How To Apply For a Mexican Resident Card For The First Time

What are the financial requirements for a married couple?

Thank you for your response!
If all bank accounts are joint accounts, can these figures be combined.
$104,550 savings/investments for married couple
$2,620 monthly income for married couple

We are a family of 3. My husband has a monthly pension of $1700 USD and I have a monthly pension of $2500. We are guardians of a 6 year old. We have no debts and have approximately $60,000 in savings, plus have land assets in the US and in Belize.
Do we qualify to apply for residency?
Thank you for your response.

I have a average monthly income of $2,500 USD working as a independent web designer/digital marketing professional. If I wanted to rent a house or apartment in Mexico and work from a home office or rent a office in the same city what would the best option for me be regarding residency?

Thank you,
Lee

Thank you for your response to my question. I have another question, are there franchises in Mexico that are available to foreigners? I have a client who is a franchise broker and many of his clients are people who are semi-retired or fully retired but they want to keep working.

Can one apply for a Residente Temporal or Residente Permanente Visa within Mexico while on a 180-day Tourist Visa? Or, must it be applied for and approved in one’s home country before entering Mexico?

Is there a provision to combine investments + income, if one is short of both the US$2500/month income and US$130,000 investments for a Residente Permanente for a retiree?

Can real estate be included in the US$130,000 or is it strictly brokerage account statements and bank account statements?

Is any consideration given for reducing the income requirement if one owns a home in Mexico?

Hi YES,

I am french and on the way to request a temporary residence Visa, as my wife is mexican. I bought your eBook that is a great reference, but i would still have some questions:

1) Do i need to apostillate and translate to spanish my french certificate of marriage? in the page 30 of the ebook, you mention that for such visa you need to provide a legal document issued by an authority of the applicant’s country of origin. But in the page 37 you mention all legal documents issued outside of mexico should have an apostille and be translated to a certified translator from each state. We expect to move to Jalisco, does it mean i need to find a translator there, to send him the certificate and wait for it to be back before going to the consulate in Paris? Does the certificate and apostille need to be issued in the last months?

2) Regarding the economic solvency for such visa, you speak about documents showing i’m employed and was earning more than 520USD for the past six months. Do my last 6 month paychecks fit as such docs? As I’m leaving my french job in the next months to move to Mexico i felt that was a bit strange compared to bank saving for example.

3) i understood this temp residence will not come with a work permit, until i find a job in mexico and request the permit as mentioned in page 41, right? I was hoping that would be easier to find a company to endorse me as we’re speaking about work permit and not a complete visa, what do tou think?

Many thanks for your inputs and your valuable ebook
Nicolas

What are the visa requirements for a common law couple? Also is there an age requirement for a retirees?

Nancy, the visa requirement is that you prove the common law union with a document provided by a local judge. There is no age requirement for retirees.

Hola,
Is the 10-15 business day window the max for the immigration to approve the procedure? I have been checking online for the status of my permanent resident card, and it just says ”sin resolucion’. Is that what changes once they approve the procedure. Muchas gracias

Hola.. We are planning to move to the Yucatan in the next few months and I have a few questions that I am hoping you can help me with. My husband is Mexican and we were married in Mexico. We have applied for his visa in US and are awaiting approval for his visa but in the mean time want to live in the Yucatan. What is it that I need, being an American citizen and married to a Mexican citizen to live in the Yucatan.

Thanks for you help.. Sandra

ALso, we are retirees in our early 50s

Steve G, you can apply for the permanent residency next year if you both are pensioners and qualify financially.

Henry, the income requirements for permanent residency have not been reduced; what was reduced was the savings/investments requirement from 25,000 times the minimum wage to 20,000 times the minimum wage, which translates to usd approximately like this: from 129,000 USD to 103,000 USD monthly.

Eddie, in the Immigration offices of the State of Yucatan it takes 4-6 weeks.

Anne, we used the exchange rate of the date of the article, February 2014: 13.00 and rounded it up (400*67.29= 26,916/13: 2,070 USD and rounded it up to 2,100 USD, that is why it says this amount is approximate). At the current exchange rate the requirement would be around 1,900 USD. However, in October 2014 the income requirement went down, and instead of 400 minimum wages, Immigration is now asking for 300: 300*67.29: 20,187, at the current exchange rate it´d be 1,450 USD monthly approximately. If you can show income for the last 6 months with at least that amount, you´d be elegible for temporary residency.

Terry, no, you don´t need to show your financial information again at the Immigration office in Cozumel, just your passport with your visa, your FMM, an online form, a letter in Spanish, pictures and payment of your resident card. If you need assistance, contact us at info@yucatanyes.com

Alan, we are glad you have found useful information on our website. Unfortunately, we don´t think you´ll be able to get an extension, our advice is that you show up tomorrow and bring the papers you have so that the process starts on time; if then something is missing they´ll request it. If you could take a friend who speaks Spanish, that will help you.

John, what you need to do is get an Affidavit from your country of origin, stating that the 3 names (the one in your birth certificate, the one in your passport and the one in your marriage document) belong to the same person. The Affidavit should have the apostille and then it should be translated to Spanish by a certified translator authorized by the Immigration office of the State in Mexico where you´re planning to live.

HJK, yes, it is still required to be a pensioner to obtain permanent resident status; if your husband obtains permanent residency, as his spouse, you could get temporary residency for 2 years and then become a permanent resident. If you are a permanent resident you cannot import a foreign plated vehicle. If you are a temporary or permanent resident you can purchase and register a car in Mexico.

Hello,

Thank you for creating this valuable website. I am a 29 years old Haitian citizen. I have a total of $USD 130,000 in my checking account and checking account combined. Will I be qualified for the permanent resident card (not the temporary one)?

Also, is there any travel restriction to people with the status of permanent resident.

Thank you!

Rolex, to qualify for permanent residency the main requirement – along with the financial information- is that the applicant is a pensioner. The applicatn must prove retirement with the letter from social security. As for your other question, no, there are not travel restrictions with the permanent resident status.

DB McNicol, you could apply on your own for a temporary resident visa, which requests monthly income of 1,500 USD. After 4 years with it, you can claim permanent resident status.

Hi Lesley, for the renewal process you don´t need to show bank statements again; new photos yes. You will also need to provide the online form and the letter in Spanish requesting the extension for 3 years and doing the payment of 6,678 pesos each. Good luck!

Henry, we love that you love it! Thank you for your kind comments. Answering your questions: if you hold a temporary for one year, yes you can change it to permanent after the first year, provided you fulfill the economic requirements and proving you are retired. But yes, like you well say, if you change to permanent you will need to take your US-plated vehicle out of Mexico. You should do a balance of what is more cost-effective for you, applying for a 3 year temporary residency will cost you 6,678 pesos; applying for permanent now will cost you 5,413 pesos, just to give you an idea. Plus the expenses to take your car out of the country and buying a new one with Yucatan plates instead. If you would like to set up an appointment to discuss your options you can contact us at info@yucatanyes.com

Hello,
I have a temporary resident card, my first year. To renew to a year temporary or a permanent residency, do I need all the same paperwork as getting a card for the first time or do I just bring my card and pay the fee? Also, I will be arriving a couple weeks after my card expires but I understand I have a 55 day grace period. Will I need additional paperwork for that?
Once again, thank you. Your service has been invaluable to us.

Laurie, you´re welcome! To renew as temporary resident you won´t need to show bank statements, but you will need to present at the INM the online form, the letter in Spanish requesting the renewal, your current card, copy of passport and yes, pay the fee. If you want to change to permanent status, then you must submit bank statements and these must be translated to Spanish by certified translator, approved by the INM. If your card expires while you are abroad, yes, you have 55 days to return to Mexico and once in Mexico, you have 5 days to start the process. Let us know if you need our assistance! Contact us at info@yucatanyes.com

So I know I qualify for a temp visa. I am retired too. But would the temporary visa allow me to travel back to Florida or must I stay in Mexico. I still have a house here and may need to come back for family things. thanks.

And where can I find info on brining in my cat?

hi , thank you for the great information. we are a British couple, may I confirm that we are able to initiate the process of obtaining a temporary residence visa at a Mexican consulate in the USA. (we are currently traveling the US on visitors visa). also may I confirm that as common law married, we need to get a judge (in the USA) to verify the relationship and get the document translated into Mexican. kind regards.

Lesley, sorry for not being so immediate this time in replying back! Thank you for sharing this information with us and our readers, as you well put it, different INM offices from different states may have different procedures and the requirements may vary depending on the “Delegado”´s criteria.

Nicolas, we sincerely appreciate your words; we are more than happy to know we can help expats relocate to our country! About your questions: yes, it is true that if you already have temporary residency in Mexico, for the company it´d take them less time to hire you and you can do the work permit procedure on your own, you don´t need them to request it for you since you already live in the country. You just need that they provide their “constancia de empleador”, job offer letter and last tax payment and you´ll take care of the rest. About your other question, if you get your Tax ID you can work for yourself and/or hire other employees. If you change activity, from being a freelance worker to employed by a company, you need to notify Immigration providing the company´s “constacia de empleador” and the other documents. If you have further questions, you can contact us at info@yucatanyes.com

Nancy, there is no special format as long as the letter specifies the type of visa you got at the Consulate, the number of such visa and that you are requesting the “canje” for the temporary resident card. You should also state your address in Mexico, the date of the letter and you should sign just like in your passport. At some Immigration offices they even let you present such letter handwritten after an officer has helped you telling you what to write. If you need our assistance to write the letter and fill out the online form you can contact us at info@yucatanyes.com

Nancy yes, it falls in Union Libre.

I am currently in PDC on tourist visa and will return to US soon to get temp resident visa. I hope to start my own company and eventually get a work permit. Can I start a company with a Temp Res Visa SIN permiso de trabajar. I have heard that once I start a company I can get a work permit to do whatever I want (if stated in the business model of the company). Is that true? Also is it true that with a work permit on a temp res visa that one CANNOT have a foreign plated car in Mexico. Also do you know if Quitana Roo is a free zone in terms or temp vehicle permits?

Thanks, Michael

Michael, yes you can incorporate with a temp visa sin permiso para trabajar, but you will need to apoint Mexicans or non-Mexicans with work permits to act on behalf of the corporation until you get your work permit. Yes, it is true that temp residents with work permits cannot have foreign plated vehicles in Mexico. And yes, Quintana Roo is a free zone, let´s say you bring the foreign plated vehicle with your temp card sin permiso para trabajar and then you get the work permit, you´d be able to keep it there as long as you don´t drive it out of Quintana Roo.

My husband and 90 year old mother are planning to move to Mexico at the end of October. I have poa for my mother. We each meet the financial criteria for temporary resident visa. The nearest consulate is five hours away. Can just one of us apply for all three persons or do we all have to travel to the consulate? Also do we have to wait there the ten days for it to be approved or can someone else pick up our docs and mail to us?

Sharry, once the temporary resident visa is issued by the Mexican Consulate you have 180 days to come to Mexico for the 2nd part of the process. Once in Mexico, it depends of each Immigration office how long it takes them to issue the resident card. Just to give you an idea, in Merida, they take 4-6 weeks. But if you can´t stay for that long, you can request an exit permit, which is good for 60 days; in the meantime, your application continues.

Terri, what we were explaining Terry on that post was that he did not have to show financial information for the “canje” process he was going to start, the FMM was the migratory form he was going to get when he came to Mexico. However, it also applies that you don´t have to show financial information if after 4 years of temporary residency you request permanent residency.

