New Mexican Foreign Worker's Policy??? what?

I am getting married at EDR next month, and I was just sent the email below.

Email:

"The Mexican Government has implemented a new policy for foreigners

working here in Mexico.

If your photographer is not a Mexican Citizen, and she's receiving payment

for her services, she must have a Mexican Government permission to work in

this Country. If they are professional photographers (With professional

equipment, lenses, tripod's etc)

Karisma is charging a 500 usd fee to allow this services at the Hotel.

Please let me know the name of your photographer. In case you are brining

someone from Canada /US, if your photographer is a Mexican Citizen, we will

request for him / her to show the Hotel their working documents (in order to

declare taxes)

I apologize for the inconviences this may cause you, unfortunately this are

new Hotel / Mexican Government policies, the hotel has been sanctioned for

permitting professional foreigner photograhers working at the Hotel, with no

working permission from the Government."

Has anyone heard about this?

I am not paying the infamous $500 photographer fee that Karisma charges for outside photographers. I got around it because I booked before this really became a policy and also because my photographers are staying for a week.

So my first inclination was that this is a way that karisma is trying to get me to pay it anyway. thoughts??

Jusr curious as to how they get government permission - is it just a work permit/paperwork kind of thing?

I have NO idea! I've sent an email off to the WC asking for more information - but thought I would be proactive to see if anyone has even heard of this as well.

From the email, it sounds like Karisma has already had their hands slapped for it - so it can't be that new of a government policy. So I am not impressed that they are springing this on us 1 month before the wedding.

Sounds strange... check in to it! So sorry

How do they know? Who will tur them in?

This seems strange to me. I am bringing in an outside photographer and the resort's (Iberostar Lindo) charge is $300 since we are not hiring their photographer. They never asked me who my photographer was but I don't think it would be an issue anyway since she is from Mexico.

Did the hotel send this to you??

I think they're blowing smoke up your butt because it's only a month before the wedding. I'd probably demand some type of "official" information. An email from a resort that has become well-known for their stance about photographers, is a little suspicious to me. Especially since it's geared toward photography--- not other vendors who could be brought in from out of the country (like videographers, or ministers, etc...); their email specifially referenced photographers and nothing else.

I would also call the US Embassy in Mexico to confirm/deny this information before responding to the email. But, I know your Canadian, so I don't have any familiarity with Canadian resources that could provide you with more information about this.

Ok, the way this sounds---- it seems as if Canadian residents entering Mexico provide "proof" they are entering Mexico without the intent of long-term employment, and that's about it.

Temporary Entry into the United States and Mexico - The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

I tried going to the Canadian Embassy site listed, but get an error (something between the two sites isn't communicating properly).