SAT is Mexico’s version of the IRS and it is short for el Servicio de Administración Tributaria. In years past, most expats didn’t have to deal with SAT but that all changed this year following some significant changes to Mexico’s fiscal law. One of those changes made it mandatory for “everyone” over the age of 18 to get an RFC.
RFC is short for el Registro Federal de Contribuyentes. It is an alphanumeric tax identifier that is similar to a social security number in the States but is used in more fiscal situations in Mexico.
I’ll dedicate a future article to explaining RFCs in more detail. Chances are if you are reading this one, you already know about RFCs and that’s why you are trying to get an appointment at SAT.
Due to the legislative changes that I mentioned above, SAT is severely backlogged and anyone attempting to make an appointment online is placed in a virtual line (fila virtual).
Several people have contacted me to ask how they can tell where they are in this virtual line, so I decided to do a quick post on it.
Step 1: Go to https://citas.sat.gob.mx/ and click on the second button, Consular/Gestionar cita
Step 2: click the small box to change the screen so you can enter your CURP. Enter your CURP, your email and confirm CAPTCHA
STEP 3: Check your email for the security token. Copy it and paste it into the box that appears on the screen.
You can now see where you are in the virtual line. If you want to leave the line, push the button on the end that says SALIR DE FILA VIRTUAL.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Once you are next in line, SAT will send you an email with the date and time of your appointment. It is important that you hit the button to confirm your appointment or it will be cancelled.
Supposedly, if you are 60 years of age or older, you do not need to wait for an appointment and can just walk into a SAT office. I say “supposedly” because nothing is consistent in Mexico — especially when it comes to government offices. If you decide to go this route, my recommendation is to NOT give up your spot in the virtual line until you have successfully completed your business with SAT.