Lise, you can just start all over; the online form won´t be valid for the “canje” process until you physically submit it at the Immigration office, so the one you previously filled out won´t interfere with the new one (also, there is no way to modify incorrect data so if you supplied your zip code wrong, you will have to do a new one again any way).

Terra, you must go to the Immigration office of the State where your domicile in Mexico is located and present the request to change status from tourist to temporary residency by family unit. Along with forms and letters the most important documents you must present are your marriage certificate with the apostille and translation into Spanish and your husband´s identification as a Mexican citizen (voter´s card, passport or birth certificate).

Hi,
I’m interested in applying for temporary residency.
Can you clarify how income is determined from bank statements? Do they just look at the monthly deposits? Or, do I also need to bring W-2’s / paystubs? I am self-employed.

Is that amount still $1500/mo.? Does owning property in Mexico affect these figures?

Also, if I renew in 1 year, it is true that I do not need to show proof of income at that time?

Receive $1334 usd per month in pension and $1000 per month from rental property income. Total $2334. Enough for temp residency permit? I am 30yrs old, is age any issue? Looking to live in Mexico long term,+4-5years.. Thank you much.

My husband and I are planning to retire to Mexico in October this year. We are both over 50 and have a combined pension of $8,500.00USD per month. One has $3,500.00 and the other $5,000.00. The pensions are from military retirement, VA disability, and Social Security Disability
After trying numerous times to set an appointment, we drove to the Mexican Consulate in Dallas to apply for permanent residence. We were told that they have never issued a permanent resident visa and that we had to have $100,000.00 in the bank proven by banks statements. When we tried to describe our pensions, we were told that Social Security payments did not count because Mexico does not have a similar system. We gave up and went home. We are traveling to the Mexican Consulate in Little Rock, AR next week. At least the gave us an appointment this time. Any response or advice would be appreciated.

Terra, yes you must get the apostille translated in Mexico by a certified translator authorized by the Immigration office in Puebla. Request the Immigraton officers to provide you with the list of authorized translators so you can contact one of them.

We have just completed our submission to the INM office in Merida and received the following notification Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio. Do we have to go to the INM office to request and appointment? Where is the best place in centro to get our pictures?

Thank you

Update to my earlier post. We went to Liitle Rock Mexican Consulate. A completely different experience than we had in Dallas. They simply asked for our application, passport with copy, one passport photo, and proof of our income. Within an hour we were getting photos and given the permanent resident approved application cards. As proof of income, we provided a year of bank statements along with six months of pay statements from military retirement and VA disability. I appreciate the work you do on this site. Very helpful.

This was really helpful; thanks! Most folks only talk about the $26K temporary option, but the people we know at the consulate here speak of the $100K option as being better.

Nikhil, the main requirement to ask for the permanent resident status is that the applicant is retired and the minimum income requirement comes from a pension. Either way, if you are not retired yet and you can´t apply for the permanent now, you can apply for the temporary and after 4 years with temporary you become a permanent resident.

Michael, yes, if you are retired and have the minimum income or minimum savings established in the Immigration Law, you can apply for permanent residency. Your brother, still working, can apply for the temporary residency, as long as he can prove he has the minimum requiered income or savings as established in the Immigration Law. There is no limitation as to the amount of time you can spend outside of Mexico while holidng one of these cards.

Wonderful website – the best. I’m 67 and retired. I qualify for a permanent residency visa but can’t readily prove that I’m “retired” unless I produce tax returns that will show that I don’t have employment income. I’m deferring social security until age 70 because of income from a stock buyout arrangement. I have more than the required savings. I’m sure this isn’t a totally unique situation as others defer social security. Anyway, in your experience, what should I expect? Thanks so much.

Mary, thank you for your kind words. In our experience, if you can prove that you are retired (with the social security letter) and you show the amount that you are entitled to, even if you have chosen not to use it until you reach 70, plus the minimum required savings, you will be able to qualify for permanent residency. We believe it´ll be a matter of whether or not the officer at the Mexican Consulate would like to be helpful or stick to the book. If it does not represent a problem for you (a long trip to the Consulate perhaps), you should definitely try it!

Hello. Pls i want to ask a question, Iam a Nigerian staying in Nigeria but my brother who has been in mexico for 9 years wants me to go to mexico..he askd me to send my scand passport to him and he told me he forwarded it to his lawyer to process my visa…pls wat kind of visa is this and How long will the process take? He told me onced approved he will forward the officio to me via email to go and collect visa

Dauda, we are sorry but just with the information you are providing we cannot tell which kind of visa is it. We guess it may be a visa for a job offer, since is the only one which process starts in Mexico at the Immigration office and by which you don´t need to be present nor sign anything; it is the company who wants to hire you that does all the necessary paperwork.

Dauda, at the Immigration office in Merida (where we are located) to get a job offer approved takes 1-2 months.

Hello/Holla,
If a person meets the ~$100,000 savings requirement but isn’t retired (still getting income from employment in states/wants to create a business in mexico), can he/she apply for permanent residence?

Hi,can the nationality of someone delay the descision to aprove a job offer or not? Mine have taken 2 months 2weeks nw.and noting yet.

Pls what is the average time frame? And onced the application is Recieved a descision must be given weather accept or Reject ryt?

Dauda, this totally depends on each Immigration office, we´re sorry we cannot be of further help. Here in Merida we´ve had cases approved from 2 months to 6. And yes, after you submit your documents and they study the case, they can either accept it or reject it.

Hello,
Thank you very much for this helpful website and all the answers you provide 🙂
I have 3 questions :
– I’m not working, and I’m not retired. I’ve been in Mexico for a year under tourist visas. My idea is to request a temporal visa under the category “Economic Solvency”. Can my revenus issued from rentals (2200 US$) are acceptable/ receivable
– Can I make the request in any country or does it have to be in my country of residency ?
– Do I need a purpose ? I have my boyfriend here in Mexico, but we don’t live together yet, so no real “legal” reason to give to my visa request

I recieve $1,832 a month in social security and would be living in Playa del Carmen, is this enough to qualify for residency? I have seen conflicting numbers.

Irene, yes, both of you can apply for permanent residency. You will need to show your employer´s letter stating you are retired and your savings account statements for the last year with over 100,000 USD balance per month. Your husband can apply with his monthly SS pension, providing his 6 last bank account statements. Owning a condo won´t help you getting permanent residency. You don´t need your marriage or birth certificates for these processes since you will be applying each on your own, not as economic dependent of the other or by family unit.

I am living in Mexico with my mexican boyfriend, and we would like to take permanent residence for me without living Mexico. Is that possible and what would be the procedure? New low says that if you have a Visitor Visa you can no longer change it over to another type of visa (Temporary Resident or Permanent Resident) while in Mexico, except if:
Article 41 – it is to preserve “Family Unity”, for an offer of work or for humanitarian reasons.
Article 53 – “you have a relation with a Mexican or foreigner with residence in Mexico” (Article 53). We are not sure how open the concept of “relation” is. Is common low relationship enough or we have to be married? Thank you for reply

Hello,

I have a few questions:

1. We are a family of 4. I receive disability compensation from the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs for $1,000 per month for the rest if my life, and can show $130,000 in investment and retirement accounts. Is this enough to get permanent residency for all of us? If not is online employment income I earn from a non Mexican company, or investment income (dividends or rental income) considered?

2. What other countries can I travel to with a Mexican permanent residency card?

Hello,

Thank you so much for your prompt answer to my question above (November 28th, 2015 3:08 pm).

Is there any way to get my family permanent residency cards based on my current situation? Our kids are older and will be moving out in the coming years – what about just my wife and I? Can the 2 of us qualify for immediate permanent residency based on the above?

Thank you again.

Good’day
I have a couple of questions for you, I am a Canadian citizen married to a mexican citizen we are planning on moving to cancun as my brother in law is opening a business and wants me to work with him. Now what and where do I apply for temporary residency do I do it in canada before or can I switch it while I’m there. Also what are the steps for applying for a mexican passport or citizenship?
Thank you guys so much love the website lots of info !

I have a pension of 3200 usd. My wife does not have a income. We are wanting to live in Sonora. And want to become permanent residents. What is our options. Thank you very much.

My common law husband and I are just in the process of buying a condo in Puerto Vallarta and planning on staying at least 6months of the year in PV. Right now we are there on a 180day tourist visa and want to buy a vehicle (it is just too expensive to rent for 5+months). Do you know if it is true or not that you cannot buy a vehicle on a Tourist visa and that you have to be either a Temporary or Permanent Resident to purchase a vehicle? We have seen blogs on people buying vehicles in Playa Del Carmen and then travelling through South America with them, but we have heard that you cannot buy vehicles in Puerto Vallarta on tourist visas? Can you help us in clarifying this?

Is there an expiry date / need to renew once I obtain a permanent resident status?

Hi YES, I am so grateful for what you’re doing here, really awesome!!!
My question is, What happens on the 4th year of the Temporary Resident Visa. How do I become a Permanent Resident? (I’m not retired). Are there any requirements at that time to prove? Do we leave the country? I’m assuming the Temporary Resident Visa expires and then what? thanks….

Quick & simple question – I got my temporary resident card approx 4/5 months ago following the procedure above. The only question I have is – should I have got my FMM form back from when I entered the country a few weeks prior to getting the “Residente temporal” card? Or does the INM office just keep that/discard it & I now only need the card I have?

Thanks so much.

Thank you for your reply about the car situation. I do have another question. When applying for temporary residency do we have to prove the $12-1300/month US income if we own property? We have just bought a condo in Puerto Vallarta and somewhere heard that if you own property you don’t need to prove anything else? We hope to apply for temporary residency when we get back to Canada after our winter ends in PV.

If we are planning on living in Mex full time, permanently do we need to show the income separately for both myself and wife? We have approx $2700 income that comes into our joint bank account each month from several rental properties. Do they just look at that gross amount that comes into the account or do they consider that we need to pay HOA’s and taxes out of that amount? If we plan on buying a property for $200K, it looks as if that would be the easiest way for us to meet criteria right? How about our young son, do we need to show additional income to cover him or is that just assumed if both parents qualify?

Hi
I will apply for temporary residency. If this is granted can I return to the UK freely, or do I have to stay in Mexico the entire length of the visa?

My wife will be 62 in later this year, while I am 53. Both are on permanent Social Security disability.

With respect to getting temporary vs permanent visas, how does disability income factor into qualifying as pensioners?

I am taking a position with an organization that does relief work in Mexico and moving my family of 4 to Mexico. My income will be US-based, over $5,200/month and investments totaling $100,000. I am 43 years old and we plan to be in this position for the next decade or more. Can we apply for permanent residency? How should we proceed?

Hi
I plan on retiring early (I’m 43 now) in approx. 1-2 years from now and living in Tulum. I’m not sure whether or not I would qualify directly for a permanent residence, as I will not receive any regular pension payments until I’m 65. However, I do have a pension fund (big 6-figure amount) that I can get in cash once I quit my job and leave my home country, plus I have a smaller 6-digit amount on bank accounts (which I will most probably be using to buy a property in Mexico before moving there). I will not have any income once I move to Mexico. Could you please clarify if I have to go for the temporary residence first or not?

Hi, I’m potentially going to be in Mexico from October for at least 6 months. I’m also going to be out there in the summer for possibly 5 weeks. This I would assume means that I cannot just use a visitors 180 day visa for both? During the 6 months I was looking to possibly work for my brother, who is a Mexican citizen now, and live with my parents who are permanent residents. Would I be able to apply for temporary residence with the precedence of being employed? If so what would I need? Or is there some other way I have to go? Thanks.

