Citizenship timeline

[AFVA]

Isn't it true that a 90-day tourist visa allows for one extension to 180 days without penalty?

Jacob, no one is going to hunt you down and deport you if you stay past the limit of the tourist visa. The only thing that happens is that when you do leave you'll have to pay a small fine at the airport. However, if you decide to be a "perma-tourist" with border runs to keep renewing the visa every 90 days, you run the risk of being stopped. It all depends on who you get at the window to stamp your passport, if they notice all the stamps and decide to do something, maybe they're having a bad day. Lots of people will tell you that they've been able to do these visa runs for many years with no problem, so if you're willing to run that risk, then do so. I wouldn't be able to do it, why add that kind of stress to your life every 3 months.

It is always smoother in the end, in this type of situation, to do things the "right" way and have all your paperwork ducks in a row.

Why are you so eager for citizenship instead of residency?

 

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

Isn't it true that a 90-day tourist visa allows for one extension to 180 days without penalty?

Jacob, no one is going to hunt you down and deport you if you stay past the limit of the tourist visa. The only thing that happens is that when you do leave you'll have to pay a small fine at the airport. However, if you decide to be a "perma-tourist" with border runs to keep renewing the visa every 90 days, you run the risk of being stopped. It all depends on who you get at the window to stamp your passport, if they notice all the stamps and decide to do something, maybe they're having a bad day. Lots of people will tell you that they've been able to do these visa runs for many years with no problem, so if you're willing to run that risk, then do so. I wouldn't be able to do it, why add that kind of stress to your life every 3 months.

It is always smoother in the end, in this type of situation, to do things the "right" way and have all your paperwork ducks in a row.

Why are you so eager for citizenship instead of residency?

This is accurate, good, practical advice ... concluding with "TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY ..." I am a believer in following the law. Regardless of wether the law is a good one or viewed as a bad one. The law is the law and as laws go, they need to be respected, otherwise you get everyone doing their own thing and life / situations become a mess. (THINKING QUILOMBO!)

AFVA, your advice is so good, I can only think of one minute detail to add ... That being:

If a person were to consider being a "perma-tourist" and assuming they have adequate resources ... (I sure hope they would!) be prepared to spend 3 months in a neighboring country if denied entry after a "visa run." This contingency plan sure takes a lot of pressure off of a person's shoulders when they are trying to get back into the country.

My 2 cents!

 

[Alby]

I recall seeing on another thread that if they deny you reentry on a border run, it's because they deem you to be abusing the tourist visa and they will stamp your passport with a 5-year entry ban. It wouldn't be a matter of three months. The only way to get back in (for example, to recover possessions) would be to take out an injunction.