In a move that has many foreign nationals living in Southern California excited, the Mexican government has begun issuing birth certificates through its 50 consulates based in the United States. The goal is to provide immigrants residing in the country a chance to safely apply for work permits and driver’s licenses. It may even assist them in avoiding deportation by helping them apply through President Obama’s recent executive action. As reported by ABC 7, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Jose Antonio Meade sees this as a real opportunity to benefit Mexican citizens and their surrounding communities – economically, socially, and culturally.

Previously, the Mexican government would only supply birth certificates through offices located in Mexico. This often led to documents being lost, extensive fees, and certificates never reaching their intended recipients. Under the new guidelines, otherwise known as “Actua y Ven por tu Acta” individuals seeking confirmation of their birthplace can obtain the documents in less than 10 minutes for as little as $13. This is a drastic improvement over the previous method which could have individuals and families waiting up to a year for their paperwork to arrive – if it ever did. Now, individuals with birth certificates are able to secure a passport much quicker and potentially take advantage of the immigration reforms President Obama put into action this past November.

If you are living in Los Angeles, or the surrounding area, and wish to take advantage of this new program, we highly recommend contacting the consulate nearest you and speaking with an immigration lawyer as soon as possible. Even with all of the proper documentation in place, immigrating to the United States can be a difficult process. With a dedicated immigration attorney from the Immigration Law Office of Los Angeles, P.C. at your side, you will be able to avoid some of the common pitfalls found along the way. Call (213) 375-4084 today.