I am trying to move to mexico as my mexican husband was deported from the US, i will not be working but he will. can i still get a residency card being as we are married and we are moving because he was deorted?

Hi, first and foremost, learning lots here and thank you.
My question is about temporary and permanent visas. We own a Condo in San Jose del Cabo, we only want to stay 5 months in Cabo then return to Canada each year when we retire. From the Mexican Gov perspective, this is not a problem with either Visa, correct? Do you know if it really matters to the Cdn gov if you are a temp or permanent resident of Mexico, but obviously still a Cdn citizen? Lastly, with this scenario, can we buy and register a Mexican car with either the temp or permanent Visa? Thank you.

This site is very helpful. Thank you.

My family and I are planning to move to Mexico in June. I am the County Director to Mexico for WorldVenture Missions and Relief, an organization serving over 70 nations, but we will be the first in Mexico. Our hope is to move to Ensenada. I am married and have three children. Our oldest will not move with us permanently but simply visit as a college student in the United States. Our younger two, a 16 year old and a 13 year old, will move with us. My wife and I, both 43 years old, will have an income of over $50,000 annually, paid from a US company into our US accounts and have around $100,000 in investments. Our desire is to receive Temporary Residency, possibly transitioning to Permanent Residency in the future and work and serve alongside the Mexican people for the next decade or more. When requesting an appointment at our local consulate, we received the following message, “Please note as I mentioned that when you apply for the Temporary Resident visa yourself it will not allow you or any member of your family to work in Mexico, not even as a missionary. Therefore, if you are moving there as part of an organization (World Venture Missions and Relief) they should get the permit for you and your family at the Immigration Institute in Mexico (Instituto Nacional de Migracion).”

Any thoughts on how we should proceed?

p.s. between her pension and our income she is more than monetarily solvent, so that type of resident visa is within our reach.

First of all, thanks for all the great information.

My girlfriend and I are thinking at retiring to Mexico within a year or so, either to the Riviera Maya or perhaps Puerta Vallarta, and would like to apply for a Temporary Residence visa. I’m 55 and she is 51.

I have more than enough investment and savings income to qualify, but she does not. I can easily support the both of us. What would be the best approach to convince Mexican Consular officials that I have more than enough financial resources to support both her and me, and thus allow the both of us to qualify financially? Can I claim her as some sort of dependent when we apply? Would it be best to move money into a bank account in her name to show the required 12 months of savings? Would it be easier if we were to marry?

First, thank you so much for all this information.

Do I understand correctly that someone who is retired with Social Security income of at least US$2,000/mth is eligible for a Permanent Residency visa?

And this dollar amount is set for the entire year of 2016, even if the exchange rate changes?

Is this visa applied for just once?

Right now my Social Security income exceeds the minimum required. What happens if the exchange rate changes in 2017, and my income no longer meets the minimum required?

Gracias

I am a 53 year old retiring and moving to Mexico We are Canadians and will have enough to prove 103,000.00 us. do we need to show 6 months of bank statements as I will not
start to collect my pension for 6 to 7 years.
Thank you very much
Jim

My current social security income is exactly $1,653/month. Does that meet the current requirements for residency as a pensioner? Thanks.

Thank you for the information about only needing a FMM when I move to Isla Mujeres. (I will be traveling back and forth between Isla and Texas every 6 months.). My question now is what are my options for buying a motor scooter? I would like to buy a new one, but have heard that I can’t register it and get plates if I only have a FMM. Are there other options such as having a resident purchase it, register it, and then I buy it “used” from them? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi. I wanna rent an apartment in tijuana but work in San Diego. So, that means I gotta cross back and forth across the border 5 times a week. Do I need a resident card, or can I just keep showing my passport to the mexican border agents?

I am a United States citizen I’m married to a Mexican citizen since July of 2010 I’m applying for residency here in Mexico I am being told I do not have to hold the temporary for two years. My understanding is that I pay like 1500 pesos wait like 20 days go back and pay for permanent resident like 4500 pesos is this correct? Clarification on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and help

Hi, I will be going to the MX consulate in CA this week to apply for temporary residency. I just wanted to confirm that with bank statements, they will be looking at the total cash DEPOSITS each month to be at least $1300…. and NOT that the balance in the account is at least $1300 each month? Is this correct?

Also, does YES offer services to complete the process on the Mexico side?

THANKS

Thank you for providing such a useful service. I have a question about applying for a temporary residency visa as a US citizen.

– Must I apply at the nearest Mexican Consulate, or can it be any Consulate in the US.

– I’m a business owner in the US, and plan to use my income from my business, combined with investment income to meet the economic solvency requirements.

I was advised not to mention working (I would use the Internet to keep in touch with my company in the US), even for a temporary residency visa in the “Purpose of trip” section — that I should state that my purpose for requesting the visa is to spend time in Mexico with the intention of retiring there.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thank you!

I asked if I could rent a house in Mexico and commute to work on a daily basis. I earn about $2,500 a month before taxes. Can I qualify for a temporary resident card? Ideally I would like the contract to rent the house in my name and all of the utilities to be in my name. What do you recommend?

Thank you,
Lee

My social security income is $1520 a month. Can I live in Mexico permanently by renewing a temporary residency visa since a will never qualify at $2200 for permanent residency?

Lea, you can purchase property as a tourist, temporary or permanent resident; you can buy a vehicle and register it on a temporary or permanent residency, not as a tourist.

Heather, your combined income of 4,000 USD monthly will be enough for your application and your children’s. It is important that you can show in your bank statements you have at least 1,250 USD income. He would need to show 500 USD monthly income for each childen. Savings requirement for a married couple are 22,000 monthly. Your husband won’t need a work permit since he is a Mexican citizen; in order for you to get a work permit, you’d need to either form a company or file yourself before tax authorities as an individual with business activities or get a job offer from a Mexican Company or individual.

Heather, the 1250 USD is just for you, if you apply independently. In case you do not apply independently, but as economic dependent of your husband, then he will need to show 500 USD income monthly for the 3 of you (over the last 6 months).
Your business in the US does not count for a work permit in Mexico; you would need to pay taxes in Mexico for the profit you make in Mexico and get a work permit for such activity.

Robert, if you become a temporary resident you will still need to have your card first in order to import your household goods; the only thing you won’t need is the permit from the Mexican Consulate to import them. Also, if you apply for temporary now and decide to request permanent residency after 1-2 years, you will need to show your financial information again and translated into Spanish, which will be an additional cost. If you become temporary, after 4 years you will become permanent, withouth having to show financial information. We think it’s best to wait for the 4 years of temporary residency before becoming permanent, if you decide to become temporary instead of permanent now.

Frederique, you’re welcome!

Answering your questions:

– The Immigration Law states that permanent residency is only for retirees; however, we have seen that in some Mexican Consulates they overlook this and grant it if the applicant has the minimum monthly income or the mínimum monthly savings. Minimum monthly income for the last 6 months is approx. 2,050 USD; minimum monthly savings for the last 12 months are approx. 82,000 USD; these numbers are per person.

– You must leave Mexico to start the process abroad. You can go to any Mexican Consulate, not necessarily of your home country.

– If you apply independently, you do not need to show your marriage certificate. On the other hand, if one of you will apply as economic dependent of the other, then yes. And it must be apostilled and translated to Spanish by authorized translator.

I am a retired Canadian citizen living with a Mexican national in Mexico and have been going on 3 years. I do the 6 month border FMM and TIP roulette but all this travel is getting stale and fast. The return to Canada has been useful to visit family, an ailing mother, and I bring some of my ‘stuff’ each 6 months in a little VW I drive, but I think do not quite qualify financially for a temporal unless the Canadian dollar reaches par with the USA dollar. Since we have been union-libre for going on 3 years would a permanente be possible under the rules?

Hello

I’m going to apply for a permanent resident visa. I’m retired and have the necessary investment funds to qualify. In my research, there is mention of a retiree providing proof that they are retired. I have in my possession the following 2 official documents that state I’m retired. The first one is my ‘Certificate of Automobile Insurance’ that states included in my premium is a ‘retirees discount’. The other document is a ‘Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits’ for income I received in 2015. In one of the boxes it states ‘Number of months – retirement – 12’. Do you feel these are sufficient to prove that I’m retired?

Thank you in advance.

Hello, very informative website. first some background info: My wife’s temporary residency card expires (after 4 years) in August. My 4 year temporary residence as well as our 2 kids expires in March 2017.

We first entered Mexico together as a family in July of 2012, my wife obtained here 1st one year temporary residence card from her employer. The kids and I went to Guatemala (for a short trip) after 6 months, but when we returned I was told to go to immigration. So our temporary residence visas are about 6 months behind my wife’s.

My Question is, since we both entered Mexico at the same time (July 2012) can we apply for permanent residence as a family in August of this year, rather than making 2 submission, one for my wife in August and then for the rest of the family in March 2017.

Thanks,

Richard

Hi! Great article! However just to confirm … we are 45 and 46 year old married couple and want to move to tulum. We can meet both bank statement and income requirements. Would we be able to work on a Temporary visa?

B

My mother and I own a condo in PDC and are moving down there to live. We both qualify for permanent residency financially. We would like to open a Art studio and learning center once we are living there. If we apply for permanent or temporary residency can we then apply for and open a business?

My temporally resident card expires September 23. How soon and how late can I start the renewal process without any problems?

Hi We want to sell up in the UK and move to the Yucatan , we want to buy a farm and work it . My wife an i will have £200,00 to buy land and a house, My mother inlaw will come too and she has an income o £1300 per month, plus my 24 year old son and his girlfriend who dont really have any saving
will this be possible? we want to work on our own farm land at the same time as build our houses

Phil, you and your wife can apply as temporary residents based on your savings, if each of you can show you have had at least 20,000 USD during the last 12 months. Your mother in law can too apply for temporary residency if she can prove she has had an income of at least 1,300 USD over the last 6 months. As for your son and his girlfriend they need to show income of at least 1,300 USD each during the last 6 months. He can’t apply as your son, since he is not under age.

YES,
thanks for the info. my two children were born in the USA and they received their Mexican birth certificates at the embassy in Seattle before they were a year old. both kids and my husband only have US passports. to make the process and move easier for us the three of them would need to have Mexican passports, correct? As for me, what would I need to do to get permanent residency?

I have an important question to ask I am a 26 year old disabled adult I am legally blind and not able to work I do receive SSI income monthly 731.

For me that income I am able to live off of quite easily i stay with my husband’s family and they help me with things that I need if I cannot.

My husband is a Mexican Citizen and lives here in Mexico I am currently here on a fmm card and would like to know would I be able to obtain a temporary resident card in order to stay with him from time to time more than six months.

I have talked to immigration lawyers and some I can and some say I can’t. I am of Hispanic descent and I am fulent in the Spanish language.

I’m afraid that I won’t be able to stay another 6 months when I come back on a new fmm card this is only my second visit to Mexico the first time I was a kid and the second time me being an adult.

Will they allow me to come back after 4 months of being gone or will I have to wait longer?

I’m praying it won’t be an issue if I’m not able to obtain a temporary card but it would be lovely if I could get some help with that since I am disabled and not able to work and my income is set at that set income for the past 20 years.

My husband does work but I do not know how much he makes he works on a weekly basis.

