Mexico: Situation of a 35-year-old conscientious objector on religious grounds who registered for service at age 18 but was not selected in the military service lottery, obtained a 3-month passport indicating that "the travel document is to be exchanged by presenting a liberated military card" ("pasaporte sera canjeable con la presentacion de la cartilla del servicio militar nacional liberada"); would the person be selected for military service upon return to Mexico; would the chances his being selected for military service increase as he approached age 40

The information that follows was provided during a 15 March 2002 telephone interview with legal and consular staff at the Embassy of Mexico, and adds to the information on military service requirements and travel documents provided in MEX32495.E of 31 August 1999, MEX32298.E of 2 July 1999 and MEX30345.E of 30 October 1998.

Selection for military service occurs only once in a Mexican man's life: during the military service "lottery" selection that takes place every year for those who turn 18 (or older, if for some reason the person registered late for military service). If a person went through this process and was not selected for service, he becomes part of a large pool of reserves until the age of 30, at which time he becomes part of a secondary pool of reserves; in practice, the armed forces have not called reservists for service in the last several decades. A person who was not selected for service through the lottery selection process would not be required to perform military service upon return to Mexico, and the chances of being called to serve do not increase with age.

A "liberated" military service card is issued to all Mexicans who have fulfilled their military service obligations: these includes those who are selected for service, as well as those who registered for the selection process but were not called for service. A person who had registered for military service, was not selected, and was issued a temporary (for example 3-month) passport, is probably someone who used a temporary military service card (pre-cartilla) to obtain a passport and travel abroad. The "liberated" cards are issued only once a year, after the annual selection process is complete; the temporary military service card was issued for those who required a passport to travel before the issuing of the regular "liberated" card. Those who obtained a temporary passport using a temporary military service card had to replace that passport with a longer-lasting one, once the regular card was issued.

If a person did not collect his "liberated" card after it was issued, there is no crime or penalty. Only if a person was selected for service and did not show up for service (thus presumably failing to collect their "liberated" card), could a penalty be imposed; however, the penalty would be imposed for failure to serve, not for failing to collect the card. Until December 2001, a "liberated" card was required from Mexican-born nationals aged 18-40 to obtain a passport; since January 2002, presentation of a "liberated" military service card is no longer a requirement to obtain a passport.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference

Embassy of Mexico, Ottawa. 15 March 2002. Telephone interview with legal and consular officers.

Additional Sources Consulted

Camara de Diputados del Honorable Congreso de la Union de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Mexico City. 1998. Ley Organica del Ejercito y Fuerza Aerea Mexicanos. n. d. [Internet] [Accessed 15 Mar. 2002]

Secretaría de Defensa Nacional (SEDENA), Mexico City. 18 February 2002. "Servicio Miilitar Nacional (SMN)." [Accessed 15 Mar. 2002]