foreign
citizens.
A1. FM-T
En route to your arrival in Mexico (usually by airplane),
you are given an FM-T, more commonly known as a “Tourist Card”.
At the point of entry an immigration officer will mark on
the FM-T the number of days you will be allowed to remain
in Mexico (anywhere from 30 to 180 days) and hand it back
to you.
This is perfectly fine for most of you who are vacationing
here. However, should you need to extend your
stay (say maybe for the rest of your life…), it is necessary
to go to immigration for an extension.
It is very important that you safeguard this document with
your passport and other valuables, as you will need to present
it to your airline ticket agent upon your departure from Mexico.
Should you accidentally leave your valuables in a taxi or
elsewhere, you will need to go to your consulate for a special
letter, which will allow you to leave Mexico.
A2.
FM-3
FM-3s’ are Resident Tourist Visas that are valid for one year.
They must be renewed 30 days prior to the expiration date.
There are basically three scenarios where you will need a
FM-3 (Resident Non-Immigrant Visa).
a. If you plan to stay in Mexico longer than 180
days, you will need a FM-3.
i.
If you buy real estate and wish to qualify for capital
gains tax exemptions, you must have a FM-3 with the address
of the property you own, for at least 6 months prior to selling
your real estate.
ii.
If you wish to work in Mexico, you will also need a
FM-3 with permission to work.
A3. FM-2
FM-2 is a Permanent Resident Visa that is the precursor to
Mexican Citizenship, ‘Inmigrado’ status. Immigration says
that one must have had a FM-3 for 5 years prior to application
for FM-2. (This is not always the case.)
A4.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A FM-3 IN
YOUR
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
If you live near a Mexican Consulate in your country of origin,
you can apply there. However, requirements there will
differ from those in Puerto Vallarta, so check with them before
applying. In some cases the consulate may attempt to
discourage you, saying that you don’t need a FM-3. Why?
I have no idea. However, you must stand your ground
and, if you are a property owner in Mexico, bring along a
copy of the title of your real estate (escritura) for them
to review and keep. Be sure and alert them to the fact
that you will not be eligible for the exemption from the “impuestos
sobre de la renta” (a.k.a. Capital Gains Taxes) without
it. If this fails, just use it as another excuse to
make another trip to Puerto Vallarta….like you needed an excuse,
right?
NOTE: If you get an FM-3 outside of Mexico, you MUST
register it with immigration here in Puerto Vallarta within
30 days of your entry into Mexico. Also, all subsequent
FM-3 renewals must be made in Mexico at the Immigration Office
where registered.
A5. HOW TO APPLY FOR A FM-3 IN
PUERTO VALLARTA
You can apply here in Puerto Vallarta at the local immigration office if you
have the following documents:
i.
Photos- Black and White only
3 frontal photos and 3 profile photos
I recommend the following photo studio for these:
Foto Studio Curiel
Libertad # 335
Colonia Centro
Phone. 222-1558
Hours: M-F 9 am – 2 pm, 4– 8 pm
Sat, 9 am – 2 pm
(1/2 block west of Bital Bank near the river Cuale, upstairs
from Vallarta Color Photo Processing)
ii.
Proof of Residence
2 Copies of your Property Title
(escritura) or 2 Copies of
Telephone,
Electric, or Water Bill
iii.
6 copies of “Form 5”
Form 5’s are pre-printed forms that can be purchased at many
stationary stores (Papeleria) here in PV. Look for sign ‘Formas’
or ask for 'seis formas de número cinco’.
NOTE: If you are renewing your FM-3, you will only need
3 copies of this form.
iv.
Copy of every page of your passport,
including all the blank pages and both front and back covers.
v.
Your original FM-T Tourist Visa
vi.
Copies of 3 recent bank statements, which
show minimum monthly income of $600 US Dollars or equivalent
in other foreign currency.
At press time, immigration is quoting 10
business days for completion of your
FM-3. This may vary due to workload.
If you would like for someone else to get this
visa for you, I recommend the following individuals:
Ana Catalina (former head of immigration)
Phone: 224-6392
Cell: 044-322-294-1622
Email: anacatalinaf@hotmail.com
Elizabeth Guiterrez Mendoza
Attorney at Law
Colombia 1219
Col. 5 de Diciembre
Phone: 222-8230
Cel Phone: 044-322-100-3321
Every January, I cringe and grit my teeth at the thought of
having to deal with renewing my FM3. This past year
I dreaded it so long that the expiration date was upon me
like an army ant. I finally mourned and buried my American
“I can do anything myself” attitude and called Elizabeth.
Why did I not do this before? She got the visa renewed
on very, very short notice and saved me a fine from immigration.
She is worth every centavo she charges and I now recommend
her to all my new resident clients.
A6.
FEES FOR FM-3 RESIDENT NON-
IMMIGRANT
VISAS
Fees may change at any time.
However,
currently the fee for first
time applicants is
$2,059 pesos.
The renewal fee is $ 1,647
pesos.
A7. Puerto Vallarta
IMMIGRATION OFFICE
Immigration (Instituto
Nacional de
Migración)
Av. Terminal Maritima 2755 (Altos)
(Between Pemex Station and Banamex)
Phone: 224-7653 or 224-7970
Hours: 8 am – 2 pm, M – F
Nayarit Immigration Office
Jarretederas at the building at the north end of the bridge
crossing the Rio Ameca into the state of Jalisco.
Hours: 9am to 1:30 pm, Wednesday and Thursday
Prior to the opening of this office, Nayarit residents had
to travel to Tepic.
Next
Month we will put here more information...
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