Very impressed with the up to date status of your responses.
I am considering seeking Permanent Residency in Mexico, soonest possible. What are my options to expedite the process as quickly as possible?
43 yo male, Canadian / Australian Dual Citizen. Professional Engineer (P.Eng).
I’ve noted Temp Visas are available for investors. Is the same true for permanent residency? Or, would my best choice be to prove “adequate monthly income from investments”, as in the case of a retiree? Has the points system yet been enacted; would a P.Eng qualify?
Many thanks in advance.

How would you direct a family of 7. My husband is 51 and I am 49. We have 5 children ages 5-15. We have been living in Mexico for 2 1/2 years, on 6 month tourist visas. How much monthly income do we need to show for our entire family? My husband does not have a retirement pension, but we have a regular monthly income. When we have tried at Mexican consulates previously, even though we had documents showing our monthly income they were insistent that we need a letter of invitation from a Mexican registered business or organization. My husband is looking into starting a business for student exchange in Mexico. Any advice for us obtaining temp residency cards which would eventually lead to permenant after 4 years> thank you

> If the foreigner is applying for PERMANENT RESIDENCY:
>
> Original and copy of statements as proof of investments or
> statements of bank accounts with a monthly average
> balance equivalent to twenty thousand days of general
> minimum wage in Mexico City (73.04 MXP for 2016),
> approximately $90,000 USD for the past twelve months
> (considering a rate of exchange of 17 pesos).

Hi Yucatan Expatriate Services, I’m a bit confused by this sentence and the responses you gave to others in the comments. Based on the description above, it sounds like one could qualify for a PR by having roughly $90,000 USD in an investment account (mutual funds maybe?) for the past 12 months.

My wife and I are interested in staying indefinitely (PR) in Mexico, however we still have some years to go from retirement age, could you enlighten us with the alternative(s) and requirements towards getting a PR eventually? Maybe as an investor (either in business or real estate) or something? Thanks in advance.

Thank you Yucatan Expatriate Services for the excellent help and the amount of information you made available on this website. Really appreciate it!

Dear Sirs,
Considering my above-mentioned email questions,i mean a permanent residency in Mexico(Not a permanent visa).
Please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience.
Thanks and regards
Ahmad Behzad

Ahmad, you’re welcome. Here are the answers to your other questions:

1) Once in Mexico, the process to get the card takes 4-6 weeks.

2) In order to enter Mexico, since Iran is a country whose citizens need a visa from the Mexican Consulate, the 3 of you need to go to the Consulate in Tehran so then you can enter Mexico. Or the other option is that first you get your PR in Mexico and then you request their “internación” by family unit.

3) Yes you can, as long as she is legal in Mexico, either with permanent residency or temporary residency.

4) In September 2016.

5) No they aren’t.

Looking into moving to the Yucatan, i have a pension of around $1500 per month. My husband is younger & wouldn’t have a pension. Would we meet the criteria to live in Mexico?. We are looking at buying a home around the 200k mark, would this help us in our process?.

Hi,
I went to the Mexican Consulate in CA to apply for my temporary residency. In the interview, I was denied even though I had bank statements that showed deposits of at least $1500 USD / month. The woman said that there was no proof where that money came from even though I told her I was self-employed. She asked how I plan to have income if I will be living in Mexico. She also said that I couldn’t apply as a retiree because I am only 43 and do not have a pension. She said my options were to either invest in a business in Mexico of at least $78K USD or show that I own at least $200K USD in real estate in Mexico. Does this seem correct?

Hi, and thanks so much for this wonderfully informative site.

I’m an American citizen who would like to get my temporary residence permit. I have a monthly income of 2600 so I think I should be fine on that. But I would like to bring my son to Mexico to live with me. He’s 16 years old and a citizen of South Africa. Would I be able to do this? And what would be the best way to go about it? I plan to live near the border and commute to my job in Texas. Thanks for any information you can offer.

Hi there,
My dad, mother, 14 yr old sister, my wife and myself are trying to get our temporary resident visas.

My dad has a large income and savings that I’m sure meet the requirements. He would continue working while in Mexico.

My mother does not work.

My sister of course does not work and would be a dependent.

My wife and I work in the states but will not have income one we move to Mexico.

The plan is to start a deep sea fishing charter. My father and I are business partners. I understand you can obtain this visa on an investment in Mexico.

What would you recommend we do to make sure our visas are approved?

Thank you.

Thank you for your reply on the 19th July. You mention that i can apply for (if i’m not retired) temporary residence if i can show i have income paid into my account each month for six consecutive months of at least $1300 USD.
I am looking into my retirement options & I’m currently still working, would i be able to show my bank statements with my salary being paid in even though i won’t have that salary once we move to Mexico?. My monthly income would be well above the $1300 each month required. Also once i retire my pension would also be above the minimum monthly amount.
If possible i would like to do this while still working so that once i retire i don’t have to wait six months to show my pension being paid in.

Last question………i promise!

Also my husband is self employed, could he show his business bank acounts for six months to also apply for temporary residency?.This account is the only account he uses which covers both business & personal.

Many Thanks.

Hello,

I just want to confirm something that it is possible to reside in Mexico on a temporary VIsa and own an online business where the money come from the US and Canada, deposited into a Canadian bank account. And also, that taxes will not need to be paid in Mexico.

I have heard many stories of people doing this, but I wanted to ask for your opinion.

Also, if that is the case, I think this could also be done by renewing a tourist visa?

Thank you.

I’m a software engineer with more than 15 years of experiencia and a barchelor degree in computer science. I also owner of a software consulting firm in Argentina. My Family and I want to relocate in Yucatan. I already have several Customer in the US so I could able to work remotely. I have a monthly income of 10.000 usd. I read your inmigración guide book but it’s still not clear to me what would the right path for me to apply for temporary or permanent residency. It looks like the system of points is a good option but there is no enough información about it. Any information would be helpful. Thanks

Hello YES
My question is about how much time someone with a temporary or permanent residence visa can be out of Mexico before the visa is cancelled. I just came across some information (on the internet and not sure how accurate it is) that states that the Mexican government are now cancelling visas given to those that ‘abuse’ the system. If this is the case, there must be a rule that states how much time you must spend in Mexico on an annual basis. I would appreciate your feedback on this, and if there is a rule, what it is or where I can get more information.
Thank you

Thank you for providing a great service here on your website!
I have bought a home in Merida which I am presently remodeling. It should be ready to move in to in October. My question is, what is the advantages of a permanent residency card over a temporary card? Will I still need to maintain a Fideicomiso with the permanent residency?

Many Thanks,
Tita

Hello. I just want to confirm that my understanding is correct for applying for Permanent Residency. At the time I will retire, my pension earnings will be fairly small initially, and well below the $2,300 required. But I will have substantial savings/investments (over $1M) in the bank. It sounds like as long as I can prove that I am retired from my employer, the small pension amount wouldn’t prevent me from applying for Permanent Residency, as long as my bank investments/savings are sufficient. Just confirming that it truly is ‘adequate pension income’ OR ‘adequate savings’, for Permanent Residency as a retiree? Is this correct?

My wife and I are planning to move to the Yucatan area from the U.S. She is a Mexican citizen. I am an American. We were married here in the U.S.. Are there any special requirements with regard to our purchasing property in Mexico based on this?

My wife and I are going to be visiting El Centenario, Baja Sur for six months starting in November 2016.
We had a little difficulty with some of the visa documents so we are going to apply for our PR Visa after our first six month stay.
Our initial plan is to enter the country as tourists. My question relates to bringing in some of my photography and art supplies that seem to be outside of the allowable limits. Of course we would take everything out with us when we leave the country.
Can we bring these items in with us if we pay duty or a tax on them? If they are going to exit with us would that expense be required? Since the Baja is conisidered a free trade zone does that open up some of our import possibilities?
Thanks for the great information that you provide here.

I am interested in residency however neither my husband or I are retired but we can show 300,000 in our account. Also my husband is jamaican and I am American , we have two kids that are American and our parents are jamaican and American respectively. How do we apply coming from two different countries? And how long is the process.

Hello, Can one work/open a business on a temporary resident visa?

Your answering so many questions for other (even duplicates) is impressive. You are a teacher and humanitarian.

Hi,

Thank you for the valuable information you provide here. Your ebook has been very helpful as well.
I am in my early thirties and want to live and eventually open a business in Mexico (Sonora), I have the savings required to apply for temporary residency. I understand that in order to open a business I need to hire Mexicans or people with work permits and get my tax ID. My questions for you are:
1. when I apply for temporary residency, in the interview, is it wise to mention my goal of opening a business (legally, of course)? Or will that complicate the interview and the application?
2. Do you know what the process is to apply for a work permit when you open your own business? Is it a very strict selection/hard process?
3. Do you know if it is hard for a temporary resident to obtain a tax ID?

Thank you in advance for taking the time.

First thank you for all of your valuable information!!! I plan to start the process for temporary residency at the Denver Mexican Consulate. I will arrive in Merida early November. Does it matter if I go to the Progresso or Merida office to continue the process? Is Progresso processing quicker than Merida’s?

My wife and I purchased a property in Playa del Carmen worth $350,000 and the intention is to retire in Mexico permanently. I retired from work over a year and a half ago, my wife retired a month ago.
The fact we have already invested in a property in Playa, do we still need to prove that we have had savings of $80000 per person for the last 12 months?
Plus, do we need to also prove we receive $80 or more per month, per person in retirement funds?
We have a total income of $4000 per month inclusive of our retirement funds, will this be enough to quality for a retirement visa?
Will the retirement visa also allow us to have dual citizenship with the United Kingdom?
Thanks in advance

Dave, to apply for permanent residency, the fact that you own Real Estate is not involved. You strictly need to prove that you are retired and that you have a monthly pension of at least 2,000 USD for the last 6 months or savings with a monthly balance of at least 80,000 USD for the last 12 months. Regarding your other question: permanent residency does not mean you have Mexican citizenship, you’ll still be a citizen of your country but with permanent residency in Mexico.

Hi YES,

Many thanks for answering my questions of 6 Oct. My close Friend has now shown a great interest in Joining my wife and I in investing and living in Playa Del Carmen. With this in mind, we will have a combined money pot of aprox $1.0m that can be invested in a local business they we would own and manage.

Is there a fast track way of obtaining perminent residency, as its risky investing such large sums on a business when on a temporary visa?

Thanks in advance,
Danny

I have a house in Playa and will be travelling to Cancun in November with the aim of bringing my personal items with me as part of my airline luggage. The consulate has clearly stated they are unable to assist me with my personal items and now I need your help:
– Will customs charge me for bringing my personal items if i show them my property deeds and that I own a property in Mex?
– I understand for all electrical items I need to provide serial numbers?
– Should I create a list of personal items in English and Spanish?
– Should the list be attached outside the boxes or should I just present customs with the list for example box 1 contains items abc etc etc?
Thank you very much for your help

Kate, what you can bring with you as part of your airline luggage is listed on this link: https://www.yucatanexpatriateservices.com/do-it-yourself/personal-items-into-mexico.html; whatever you bring that is not in such list, you will need to declare and pay the corresponding duties. If you already have your temporary resident card, you could import your house hold goods duty free with the assistance of a customs broker; you will need to provide him with a full inventory of the items you will bring. For more information you can contact us at info@yucatanyes.com

I got my permanent resident visa at the consulate today and was was planning on getting it stamped at the border tomorrow to get my FMM, then head to the INM office. Once I enter Mexico to start this process at the INM am I forbidden from leaving Mexico and re-entering prior to completing this process?

