Mexico Immigration
Temporary residence permit
Permanent residence permit
Citizenship
TEMPORARY RESIDENT (MORE THAN 180 DAYS AND LESS THAN 4 YEARS)
REQUIREMENTS:
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of the document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc). This only applies for non-U.S. citizens.
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Proof of economic solvency:
a) Original and copy of proof of personal investments accounts or personal bank accounts with a monthly balance of at least $45,492.00 USD during the previous 12 months of statements (bring the last 12 months of bank statements). OR
b) Original and copy of documents showing that the applicant has a job or pension that yields a monthly income of $2,730.00 USD after taxes during the previous 6 months. (bring the last 6 months of your paystubs and the bank statements that shows the direct deposit of your salary).
AFTER ENTERING MEXICO WITH THIS KIND OF VISA, YOU SHOULD GO TO THE NEAREST “INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MIGRACIÓN” (INM) OFFICE TO GET YOUR RESIDENT ID.
To apply for a visa, you must first make an appointment per person, visit this link to find the nearest consulate or embassy to your current place of residence.
Requirements may change without previous notice.
In case you are asked to support your application with complimentary documentation, you will be given a new appointment date.
If you present a document issued from a country different than Mexico or the United States of America, it must come with an apostille or legalization as applicable; and with an official translation to Spanish.
TEMPORARY RESIDENT (BY INVITATION LETTER)
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Visa Application.
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of the document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc). This only applies for non-U.S. citizens.
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Original ink signed invitation letter (we do not accept print PDF documents), of a Mexican organization (public or private) indicating that the foreign person is going to participate in an unpaid activity in National territory.
The letter should contain the following information:
a) Full name and nationality of the applicant;
b) Corporate name of the organization;
c) Official registration number of the Company;
d) Purpose of the organization; v. Full address and contact details of the organization or institution;
e) Information of the activity performed or the project that involved the foreign. The activity of the foreign person must be related with the purposes of the organization or institution that invites;
f) Duration or approximate date of completion of the activity carried out;
g) The manifestation of shared responsibility for the maintenance of the foreign person while in Mexico and their return to their country of origin or residence, and
h) Copy of official identification with photograph and signature of the undersigned the letter.
7. Original and copy of the document(s) that accredits the applicant has the experience, ability, skills or knowledge necessary to develop the activity for which it has been invited (original university diploma, certificate of accreditation, etc.).
8. If the organization is covering the expenses of the applicant while in Mexico: a) Original and copy of proof of the Mexican company investments accounts or bank accounts with a balance of at least $90,984.00 USD during the previous 12 months of statements (bring the last 12 months of bank statements).
9. If the organization is not covering the expenses of the applicant while in Mexico,
it must present proof of economic solvency with:
a) Original and copy of proof of personal investments accounts or personal bank accounts with a monthly balance of at least $45,492.00 USD during the previous 12 months of statements (bring the last 12 months of bank statements. OR
b) Original and copy of documents showing that the applicant has a job or pension that yields a monthly income of $1,820.00 USD after taxes during the previous 6 months. (bring a letter from your employee indicating since when you were hired and also saying that you are going to be transfer to the Mexican organization, but your salary is going to be pay in the US, and bring the last 6 months of your payment stubs paystubs and the bank statements that shows the direct deposit of your salary).
TEMPORARY RESIDENT (RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES)
REQUIREMENTS:
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of the document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc). This only applies for non-U.S. citizens.
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Original ink signed invitation letter (we do not accept print PDF documents) of an organization (public or private) indicating that the foreign person is going to participate in an unpaid activity in National territory.
The letter should contain the following information:
a) Full name and nationality of the applicant;
b) Corporate name of the organization;
c) Official registration number of the Company;
d) Purpose of the organization;
e) Full address and contact details of the organization or institution;
f) Information of the activity performed or the project that involved the foreign. The activity of the foreign person must be related with the purposes of the organization or institution that invites;
g) Duration or approximate date of completion of the activity carried out;
h) The manifestation of shared responsibility for the maintenance of the foreign person while in Mexico and their return to their country of origin or residence, and
i) Copy of official identification with photograph and signature of the undersigned the letter.
7. Original letter of consent (Anuencia) from the Ministry of Interior (Secretaría de Gobernación).
To apply for a visa, you must first make an appointment per person, find the nearest consulate or embassy to your current place of residence here
TEMPORARY RESIDENT (SPOUSE OF A MEXICAN CITIZEN)
REQUIREMENTS:
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of a document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc). This only applies for non-U.S. citizens.
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Original and copy of certify copy of the marriage certificate or proof of common-law marriage.
7. Original and copy of proof of Mexican nationality and official identification of the Mexican spouse (the Mexican national spouse must be present at time of application), If the applicant is a minor both parents should be present to sign the application. If only one parent is present, it is mandatory to submit a notarized authorization (Spanish or English) from the other parent. If minors or persons requiring legal guardianship attend by themselves or someone different to their parents, it is mandatory to submit a notarized document in which their parents or legal guardianship authorize the visa application.
