How to get a Mexican Visa - Day Four

Wake up early, as by now you must have learned, otherwise when you get to the consulate they may have run out of numbers. While you wait for them to open, treat yourself to a wonderful breakfast taco in the conveniently located taco-cart just across the street from the building.

By your fourth visit the security guards already know you (a plus, as you are probably aware, in high-context cultures such as the Mexican) and when the one guard you've never seen tells you to go to the end of the line, the one you have talked to for the past three days stops him and tells him: "let him through, he's here for a visa". You nod politely and mutter "gracias" as you shamefully cut in line and feel everyone's' eyes spitting fire as you walk past them... "go to window 12," the guard says.

This is the end of your amateur journey to the Mexican Consulate. You realize everyone else is on their first or second visit, and you know the ropes better than them. The "Visa" window is open and there is no line, while windows 1 through 11 and 13 through 20 display call numbers and the waiting room is full of people staring at their tickets, waiting for their number to be called.

You're greeted by a friendly consular Officer, who tells you that because you are a US resident you are exempt from the Visa requirement, nevertheless, he must issue a certificate showing the exemption. You must come back with a photocopy of your Passport, your Green Card, and a Credit Card. But wait - he says - you can do it across the street, where it's cheaper than next door, and come back immediately. Hold on to your number so that you can cut in line again. - Gracias, you reply one more time.

How expensive can one copy be? Next door is so convenient, let me try it there first. "Copies $1.50 e/a" reads the sign outside... Forget it, across the street they're 35 cents. Make your copy, cut in line, greet the man at the window one more time, watch him stamp a form seven times and sign it four more (talk about bureaucracy, thank God he was having a good day) and give it to you. "Just present this at the border, you may need it" - I'm sure I will, and I'm sure the border official will be pretty disappointed when he sees it. It will mean he can't ask me for a few dollars to "facilitate" the issuing of a border crossing permit.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

That's the heading after the conclusions on any of my political science papers, it seems that it would be fitting to include it here:

1) Post the consulate hours of operation on the website.
2)Inform future visitors that there is a limited number of tickets given out each day.
3)Post the Visa requirements for US Residents.
4)Add more cheese to the breakfast tacos.
5)On a second thought, if US Residents are exempt from Visas, why do they even need a certificate? Wouldn't presenting the Green Card at the border be enough?