I don’t have any paper statements from the bank, everything is online. Should be enough by printing those bank statements?

Hello,
I really appreciate all the valuable information you provide through your site.
I’m a USA citizen, living currently in Chiang Mai, Thailand under a retirement visa. I would like to relocate to Mexico at the end of January, 2017. What would be the best way to secure a Permanent Resident visa? There’s only a Mexican embassy in Bangkok and it seems- from what I read from their website- that they don’t process these type of visas. Should I go to Mexico then, get the Tourist visa first and then go to Guatemala to apply for the Permanent resident visa? I’m 51 years old and have currently USD$128,000 on bank savings. ( I won’t be able to touch social security and pension till I’m least 65 years old). Looking forward to your suggestions.

My wife and I are considering moving to Mexico and applying for permanent residency. We are both retired from our jobs and receive retirement income through a state retirement system, but do not receive Social Security yet. Our income amounts, and our savings are both sufficient to qualify us. What documentation must be presented at the Consulate to prove we are ‘pensioners’ so that we can request permanent residency.

Also, is it possible to register a vehicle in Mexico with a temporary resident visa?

I am considering getting the Permanent Resident (pension) card as I live in Sonora nine months of the year. As I actually live in the free zone I do not get the temporary car import tags unless I am leaving the free zone and then I get the tourist visa and the tags together. I also have several vehicles back in the US-so I do not always drive the same vehicle. My fear is that if I become a Permanent Resident I would have to legally import a car to go further south than the state of Sonora. Any way around that?

Hi – what does it mean if the immigration office sends you an email stating:
“”Regarding the immigration process with Unique number Step (NUT) accordance with Article 8 A, Section III of the Guidelines for procedures and immigration procedures, and derived from consent to receive electronic notices stated in the immigration application form pendency with the part number you are informed that the immigration authority has issued a trade, which is notified by this means, same as available on the following link with its part number and password””

Can someone please help me?

Thank you so much for your reply, it has been most helpful. It is comforting to know you provide such useful information to those in dire need.

As far as showing 6 months of bank statements for temporary resident status, do you just have to do that at the Mexican consulate, or do you need to show them again in Mexico at the immigration office?

Hi, I applied for my temporary visa on 10th November 2016, I still have not received the status ‘Registre sus datos, from the immigration office. I was informed that it takes 30 days to obtain a temporary visa. I know it is the Christmas period. Could you let me know exactly how long it will take to get the temporary visa?

Will it help if I hire a lawyer for this process? Thank you.

Also my son has had a very bad accident and i need to go out of the country to see him, therefore I need this visa process completed as soon as possible.

Please can you let me know who do I need to apply or ask for the exit permit?
If I get the exit permit will the immigration office put a stop to my visa application and will I have to apply for it all over again?
If the immigration office issue me with a visa between mid-January and end January 2017, will I need to return back to as soon as possible to Mexico for my finger prints etc?
Will the immigration office wait for me to return back to Mexico within the 60 days of the exit permit and I will be able to continue with the visa process?
Thank you once again for your very kind help.

We will be married at the time of moving to Mexico in 2017. If my husband has a savings account in his name in excess of the amount needed for temporary resident visa and mine is in a joint account with him in excess of the amount will we both qualify? Or does my account need to be only in my name? Also if he has an income from renting our house ($4500 pm) will that qualify him, or does it need to be from employment only? I get social security disability but only $1400pm so I guess I am fine on that end for temp resident.

Hello,

I am Spanish EU national interested in starting a barbershop in Rocky Point Mexico. What will I need to start with? Could I just go there and do the process there?

Thank you kindly,

Miguel Caamaño

What a great service you provide! Thank you for all the great info! My question is when going to the Mexican consulate for a temporary residency what kinds of questions do they ask? We need to fill the application out online first? We have had a home in the Yucatan for 9 years and now know it would be a great asset to have TR. If we wanted a work visa as well at some point do we go to the consulate in states first then to Mexico to receive it? How lomg does it typically take to get into see them? It is closed for holiday and we go south in mid January, Thanks in advance for your help!!

Hello! I am just still a bit confused, but maybe you can help. I earn about $2200 USD per month as a US citizen living in Brazil, but my Brazilian husband does not work, is my income sufficient for us both? Also, should I apply at a consulate here in Brazil, or back in the US? Last thing, do we need to go to the consulate together? Because he cannot enter the US, but I already have permanent residency in Brazil.

Of course, more questions…..
I started to fill out the online application form, but stalled at the question asking for “fecha de ingreso a Mexico”. We don’t have a date set yet, since it’ll depend on the house building progress in Mexico. Should I wait until we have a firm date set?

Does owning housing in Mexico ameliorate the savings/investment requirement?

Thanks for all your useful information! I have some questions.
1) Which is most likely to be approved, an application for a Temporary Visa via family unit marriage, or an application for a Permanent Visa via family unit father? I married a Mexican national some years ago and we have a child; I have been living in Mexico using tourist visas for about 10 years, traveling back and forth. Not always convenient.
2) Will I need to show financial solvency if applying with either option mentioned above? I have heard and read conflicting info on this.
3) Has the Mexican government released any new minimum wage numbers, or anything else related to financial solvency requirements for visa applicants for 2017?
4) Can IRA funds count toward proving financial solvency even though I would not be applying as a retiree/pensioner?
5) Do you assist applicants in other states (Oaxaca); if not, can you recommend someone competent?

Your answer to Kim’s question about IRAs is interesting. I have most of my savings in a 401k plan – would that also not be allowable for the financial solvency test?

Hello YES — and thanks for all you do!
I’ve read and tried to digest all the information regarding FMMs, temporary and permanent resident visas, and auto import issues. Here’s what the path for retiring in México looks like to me. Does this look reasonable? Any glaring mistakes?

1 Store important papers and other items we cannot sell or dispose of.
2 Sell/dispose of everything except clothes, suitcases, toiletries, medications, bedding, laptops, a car, a few books, DVDs and CDs.
3 Drive into México, obtaining 180-day FMMs at the border. (My wife cannot now leave without bringing her car with her.)
4 Rent a home.
5 Within 180 days (prior to the expiration of our FMMs) we must exit the country with our vehicle (and then return).
a We drive back to Colorado.
b We start the temporary residency process at the Consulate. The visa will be issued within the following 10 working days and will be valid for 180 days and just for 1 entry to México.
c We sell the car.
d We fly back to México and start the canje process.
6 Within 30 days we obtain Temporary Resident Permits.
7 We buy and register vehicles in México.
8 We convert our temporary residency to permanent.
a One month before your temporary resident card expires, you apply for the permanent resident card at the Immigration office. You don´t have to leave the country and you don´t need to provide other documents than your passport, temporary resident card, address, online form, letter requesting the permanent status, current pictures and the payment of fees.

Thanks again!

YES – Thank you for all the incredibly helpful information. I have a few questions. I have been living in Guatemala for the past 6 years and would now like to move to Mexico. I am a US citizen. I want to apply for permanent residency but since I am only 33 I’m not sure I would get it. I have the $90k in savings. I also get about $3k a month from a private company in S. Africa. My questions are:
1. Should I go back to the US to apply (the Raleigh, North Carolina is the closet office) or can I apply here at the Quetzaltenango, Guatemala office? Where would I get approved easiest?
2. Will I need to do temporary residency since I’m younger or can I go straight to permanent?
3. If I do temporary now and then the law changes, will I have to deal with the new laws or will I be grandfathered-in under the old laws (guaranteed residency after 4 years)?

Any and all info is appreciated. Thanks!!

hi thanks for the great information! I wanted to ask some quick questions. I am in my 30s and work remotely and make a demonstrated income of about US$5,000 a month
1. Some websites seem to suggest that you can only get the permanent residency when you are retired, is that true? Or can you get it right away with an income like mine?
2. Do I need to show proof of income or other documents after the consulate has granted the visa and I am processing it in Mexico? Or is that only needed for the first step at the consulate.
3. Is there anyway to leave Mexico and re-enter during that residency processing time? I notice you can exit Baja back into California without any Mexican official checking your documents and also you can enter Mexico usually without anyone checking your passport also.
4. From arriving in Mexico how long until you would be able to leave? I ask as I sometimes need to go back to the US for meetings.
4. Which US consulate have you found to be the best to apply to get this visa, I am close to LA but could do any?

Thanks so much! 🙂

Hi YES,

The information you have provided has been great. I have a question that I haven’t been able to find an answer to yet. The Mexican Consulate in North Carolina took the original of the Child Consent Letter that my ex signed for my daughter to get her visa. They gave me a copy. Is this copy ok? Or do I need to have an original copy with the notarization on it? I just wanted to make sure that the INM knows that I provided a notarized copy to the Mexican Consulate here in North Carolina.

Thank you for all the great information!

Hello, as always, your service is so invaluable!
My questions:

I’m living right now in Chiapas on a 180 days Tourist Visa. I’m planning on going to the closest Mexican Consulate in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala to apply for the TR.

1) How long before my Tourist Visa expires should I apply for the TR?

2) Can you give me an estimate on how long it takes from the moment I give my application to get approved? If it takes 4-6 weeks to get approved, can I go to Guatemala, apply for the TR and then go back to Mexico and wait to get approved? Or do I have to stay in Guatemala till my TR gets approved?
Cannot thank you enough for all your help,

Daniela

Was just wondering if my partner and I would be able to apply for temporary and then permanent residency if we purchase and own a house in Cozumel, and can prove we have sufficient money to live on for at least 25 years. We plan on paying a house here completely off at time of purchase. We plan on moving back to Canada in our later years. We can prove that he has had money in his bank on a consistent basis, and that he has saved more over the last few years to increase his money.

Hello, I’m applying for a conversion from a temporary residency card to a permanent residency for family reasons (my daughter is Mexican and lives in Mexico; I am American and want to be able to travel here more frequently, have bank accounts, etc.). Just started the process and will turn in documents tomorrow but I’m now worried about needing to stay past the 10-15 days. If I have to return to the US, how much will it cost for a permission to travel and do I have to return to Mexico to pick up the permanent residency within a certain number of days? Also, they asked for $1800+ initially but will I also have to pay the additional $4900+? Thanks!

Thank you for your previous answer. Very helpful. Can I just clarify?
My husband and I and our 16 year old daughter already have temporary residency. Our 19 year old daughter would like to apply for it as well. She is here in Mexico with us on a visitor visa at the moment. Can we apply for her temporary residency here under family unit (she qualifies under monthly earnings) or does she have to apply outside of Mexico because she is over 18. Thanks 🙂

Thank you for your response about converting from Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident. Here in Cuernavaca immigration authorities did tell me it would be 10-15 days minimum and 30 days max. As I do have a return ticket, I need to go to their offices 5 days before departure to request the permission to travel. It shouldn’t be a problem. They also didn’t ask me for any financial information, although I brought 12 months of bank statements and a letter from my bank with me.

Can I purchase a property with a tourist visa? I don’t want to spend more than $120.000 on a property. Would that be considered sufficient when applying for a Temporary visa?

Hello – love this website and the info nit provides!
My wife and I are planning on purchasing a home in Merida later this year. I have $68,000 in an IRA account and my wife has $100,000 in her IRA. We have about $25,000 cash in a savings account. Are IRA account balances sufficient for applying for a Temporary Residency Visa? Also, I would be living in Mexico full time while my wife would continue to work and would be traveling back to the US 8-12 times a year. Would it make a difference if she had a Temporary Resident Visa with all of her traveling or would a tourist visa be better?

