Once the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) accepts an application for refugee status, in other words officially registers the submitted application, the applicant is subject to certain obligations and restrictions. It is important to know them so as not to encounter refusal or termination of processes. By signing documentation with COMAR, you agree to comply with these criteria.
1. Commitment to remain in the state where the application is made
After filing your application, you must be located in the same Mexican state where you submitted your documentation. If you move to another state without COMAR's prior approval, the process will be considered abandoned (abandonado) and your application will be canceled.
This does not mean that you are unable to travel out of state or travel within Mexico. The wording of COMAR (Si deseas trasladarte…) only limits moving to another state for the purpose of changing residence, which entails transferring the case to another COMAR office. The reasons for such a move must be very significant, and in fact we do not know such good reasons.
But you also need to travel carefully. If you come across a immigration check at an airport or on a bus route, a migration officer has the right to detain you to check the validity of the document issued by COMAR or the migration service. We are aware of cases where, after an immigration check, a notification was sent to COMAR that the applicant was in another state, and COMAR asked questions during the next appearance for signature.
2. Regular attendance for signatures (registrar visita)
COMAR or its representatives at the offices of the National Institute of Migration (INM) will assign dates when you are required to come and report in person. Usually — once every 10 days. They didn’t come once — on the third day, your application for refugee status will be canceled. No one will listen to why you didn't give notice that you weren't going to come, and no one will notify you that the case is being terminated.
3. You can't leave Mexico
Leaving Mexico will cancel your COMAR application. This usually happens as follows. Since the consideration of the application in COMAR — The process is quite lengthy; your permitted period of stay has most likely already passed. When checking in for your flight, the airline will send you to the migration service office at the airport. They will check the database that you have requested migration status (because an application for refugee status is a request for migration status), and will ask you to sign a document (oficio de salida), by which you refuse to obtain migration status in Mexico and undertake to leave the country within 72 hours. This is usually followed by a ban on entry into Mexico.
4. Participation in all COMAR inquiries and interviews
It is your responsibility to provide the required information or documents and to participate in any interviews that COMAR schedules in connection with your case. COMAR may request additional documents and schedule interim interviews before you are called for the key interview «essentially» (if it even comes to him). Ignoring such calls may harm your application.
5. Notify about a change of address
If you change your residential address within the same state, you must notify COMAR by submitting a written notice indicating the new address. No confirmation of the new address, for example, an electricity bill, as is the case with the notification of the migration service about a change of residence address, will be required. The COMAR regulations do not specify a deadline for filing a notice of change of address, and there are no penalties for failure to notify. Unlike the migration service, COMAR does not conduct on-site inspections.
This requirement can be considered an empty formality, but why is it spelled out in legislation?
Consideration of an application for refugee status — the process is quite lengthy. COMAR violates all regulated deadlines. Currently, COMAR is able to make a decision on starting the procedure and granting visitor status for humanitarian reasons within six months, and this is only the first stage of the asylum application process. If you thought that while your application was being considered, you had the opportunity to safely travel around Mexico without being tied to the COMAR office, then everything is a little more complicated.