AFTER ENTERING MEXICO WITH THIS KIND OF VISA, YOU SHOULD GO TO THE NEAREST “INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MIGRACIÓN” (INM) OFFICE TO GET YOUR RESIDENT ID.
To apply for a visa, you must first make an appointment per person, in the nearest embassy or consulate
Requirements may change without previous notice.
In case you are asked to support your application with complimentary documentation, you will be given a new appointment date.
If you present a document issued from a country different than Mexico or the United States of America, it must come with an apostille or legalization as applicable; and with an official translation to Spanish.
TEMPORARY RESIDENT (DEPENDANT OF A FOREIGN WHO IS A HOLDER OF A TEMPORARY/PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA OR TEMPORARY/PERMANENT CARD OF MEXICO)
REQUIREMENTS:
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of the document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc). This only applies for non-U.S. citizens.
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Original and copy of the document that shows the familial relationship with the holder of the temporary/permanent resident visa or card of Mexico: Spouse: original certify copy of the marriage certificate or original proof of common-law marriage. Parent: original birth certificate of the applicant (the visa will only be granted if the applicant is under 18 years of age and he/she has not contracted marriage or is in a state of interdiction and is under his/her legal guardianship). Child: original birth certificate of the child.
7. Original and copy of the valid temporary/permanent resident visa or card of Mexico (the applicant´s family member who is the holder of the temporary/permanent resident visa or card of Mexico must be present at time of application)
8. Proof of economic solvency (only applies if the applicant family member is a holder of a temporary/permanent resident visa of Mexico):
a) Original and copy of proof of personal investments accounts or personal bank accounts with a monthly balance of at least $910.00 USD during the previous 12 months of statements (bring the last 12 months of bank statements. OR
b) Original and copy of documents showing that the applicant has a job or pension that yields a monthly income of $910.00 USD after taxes during the previous 6 months. (bring the last 6 months of your paystubs and the bank statements that shows the direct deposit of your salary).
If the applicant is a minor both parents should be present to sign the application.
If only one parent is present, it is mandatory to submit a notarized authorization (Spanish or English) from the other parent.
If minors or persons requiring legal guardianship attend by themselves or someone different to their parents, it is mandatory to submit a notarized document in which their parents or legal guardianship authorize the visa application.
AFTER ENTERING MEXICO WITH THIS KIND OF VISA, YOU SHOULD GO TO THE NEAREST “INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MIGRACIÓN” (INM) OFFICE TO GET YOUR RESIDENT ID.
Important:
Requirements may change without previous notice.
In case you are asked to support your application with complimentary documentation, you will be given a new appointment date.
If you present a document issued from a country different than Mexico or the United States of America, it must come with an apostille or legalization as applicable; and with an official translation to Spanish.
PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA (OFFICIALLY RETIRED OR 62+ YEARS OLD)
1. Visa Application.
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of the document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc). This only applies for non-U.S. citizens.
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Proof of economic solvency:
a) Original and copy of proof of personal investments accounts or personal bank accounts with a monthly balance of at least $181,968.00 USD during the previous 12 months of statements (bring the last 12 bank statements). OR
b) Original and copy of documents showing that the applicant has a job or pension that yields a monthly income of $4,549.00 USD after taxes during the previous 6 months (please bring the SSA letter or the last 6 months of your paystubs; with the bank statements that states the direct deposit of the last 6 months of your salary or pension).
AFTER ENTERING MEXICO WITH THIS KIND OF VISA, YOU SHOULD GO TO THE NEAREST “INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MIGRACIÓN” (INM) OFFICE TO GET YOUR RESIDENT ID.
To apply for a visa, you must first make an appointment per person, find the nearest consulate or embassy to your current place of residence, here.
Important:
Requirements may change without previous notice.
In case you are asked to support your application with complimentary documentation, you will be given a new appointment date.
If you present a document issued from a country different than Mexico or the United States of America, it must come with an apostille or legalization as applicable; and with an official translation to Spanish.
PERMANENT RESIDENT VISA (PARENT OR CHILD OF A MEXICAN CITIZEN) REQUIREMENTS:
2. Valid passport and copy of the main page.
3. One color picture, passport size, front view, with no eyeglasses and white background.
4. Original and copy of the document that proves that the applicant is a foreign legal resident of the USA (I-797, I-20 advance parole, etc).
5. Application processing fee $48.00 dollars (credit or debit card – visa or mastercard). Non refundable if not approved.
6. Original and copy of the birth certificate of the applicant (only applies if the applicant is a child of a Mexican national) In the case of a Mexican national child, the visa will only be granted if the applicant is under 18 years of age and has no right to Mexican nationality, as well as that he/she has not contracted marriage or is in a state of interdiction and is under his/her legal guardianship.