Hi Team,
Thank you for the information you are providing, previously i asked you for my permananrt residence if am i applicable and you told me that yes.

Right now i have another quetion.
Question 1:
My wife is pregnent and if we have a baby in mexico and what will be process time for getting mexican passport.

Question2:
After our baby is born in mexico and after obtaining the mexican passport. If we move back to india without applying for the Permanant residence , can we apply from India for permanant residence as our baby will be with mexican passport?

Question3:
If we can apply for permanant residence with the help of our baby Mexican passport, what will be the process and when can we apply for it in india, do we need to wait until the baby turn 18 years old or can we apply immediatly.

I am a Canadian citizen whom earns $3440 monthly after tax, I am married to a Mexican citizen, we are gay. Can I apply for a Temporary visa under spousal or should I go FM-2 visa? What are your thoughts?

YES, thanks to your advice from several online chats & info on this page, we got our temporary resident visa from the Mexican Consulate in Calgary yesterday. Although folks at the consulate were a bit informal, we had a very enjoyable experience there and the warm attitude from the folks there further convinced us that we made the right choice.

I didn’t find this from your website, but I’m wondering if you provide any help in finding an apartment or a place to rent long term (6-month or more lease)?

Thanks and yes, we are going to move to Merida and will also get your help with the canje application. I’ll get in touch with you guys as soon as things are sorted out here 🙂

I have started my canje process for my 1st time Temp Residence card, using the Cancun office. I got to the point where I went back in to request an appointment which they gave me so I am set for fingerprinting on 3/25, I understand it takes 1 to 2 weeks after (I hope 1)

I also got a special exit permit to fly out and need to fly back by 3/25 for the appointment.

What happens if I miss that appointment – do I have to start the entire process over.

If I do make the appointment, but don’t wait the 1 to 2 weeks to pick up the card, how long will I have to go pick it up.

Some business is forcing me to get to Buenos Aires for an extended time maybe 3-4 months and I don’t think they will let the card sit they ready for pickup that long.

Any feedback is appreciated.

I have owned property in Baja for 10 years and have not applied for Tr or Pr and wondering if ownership changes any requirements for application for either.My property valve was at purchase 400,000 USD, maybe lower today.I also am retired but are not collecting my pension as of yet because I am not needing the money as of yet.In Canada if you leave your pension until 60 years of age it will give you more money for the future.How does it work as I am retired but do not collect or have pension income at this point.Please advise as I am thinking about applying for Tr or Pr,which would you suggest.I also am married and my wife is on long term disability and will never return to work,but is not collecting a pension at this point either.What does she apply for as she has no income from pension either.
Thanks

My family (me, my wife and three children) would like to go to Tijuana to complete the canje process during the spring school break from school. If we run out of time and my minor children have to return to Wisconsin for school, can I (as their father) remain in Mexico and pick up their resident cards when they are ready or must they return to do this themselves?

I am currently a snowbird spending six months in Canada and six months in Florida. I am wanting to spend my retired time in a Country where I can be a full time resident and it seems to me that Mexico has that and much more to offer. Researching a move to Mexico can be overwhelming, there is so much information. Can you tell me the best sites to give me step by step requirements and what needs to be done in order to facilitate a move to Mexico and a site where I can connect with other Canadians to learn from their experiences?

Hello YES
Above it states — ‘It is worth mentioning that only pensioners can apply for the Permanent Resident VISA without having the Temporary Resident VISA first’.

I’m retired and want to apply for a permanent resident visa. I don’t have a pension large enough to qualify, however I do have proof of investments showing that I have more than the $90,000 US required. Will this allow me to apply for a permanent visa, or I must apply for a temporary visa since as a pensioner I fall short in the pension income category?

I guess what I’m asking is should I be reading the above statement and substituting ‘pensioners’ with ‘retirees’?

Thank you

i am a canadian citizen and just received my permanent residency in mexico. how long can i stay outside mexico each year. i dont want to lose my permanent residency.

Hello again. We are thinking to go to the States to apply for my daughters visa, simply because we seem to be able to get flights fairly cheap. Can you recommend a consulate that is good to deal with? We are from New Zealand so it’s too far and too expensive to go back there to apply. Thank you for any help you can give us.

Thanks for answering my question. Just to update my case so others can follow, I did make it back for my appointment on the 23rd did my fingerprints and signed papers. They told me to come back in 10 days, keep checking the status of the case no new updates since Se emitió oficio which I think was posted when I got my exit permit.

A little confused if I should just show up and go the counter and ask – it would be crazy to wait in that long information line again, or am I supposed to see a status change on the website. There really is no paper to bring with me this time like there was with the appointment. I booked a flight out of Mexico on the April 4th which might have been a big mistake if the card is not ready within those 10 days.

I was sure I read someone that they post a final message on the website which is what to look for but can’t recall what that was.

What you don’t mention in your description of the Permanent Resident application process is the following critical detail:
A person does not qualify for a Mexican visa + Permanent Resident card if that person will not be continuously remaining in Mexico for a period of not less than 181 days upon their next entry into Mexico. The person also cannot leave Mexico for even 1 day within that 181 day period.

Dear all, you are providing fantastic services .. i read all the messages and i have now a very good clear picture of what is required to get the TR and the PR.
Just for one thing i could not find the answer: when I enter Mexico to start the change procedure i have to provide an address in Mexico (and actually i have to go to the INM in the area of the address). If still i did not buy any house, which address should i give
1) the address can be an hotel address in which i will stay during the process; or I have to rent an house (for example for 3 months period) or can be an address of a friend?
2) INM will send anything to that address (they will ask any proof of the address such as utility bills, etc)
3) once i get the Resident Card what if I change address (for example of the house that i will buy) and what if the address is in an other part of the Mexico (under a different INM)?
Thanks

What kind of proof does the Consulate require that someone applying for PR using savings is retired?

Hi,
Once we get the residence card, can we open a bank account in Mexico?

If not how do we get a Mexican bank account?

Thank you

Jonathan

I have questions regarding the temporary visa
1) Can I get it for 4 years automatically the first time or do I have to get it for 1 year then have options for renewing it for the next 3 years?
2) If I can only get it for 1 year the first time what is the renewal process? Do I have to go to the consulate again or just the office in Mexico and do I have to show proof of income again?
3) At what point do you apply for permanent? After the 4 years has expired? Just before it expires? Do I have to back to the consulate again or just the office in Mexico? Do I have to show income again?

thanks so much

Hello, i have a question. I am First Nations with Treaty Status from Canada and want to know if i have to go through the same application process and income requirement to get approved for temporary or permanent residency? The reason i ask is because First Nations people have a Jay Treaty and can live and work in the USA as long as they proper documentation. See below….

(The Jay Treaty, signed in 1794 between Great Britain and the United States, provides that American Indians may travel freely across the international boundary. Under the treaty and corresponding legislation, Native Indians born in Canada are entitled to freely enter the United States for the purpose of employment, study, retirement, investing, and/or immigration).

I had a question regarding the income/bank statements for proof of income for temporary resident card. Is the income averaged or does it have to include a deposit each and every month. We travel a lot for business and often make a large deposit one month and no deposit on another? Thanks!

Thanks Yucatan Expat Svcs, very informative. If I apply for residente temporal from within Mexico, what documentation do I need? How do I prove I am married to a Mexican citizen?

Thank you again! I bought your Immigration Guide. If I have a Temporal, how much can I be out of country without losing the Temporal? Also, same question about being out of country, but with the plan on going for Mexican citizenship.

Hello,
This is our situation……my wife (we are common-law) & i are both currently working & are looking into selling up & moving down to Mexico & the Merida area. We hope to buy a home there & live off the pension my wife could then collect. Also we’re looking at possibly starting a small rental business to help generate additional income.

We would like to buy a home in the 75k-125k price range & we’d also have around $200k to put into savings, if this would help in anyway?.

My wife is looking into the options available to her & taking early retirement, however her income from her pension wouldn’t initially meet the retirement criteria for Mexico. If she can hold off a little while the amount would increase due to no penalties etc.

She earns a higher salary than me per year so would she be able to apply for TR through her income that is paid into her account each month from her current job now by showing 6 -12 months bank statements?….this amount is higher than the minimum requirement of around 1300-1500 per month. Also would they then look at what is paid out per month from the current account or just the amount that goes in every month? (we are still paying mortgage payments, bills etc from the account).

My income is up & down each month seeing i’m self employed & the work i do is seasonal so there are months when i wouldn’t meet minimum monthly criteria for income.

From what i understand i can apply for ‘union libre’ through her TR once she is granted this, i understand though it is a longer process with being common-law & that i need documents from a local judge?.

Thank you in advance.
JB

My husband and I are buying a lot in Mexico and will be building a home that we will be staying in 5 to 6 months a year. We want to open a bank account in Mexico. What type of residency should we be applying for? We are retired and financial requirements are not an issue.

Hi I am wondering if I could use a hotel’s address for the canje process since we are going to be staying in various hotels while holding the temporary residency status anyway. Does it matter if we change hotel when we viait another state?

Hi,

Where are the Immigration Institutes locations?

Can we pick the one that we have the appointment at?

Regarding a Permanent Resident permit:I am 62 years old ,and has been receiving Social Security Disability benefit of appx US$ 1900 for the last 15 years as well as I have savings of over US$ 600000.Will my Social Security Disability benefits be recognized as proof of retirement for the PR permit purposes?
Andrew

Anybody know if the response from the INM system for notice that they have approved the canje is still “Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio”

I am getting a little antsy and it says the tramite has been registered, ha sido asignado el tipo de tramite, and that the payment has been registered. Does the sytstem still give they “Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio” notice to come in and make the appointment?

Hi YES – thanks for answering all these questions! I think I’ve asked these before, but my plans are now more settled. this is my situation:

We are having a house built in Tulum, which will be ready in early October
We are leaving our jobs in the US shortly – my last day is next Friday, 8/18/17. My wife will leave her job in September
We are visiting Tulum next week, arriving 8/18/17
We are trying to get to the Mexican consulate in Austin Tx next week before visiting Tulum, to apply for Mexican residency
Although we will be retired, I don’t think we qualify yet for a Permanent Resident visa, as we don’t have a year of savings over $90k (we do have 401k over that amount, but I understand that doesn’t qualify), so we will apply for a Temporary Visa, based on our 12 months of bank statements showing the necessary income from our employers.
We want to drive our car to Tulum with some household goods – small appliances, clothes, artwork, etc

My question is, if we do get to the consulate next week, will we be able to go to an immigration office in Mexico while we are visiting next week, and have a temporary visa in our passports?

If that is too soon after visiting the Mexican consulate in Austin, would we have to go to Mexico again to convert the visa to a card before we are able to bring our household goods into Mexico?

Thanks, and we have contacted you about retaining your services also – I’m just trying to get the schedule set in my mind before moving ahead.

Hello,
I have a question on temporary resident card.
I arrived in Mexico on 11th july 2017, gave the FMM I received at immigration to my company’s Lawyer and he applied for temporary resident card on 12th July. My office address is in Cuautitlán Izcalli so he applied in INM Estado and not in DF.

Today is 14th August and I am still waiting for approval (more than a month allready). Its been difficult wait since I cannot start work and cannot be paid until I receive this approval.

Please let me know how long exactly INM takes to approve the resident card ? I googled so much but I dont get this information anywhere.

Appreciate your help.

