People from all over the world are discovering Mexico’s Lake Chapala as a great place to live a richer life - as a visitor, a resident ex-patriate, or as a retiree. This guide explains everything travel books don’t: up-to-date immigration and visa information, vehicle laws, crime, legal basics, health insurance, banking, plus checklists for preparing to move, what needs to be done at the border, and what to do the first few weeks after arrival. It’s a must-have for anyone considering moving to Lake Chapala, as well as visitors and current residents. This book includes: -Exploratory Trip Checklist -Move Planning Checklist (by week) -Border Checklist -Moving In Checklist (by week) -Comprehensive up-to-date immigration, visa, vehicle and senior discount card information -Legal basics -Overview of Lakeside towns -How-to’s on utilities and technology -Medical care and insurance information -How to get vehicle permits, registrations, driver’s licenses -Banking, safety, police, shopping, pet care, and mail services basics -Guides to local customs and language instruction, and government services -Telephone dialing instructions -Emergency numbers -How to hire household help -Driving tips and accident form -Common metric conversions (oven temperatures, etc.) In short, this book explains it all for you - everything the travel guides don’t. I found it highly readable, most comprehensive, and flawlessly organized. I think it’s the best book of its kind that I have read, and I have been down here for 25 years. Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez Editor-in-Chief, El Ojo del Lago Magazine I’ve lived at Lakeside for ten years now, and coordinate the Information Desk at the Lake Chapala Society. Yet I’m amazed at how much I learned reading this book. I fully intend to keep a copy at the Information Desk, and suggest all the volunteers familiarize themselves with it. Harriet Hart Lakeside writer I thoroughly enjoyed the read. I wish I had your book available when I moved here 8 years ago. It certainly would have made life simpler and more interesting. Howard Feldstein President, Lake Chapala Society A valuable resource for anyone visiting or moving to Lake Chapala. If you can, buy it before you come. At the very least, buy it the moment you arrive. Having this book when I moved here 11 years ago would have saved me many missteps and countless hours of research. Judy Dykstra-Brown Lakeside writer and artist For questions or comments, email: [email protected]