7. Original and copy of the certified Mexican birth certificate of the applicant’s family member.
8. Mexican passport and copy of the main page of the applicant’s family member. (the Mexican national must be present at the time of application) If the applicant is a minor both parents should be present to sign the application. If only one parent is present, it is mandatory to submit a notarized authorization (Spanish or English) from the other parent. If minors or persons requiring legal guardianship attend by themselves or someone different to their parents, it is mandatory to submit a notarized document in which their parents or legal guardianship authorize the visa application.
AFTER ENTERING MEXICO WITH THIS KIND OF VISA, YOU SHOULD GO TO THE NEAREST “INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE MIGRACIÓN” (INM) OFFICE TO GET YOUR RESIDENT ID.
Important:
Requirements may change without previous notice.
In case you are asked to support your application with complimentary documentation, you will be given a new appointment date.
If you present a document issued from a country different than Mexico or the United States of America, it must come with an apostille or legalization as applicable; and with an official translation to Spanish.
The process of obtaining Mexican citizenship or becoming naturalized is quite straightforward. You might consider this if you are a long-term resident, or you have family in the country. As usual, you must meet their requirements and present the correct documentation to the authorities (SRE – External Relations Secretariat).
As a naturalized Mexican you will enjoy similar rights and privileges of your fellow citizens. These include voting and the right to own property near the borders. In this article, we outline what you need to do.
Things to be aware of before you apply for Mexican citizenship
There are a few matters you should be aware of in regard to becoming a Naturalized Mexican.
1) Following your naturalization, while you are in Mexico, you are not allowed to seek consular protection by virtue of your ‘other’ nationality; so if you become caught up in any problems with the authorities you cannot rely upon your home country’s Consulate to support you.
2) Depending on your country of citizenship, you might have to surrender your home country’s passport – and citizenship – when you acquire your Mexican nationality. (This is rare: most countries allow their citizens to hold dual or multiple nationalities.)
3) Once you become a Naturalized Mexican Citizen, you need to remain resident in Mexico to keep it. See the blue information box below for more details about this.
4) You should also check with a financial adviser about the implications that your naturalization may have on your personal and business tax affairs.
Procedures to apply for Mexican citizenship
The procedures that lead to Mexican naturalization demand a number of requirements for qualification. These depend upon an assortment of factors such as:
- your links to Mexico,
- your current immigration status, and
- how long you have been physically resident here.
Legal and physical residency requirement
Importantly, you must have at least 5 consecutive years of legal residency (temporary and/or permanent) and you must prove that you have been situated physically in Mexico for at least 18 months in the past two years preceding your application date.
History and language exam
Part of the application process requires applicants to pass a history and culture exam, and a Spanish language aptitude test.
In years past, the history exam consisted of studying 100 “multiple choice” type questions, answering 5 and getting at least 3 correct. However, since January 2018 the exam process has been revised to test your knowledge of Mexican culture and history, and a reading comprehension exam has been introduced to test your Spanish language.
Exam exemptions
Some people are exempt from the history and culture exam, but all applicants must demonstrate a working knowledge of Spanish, tested via an exam.
The following are exempt from the history and culture exam:
- Minors (under 18 years of age);
- People over 60 years old; and
- Refugees and humanitarian cases under the auspices of COMAR.
Naturalization certificate, IFE, and Mexican passport
Once you file the application, the procedures take about a year to complete, and may take longer in some cases. Toward the end of the process, you will be asked to sit an exam, unless you are exempt (see above).
At the completion of the journey that leads to your Mexican naturalization, you will get a handshake from an official at the SRE (Mexico’s equivalent of the US State Department), and a Naturalization Certificate.
With this certificate in hand, you may apply for your Mexican passport and, just as importantly, your IFE card (known colloquially as simply, el IFE) – that is technically a voter registration document, but also serves a de facto National ID Card in Mexico. The card incorporates features such as scanned fingerprints, holograms and other security devices. It’s the size of a driving license and is thus readily portable.
Residency requirement for Naturalized Mexican Citizens
If you become a Naturalized Mexican citizen (i.e. a foreign national who applies for and gets granted Mexican citizenship) and you subsequently reside outside of Mexico for 5 or more consecutive years, you legally lose your Mexican citizenship.
Dual Citizenship Mexico
Mexican law differentiates between nationality and citizenship. Nationality is the attribute of the person in international law that describes their relationship to the State, whereas citizenship is given to those nationals (those who hold Mexican nationality) that have certain rights and responsibilities before the State. The 34th article of the Mexican constitution establishes that Mexican citizens are those Mexican [nationals] who are 18 years of age or older, and who have an "honest way of living."
Generally, Mexican nationality is based upon jus soli (right of the soil) and jus sanguinis (right of blood). Mexico permits dual citizenship.
Dual citizenship is not allowed but two are allowed, so there are certain requirements, including a fine, if you cross the border not on a Mexican passport.