Greetings and thank you in advance for any help. You have a great, informative site here. I will be applying for TR soon. I contacted the Mexican Consolate and they sent me a list of items needed. What confuses me is the request for an I-94 form, original and copy. I am currently in Mexico on a tourist visa and will be headed to the United States soon.

i try to apply a permanent resident visa to Mexico, Do I have to setup an appointment at the Mexican Consulate to start the process?

Thank-you YES for an excellent website!
I am a little confused about IRA’s in regards to financial solvency for the Temporary Residency Visa. In January, you told Kim that her IRA’s would not count towards her financial solvency since she wasn’t retiring (but I couldn’t tell if it was in regards to TR or PR). Then in March Sean had a pretty similar question about their IRA’s and you advised that the IRA’s would be fine for a TR. I couldn’t tell if Sean was a pensioner, though, so maybe that was why his IRA would count and Kim’s didn’t. If you could please explain the details as to when an IRA counts and when it doesn’t, I would appreciate it.

I will not be retiring for at least another decade, but am looking to buy some property to live down in Mexico for most of the year and don’t want to hassle with the “border run” every 6 months. If I did the calculation correct, the current avg bank balance for the prior year should be about $23,500 (2017 Mex City min. wage of 80.04 X 5000 with an exchange rate of 17 pesos). The average of my last year’s monthly statements is $23,600 (I get paid quarterly, so my balance will jump up into the $30K range and then will trickle down to the low 20’s ever few months–right now it is closer to $25K and will be back up around $30K by next months statement which will be the last before I go to apply for the TR). I also have a small rollover IRA that is only worth about $3500. The rest of my money is tied up in assets/investments that would not count. It looks like depending on how they calculate my average bank balance and what they use for exchange rate (as of today it is 17.7 pesos which would mean an average balance about $1000 less than with 17 pesos exchange rate).
So here are my questions–1) is the process of determining your average monthly bank balance as straightforward as them averaging the last 12 bank statements total amount or is it up to each individual who is processing the paperwork at the consulate?
2) Do they look at the exchange rate the day that they are processing the paperwork or is it a more generic value that remains stable over time?
3) In regards to the rollover IRA, if I am not a pensioner, will they consider that amount for a TR?
4) If I buy land in Mexico during or after the process of getting my 1st TR, will the value of the property be counted towards my financial solvency for future renewals?
5) Is it the same calculation for financial solvency to get the TR renewed after the first year–so if the Mexico City minimum wage goes up (which is almost a guarantee) then will I need to make sure to have a higher average balance or will I be “grandfathered” in with the same calculations that they did for the original application.
Thanks!

Hi,
If I apply for residente temporal via vínculo familiar, do I have the right to work in Mexico for a Mexican employer? Or what is the process and is there any advantage for applying via the family link? In this scenario, do I need bank statements or not?

If I apply for residente permanente de jubilado, do I have the right to work?

thanks for the great website!

Hi,
Even if I have Residencia Permanente como jubilado, I still have the right to work? My consulate told me as a retiree I would not have the right to work.

I plan on applying for a Tesidante Permenante but I’m not sure when I should do so. I plan on traveling to mexico in November for about a month, returning to the states in Decemb
er for a few week, then returning to Mexico in January for several months.

My concern is that if I apply before my November trip, I won’t have enough time in Mexico to complete the process. Similarly, I’m concerned that if I wait until December, I may not have enough time to complete the U.S. portion before returning to Mexico in January.

Can I start the process now but still enter Mexico n November as a ‘tourist’ then enter in January with the 30 day visa for compleing the RP visa?

Jim H.

I am a permanent resident of Baja California Sur and have been living in Mx for 6 years – I have now married an American. can he come down and live with me as a dependent if I am working in Mx? Does he still need to show bank records etc

Good morning. I am happy to say that I have obtained a PR stamp in my passport and I will enter Mexico soon proceeding with canje. I am concerned that I do everything correctly when I enter the country. I will mark the canje box on the fmm form. Do you have any tips for entry and handling of my form at the airport; immigration. Thank you again for this fantastic resource.

I’m coming in maxico from banglades it had tourist visa validity one month but I’did marriage a maxican girl So i don’t want to leave maxico how can i will live in maxico and how i will be maxican citizen. please answer me

Buenas noches,
I will be visiting INM soon. I understand that they will give me the Formato Básico to fill out. When I list myself as retired it asks for my monthly income in pesos. My concern is that I have been stamped PR in my passport and that was based on other financial holdings. My monthly income via social security is mediocre. Should I be concerned? I only write things that are accurate. Hoping for the best. Thank you once again. Things went smoothly at port of entry btw.

Thank you so much for your quick reply. This information is extremely useful. Your site brings a lot of clarity. I recommend all of my friends to this website. Bravo!

YES, thank you for this wonderful website. One quick question about temporary resident visa, namely what is going to happen if one enters Mexico with Fmm stated as canje but never started the process, left the country and returned the fmm form (with canje stated on it)? Will he/she be bannes from entering mexico again with any sort of visa/tr/pr?

YES, I See. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. We are thinking of temporarily staying in Merida, but need to be concerned about leaving our parents in the hoke country. So I have to take into account of all possible scenarios. If the consulate approves our app, we will definitely get your help with the canje 🙂

Hello!
I was granted the Temporary Resident Card a month ago. Now, I’m planning on attending a private school in Guanajuato (nursing) and I’m wondering if I’ll be able to do that as I was born in USA but have my Bachiller/Titulo Secundario from Argentina. Is my Mexican Resident Temporary status enough to be able to attend school or do I need to do the High School Diploma and Birth Certificate apostillado to do so? I called the school with these questions but they didn’t seem too sure and I received different answers every time I called.
As always, I cannot thank you enough for your help and the service you offer to all of us. Is priceless!
Daniela

Thank you so much!!!!

Hello again,
I just got the message “Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio”.
On the bottom of this page there is a highlighted area that says “para la expedición de su forma migratoria o actualice sus datos aquí”. Do I need to update information? I notice it takes me to a page with info I have already submitted. Thank you once again for your help.

Hello YES.
I am just a little confused about the common-law process.
Do we apply together at the Mexican consulate nearest to us outside of Mexico. Or does my common-law partner apply then add me to their visa once landed in Mexico?.
Does my partner have to show funds for me to apply through family unit?, i do not work & have no income. If so what amount needs to be presented?.
When you say local judge needs to sign papers proving common law, do you mean local judge outside of Mexico or local judge within Mexico?

Miikka

Hi, my husband and I hope to retire to Nayarit next Spring. Have any of the regulations for applying for a permanent resident visa changed from the above article?

Hi,
We crossed the border in Tiajuna with a temp residence VISA initiated in the states but we were waved on at the border when we requested a stamp on our passports. We drove to Todos Santos where we are staying and now need to go to La Paz to complete the Canje process but don’t have a stamp on our time of entry. What can be done? Is this going to hang up our Temporary residence card? thanks so much for your reply.

I am exploring the idea of starting business in Mexico. Please provide all the help possible.

I am 66, wife 64. My SS $1800, hers is $864. I have been retired 16 years and have joint personal bank statements showing $4,000 per month or more income deposited from oil and gas royalties and a joint “Rent Account” showing $12,000 or more rent income deposited every month for 10 years or more. Also have tax return verification.
Does “pension” have to be Social Security (SS) or do my investments qualify. I want both of us to be able to get “Permanent Residency” at the same time, not temporary. We want to apply asap because our daughter’s family moved to Mexico.

Me and my husband are looking at retirement in yucatan, we are looking at buying a property for around $100,000 us. We will not be retiring until 2019 at which time we will have about $200,000 us in investment plus our home in yucatan. If we keep or investment for a year will we meet the terms needed for permanent residency.

Hello. My daughter has had temporary residency for the past year and has just gotten it renewed for the next 3 years meaning she will be automatically qualified for permanent residency at that time. She has been applying under my husband because she is under 18. By the time she applies for permanent residency though, she will be 20 yrs old.
How will that affect her application? Will she need to prove economic solvency for an adult or will she still just automatically qualify?
Thanks for your help.

My wife and I are both retired. Our bank statement is from a joint account. Do we need to separate the account, or can we apply together by doubling the monthly income? If this is possible, would we double the required $2500.00 per month? Thanks you in advance for all your help.

I have one more question I would like answered. Thank you very much in advance for your patience. I am nowhere near retirement age, in fact I am 33 years old and will not be applying for my temporary residency based on a job offer from a Mexican company. Could you give me some advice on what I should say when I am asked why I am applying? My application is based on personal reasons. Will this be enough to be granted the residency as well as being able to prove economic solvency?
Thank you.

I am a little unclear about the “only pensioners can apply for permanent residency without temporary residency first”. We are a married couple who own a house in Mexico and have ~$500,000 US in savings. Do we qualify for permanent residency or do we need to hold temporary first? We do not have any pension.

Also if I want to work for a US company remotely from Mexico, will permanent resident card allow this?

Hi
I understand that Merida Immigration appointment times are delayed because the office has one guy doing the fingerprints. Any experience how long of a wait to get appointment for prints and doc review after filing the application?

Hello, and thank you for so much information.
I am wondering I do not receive SSA, however I do receive a (permanent) monthly disability check (amount meets criteria) as a disabled u.s. veteran. I am not officially retirement age. Would this qualify for permanent residency?

Hi there, I’m a little confused on the required income amounts for a family. I have a wife and 2 children that will be coming with, and have read varying reports of requirements on monthly pension income. For a temporary visa, is it 300 days @ 88.36 pesos, plus 100 days each additional for wife and children (600 days/$53,016 pesos/$2,790 USD)? Which then means it would be 800 days/$70,688 pesos/$3,720 USD for a permanent resident visa for the four of us? Thanks for (hopefully) providing some clarity on this.

Thank you so much for the great website and information (particularly being up to date!) on the residency process. My wife and I have retired early and will be in Mexico for a large part of the year going forward (but not the entire year).

We would like to get permanent resident visas, but had heard a rumor that you are required to stay in Mexico for at least 12 months consecutive once the permanent resident visa is granted. Is that true?

Also, I am hoping that showing 401K balances for my wife and I (each will qualify fine) is sufficient for showing financial ability.

Thank you again for all the great information

I am retired researching possible residency in Mexico. I understand that I can do all of the applying while still in the US. How to start Thanking you in advance for any assistance you might provide… Barrie

Hello! Thanks for the informative website. I am in Mexico now, and married to a Mexican national. I can apply at the SRE in Mexico because my wife is Mexican, is that correct? Thanks!

Hello, my husband and I are here on a temporary resident visa, expecting eventually to get permanent status. I am wondering if my sister, who is living with us in Mexico on a tourist visa, can apply as our dependent. Her social security will not be enough to meet the yearly criteria but perhaps if she can apply as a member of our family?

Thank you,

Angel

I have been in Merida since Aug.23. I have my temporary visa but the more I read the more confused I am as to where I go to take the next steps. I have my photos already done. Do I need an appointment, I believe I have to go next week to meet the 30 days but I don’t know which office I am supposed to go to.

I have qualified for a Mexican Permanent residence Visa and my wife for a Temporary in Canada and our passports have documentation inserted by the Consulate supporting this. We were told to report to Mexican Immigration within 30 days of arriving in Mexico to complete the process. We arrive on October 1 and I am now lead to be believe that we must remain in Mexico for six months during this first visit once the process at the Immigration has been finalized or we would have to start the process over again in Canada. Is this correct as I must return home for medical reasons prior to six months and my wife may accompany me?

