Procedures Are Reduced In Mexico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced that, starting March 13, the reduction from 342 federal procedures to just 151 will be published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). This is part of the first stage of the simplification and digitalization strategy, with the goal of making the government more efficient and less bureaucratic, as well as eradicating corruption where it still exists.

“The reduction from 342 procedures to 151 has been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. This is the first stage of simplifying and digitizing procedures for everyone, so that the government can be more efficient, less bureaucratic, and we can eradicate areas where corruption still occurs,” she reported during the morning press conference “Las mañaneras del pueblo” (People's Morning Press Conference).

The head of the Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency, José Antonio Peña Merino, explained that the goal for this year is to simplify 2,309 federal procedures. Of these, progress has already been made on 342 simplified procedures. 197 of these procedures were eliminated or merged, and the number of procedures was reduced to just 151. The average requirements were also reduced from six to four, representing a 34 percent reduction.

She noted that there are currently more than 7,000 procedures at the federal level; In addition, there are 523 procedures in each of the 32 states of the Republic and 144 procedures in each municipality; these add up to the diversity of existing requirements, totaling more than 350,000 procedures. Of this universe, a person completes an average of 486 procedures throughout their life, 85 percent of which are state and municipal.

Regarding the digitization of procedures, he emphasized that this year there will be at least 350 digitized procedures, which account for 80 percent of the volume of use, but to achieve this, the simplification process must first be carried out.

“It's important to say: simplify first, then digitize. It doesn't make much sense to digitize something, a procedure that is cumbersome, excessive. So, we simplify first,” she added.

She explained that some of the requirements that have been eliminated are: a request for a DNA test to register a person born in Mexico abroad; a certified copy of an adoption decree or birth certificate to process a minor's passport; or two witnesses for a death certificate and gender identity recognition.

Meanwhile, in the Civil Registry, the process of going to the place of birth to request a capture, correction, or clarification of a birth certificate has been eliminated; furthermore, it is no longer necessary to submit photographs of the grave to request a late registration of a death certificate or the baptismal certificate that was previously required to request a late registration of a birth.

She explained that the requirements for birth registration or dual nationality were reduced from nine to three; the requirements for issuing passports were reduced from seven to three; the requirements for applying for the National Registry of Foreign Investments were reduced from 24 to seven; and the psychophysical exam for federal public transportation personnel was reduced from 17 to three.

In addition, the requirements for processing a surface water concession were reduced from 17 to three and for groundwater from 14 to four; the requirements for registration in the National Tourism Registry were reduced from five to two; and the requirements for authorizing research protocols were reduced from 31 to 14.

Regarding the issuance of passports, the requirements for first-time issuance for adults were reduced from eight to four; for renewals for adults were reduced from six to four; and for first-time issuance or renewal for minors were reduced from seven to five. She also highlighted the creation of an appointment system with pre-filling of documents to avoid double check-ins.

"And what is being removed? Above all, for example, the CURP (National Identity Document) and birth certificate were required. If these are documents that the government itself generates, it's enough to create a consultation system and not ask people to carry them," he explained.

In terms of progress by agency, he highlighted the cases of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has simplified 29 of 54 procedures; 35 at the Tax Administration Service (SAT), mainly related to the renewal of electronic signatures; 27 of 30 at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; six of 30 at the Ministry of Labor, mainly for the job market; and simplification was concluded at the Ministry of Culture, the Agrarian Attorney General's Office, and the National Fund for Workers' Consumption (FONACOT).

“Our goal, in light of the National Law to Eliminate Bureaucratic Procedures and Corruption, is to ensure that the same procedures with the same requirements exist throughout the country. That is, that in a land registry procedure, for example, one municipality doesn't ask you for one thing and the next one asks you for something else. This would ensure that we're left with an estimated 230 procedures for each state, of course, because each state and entity oversees them; and 100 procedures for the municipalities,” she explained.

Regarding strategic projects, he highlighted the progress made in simplifying procedures with the National Digital Investment Window, in coordination with the Ministry of Economy, which seeks to reduce the average time taken for investment procedures from 2.6 years to less than one year.

"From the National Digital Investment Window, we have collaborated extensively with Secretary Ebrard and his team. Today, on average, as they call it at the Secretariat, "landing" an investment—that is, from the moment it's announced, the first process begins: you have to complete procedures for operation, construction, etc., with the three levels of government—can take an average of 2.6 years. With the simplification we're already implementing, with the Ministry of Economy and the states and municipalities, we're going to go down to less than a year, that is, reducing the time to less than half for an investment to begin operating and generating jobs and economic activity where it's been announced," she emphasized.

She recalled that the other three strategic projects of the Digital Transformation and Communications Agency are the construction of the National Platforms for Civil Registries; Public Property Registries; and the Cadastral Registry.

She highlighted the collaboration of the states, as all 32 states and all the Civil Registries of the Consulates are already integrated into this simplification program, which has enabled the digitization of birth certificate capture, correction, and clarification; 12 procedures have been simplified, and 16 more are in progress. This week, we will complete 23.

"And we have simplified 29 Consular procedures. The idea is to accompany them there in person for their implementation, and we want to complete all 54 this month, to fully cover the area of ​​consular assistance," she stated.