Thanks you.

Hi YES – you guys are best! So helpful. It’s time for me to renew my Residente Temporal status after the first year. Do you have an article walking through that process? I have read several, and I think I understand what to do, but your articles are always very clear. I have a couple of questions. My wife is going back to the US for a visit, and will be back in Mexico 5 days before our RT cards expire. I would like to get the process started before she leaves (tomorrow afternoon!), but not if she has to give up her actual card when we apply. Would she have to give her card up at the first visit to INM? Also, I have not been able to download the renewal form from the inm.gob website. Do you know if there is a problem downloading from that site right now?

Thanks!

Thanks for all the great information. A few questions:
– we’re moving December 31. How far in advance do we need to go to the consulate to complete the first phase of the process here in the U.S.? Do they complete it all the same day while we’re there, assuming we have all our necessary documents?
– do I need to drag my wife and 7-year old daughter with me and can I spare them and do it all myself?
– my wife and I are young (38 and 41) … will they still count retirement accounts like 401k or IRA as our savings, or does it have to be investments or non-retirement accounts?
Thanks!

My son-in-law was deported from the U.S.. His wife, their six children, myself and my three children left the U.S. to join him in Mexico. Are we able to apply for residency? My daughter is legally married in the U.S.. Three of their children are his. The other three from a prior marriage (my daughter). He is a citizen of Mexico. I earn around $3800 a month. My other three children are 14, 18 and 21.

Hi,
We are planning on moving to Mexico in December. Family with 3 kids, we have all got temporary residency visas stamped in our passports. I have question about document requirements in mexico to receive residency cards. Do they require birth certificates for kids? When parent signs a child application how do they verify that you are a parent. A bit confused as they do not explain well requirement for children.

Appreciate your expertise. Hoping you can clarify a few things for me on the requirements I received to bring to the Denver Consulate for my Permanent Visa; 1) does the letter from me “requesting permanent residency… ” have to be in Spanish as well as English? 2) Bringing my Passport as the document to prove legal status – do I need a copy? 3) A Notarized letter from my bank stating the source of my income (they don’t know and aren’t willing to write letter) – I have the income (shown on bank statements) but what to do to meet requirement? 4) Original and NOTARIZED photocopy of investment accounts from last 12 months – I only have statements to print and notaries here notarize signatures not docs… do they really want them stamped “Certified Copy”? What do people do to meet this requirement? Just in case should I bring my marriage license as my bank statements have both names on them as my husband is a signer but I’m the primary. Lastly, if I have more than enough in my investment accounts to meet the financial criteria do I just bring those statements with copies and skip all the other bank accounts to avoid further questions – multi names, etc? I should add I am 56, work remotely because I want to have W2, Shareholder Distribution and also own a home in Mexico and was going to bring my Fedei/trust original and copy with some utility bills to show I’m already invested there. Thanks so much as I’ve had several bad days trying to get banks to write and notarize letters – they wont, get certified copies…. enough to make me give up after FINALLY getting an appointment. Oh I’ve called and left messages for clarifications but not answers… THANK YOU!!!!

Good morning,
My monthly income is 2,602 per month. Do I qualify for a permanent residency Visa? Would also like to know if once I am in Mexico, can I get my wife a permanent residency card?

Thanks

Does the copy of passport have to be of all pages in the passport or only certain pages?

Hi, I’m wondering about applying for my TR Visa. I have recently married my husband (he’s from Mexico) I have been coming and going every 6 months as it only allows me to stay 180 days. Now that we are married, do I need to leave after 6 months or can I stay and apple for my TR VISA ?

Once the canje process is started in Mexico is it required that you stay in Mexico till the process is complete? Can one leave the country and return or will this require a restart of the whole process?

Hello….Could you please tell me the qualifications around applying for a 180 day tourist visa? We are husband and wife and an 11 year old child. We would like to spend 5-6 months in Mexico but return home to Canada for the remaining 6 months. Is that possible? How often can we renew a tourist visa?

Gracias!

Hi I have a permanent residence card do I need to report to the Immigration office that I am moving to a new house in Mexico. Gracias

Hi fantastic website so much info thank you so much
We are looking to retire next year myself and wife both 57 we currently will have savings
of 400k in the bank but this will not show for the last 6 months due to sale of existing house. We will also have in my pension pot 655k and wife has 200k of which we are not currently drawing upon but we are able to. We are both currently employed wife $1703 per month and myself $5240 net obviously this income will disappear once we retire are we able to go permanent or would we need to go temp

I have temporary residency and my husband and kids have permanent. I have done 1 year temp can I apply for permanent residency or do I still need to do 1 year temp.

So if I do not meet the requirements for permanent resident for a retiree, but do for a temporary, will I automatically be allowed permanent application after 4 years?

Hello, do by any chance know the current wait time to get an email back with approval for the change of residency. I gave all my papers in Feb. and got my email with password but it has been saying no resolution since.

Hello
I am interested in getting my temporary resident card. We have a home in Merida. I am currently in the USA. Can I do it the in Merida? My appointment is on 4/22/2019 in Dallas Texas. Do I have to stay in Mexico for 30 days after I return to Merida? I have a family member getting married n Columbia 6/14/2019 in Medellin.
/

hi. very good information on your website. i am 52 years old British national and i am retired. i have a wife and two kids. i have 2 questions
1-i have a rental income from uk of nearly £4000 per month. can i use that income for a permanent residency for the whole family?
2- Mexican consulate website in London has no info on a permanent residency. they only list requirements for a temporary residency. how do we apply for a permanent residency?

I plan on arriving in Mexico August 15. I will be leaving for Belize on October 4. Will this be enough time to obtain my Permanent Residency Card?

Hi there.
if I am gonna apply initially for a temporary visa 1 year, do I need to stay there whole calendar year or can reside abroad and visit the Mexica 1 time per year for vacation?
Does my stay abroad ( outside of Mexica ) affect my further application after expiration of 1-year residency?

Hi, I just received my consular one-time visa for entry into Mexico for residencia permanente. I am retired. My question is about working. Do I have the right to work in Mexico and, if so, what is the process involved?

Do you have to prove where you are living when you apply either in the US at the Mex Consulate?
Or do you have to prove where you are living when you submit the visa in your passport at immigration?

Hello,

If I am approved for my permanent visa application and my wife and two minor dependants are approved for their temporary visas, can I…

1. Complete the second part of the process in Mexico while they remain in the US?

2. If we can’t make it to Mexico within the 180 days, can we extend the 180 days? What if I am sick or have a family emergency?

3. Can the 60 day exit be renewed if we can’t stay in Mexico during the process because we have to return to the US such as for medical care?

Thanks!

Thank you all for such useful information. I have a “detail” question maybe you can help me with. When I first enter Mexico I have 30 days to visit INM to get my Permanente Resident card. My question is during the roughly one month period after visiting INM and when I am waiting for the card, can I buy a car with Mexican plates? Or do I need to wait for the card?

Hi, i applied 14 weeks ago in Cancun for my resident card and my status on the INM website is still ‘sin resolucion’ it takes forever so it seems and not 15 working days, there is not even a mention of the canje being in process or anything. It is a very shady process, , only that we applied. do you know if i can move to another city and finish the process there?

Thank you for your answer, love your website very informative

This website is the BEST.
I have a permanent resident visa and my girlfriend is Colombian. My question is if I bring her in-country on a FMM visitor visa will I have any chance of finishing the family unity visa process by the 180-day limit that the FMM has? What happens if we need more time?
My other question is about income requirements under family unity – there is no proof of income required, right? And she will get a temporary resident visa, right?
Thanks for all the great info.

Hello, I applied for a TR 6 months ago in Nuevo Leon (Cambio de condición a residente temporal por unidad familiar, I married a mexican citizen).

1 Since the process is taking a long time, what happens when you move to a different state in the mean time? If the status changes from ‘ sin resolucion’ and I need to go to the INM, can I go to the INM in my new state?

2 Does INM ask for proof of address later on? Up to this point they have not asked for a copy of a rental contract or utility bill

My wife and I are looking to get a permanent Visa. We would like to know the law pertaining to permanent Visa. We’ve been reading a lot of conflicting requirements for this. I would like to know what your fee is for a consultation on these matters.

Thank you for the information, you are the best. Yes, I failed to say “common law”. My bad.

I am waiting for my residente temporale now for 6 months but due to being understaffed the INM has not processed it yet. I applied through marriage. Unfortunately the marriage did not last long and my wife wants an express divorce. How will this impact my application for residency? Will INM check or see somehow if the divorce is processed before my residency application has been processed?

Hi! I am moving to Mexico City next year to be with my longterm boyfriend. I have enough money in investments to qualify for either a Temporary or Permanent Visa but not sure which is best for me. My goal is to live in Mexico long term. I will have some consultant work in the US while living there but would also like to eventually find work in Mexico City. Is one “better than the other? Does the Permanent make it easier for me to get a work Visa once I am living there? I can’t seem to tell. Thanks so much!!

Hi, So I commented Yesterday, that I was still waiting, but today I got the notification as you say in the article that I can get the appointment, yet….when I click the provided link on their website, I get a whole set of questions to fill out, personal data, profession, income, reason of visit….etc.

After that, it saves your data, and nothing more. So there is a new step added?

Kind regards

Hi, for retiree permanent resident visa, can I add my mom to my application as dependent?
And I tried to make appointment for the visa interview using the “Programación de citas MEXITEL” web portal. But it seems all the options are for Mexicans. Is there a web portal for visa applicants or should I email the consulate for appointments? thank you.

Hello! I recently read that all “exit/re-entry” permits for people who have been approved and are waiting for their card have been temporarily suspended due to the backlog in Mexico City. Is this your understanding too? The Law firm Frogman posted it on their website a week ago.

Any information would be appreciated!

Tom

Hello. My daughter has temporary residency that expires in June 2021. She will be getting married and living out of Mexico from March 2020 until probably May 2021. Will she lose her residency status because of being out of Mexico for so long? She wants to come back to live in 2021 and get her permanent residence (she will have 4 consecutive years of temporary residency by then). Will her absence affect her ability to get permanent residence? Thanks.

Hi there!

What if I’m coming to Mexico to do just two days of work for a music festival? I’m from The Netherlands. Can I work under the FMM form? Or do I need something else?

Thanks a lot!

Jennifer

Hi YES,

I’m an American war veteran that receives a little over $3400 a month compensation from the VA every month for life. We are endeavoring to move permanently to the Los Cabos area, namely San Jose Del Cabo. Two questions: would my wife and I qualify immediately for permanent residency (she as my dependent) and if we’re granted residency, since the whole Baja peninsula is a free zone, can I keep my U.S. plated car there indefinitely, provided I don’t drive the car out of Baja? And lastly (sorry, 3 questions), can YES provide assistance to help us with the 2nd part of residency (in Mexico)? I understand you’re based in Merida. Thank you!!

Thank you so much for such a wealth of information. Try as hard as I could I cannot find any information that tells me whether I should try to apply for permanante, or just temporary for now. I would like Permanente if possible. My situation is unique I believe.

We would apply in Vancouver.
We own a family business in Canada primarily operated by our daughters for a majority of the year which generates my wife and myself our retirement income in excess of $100,000/year. We spend a majority of our time at our home in Mexico valued around $800K and have owned it for ten years. The business is in our name and valued over 2 million. We do not have traditional investments, only real estate in both countries. We do not regularly retain that much cash in savings, revolving probably $20-30K at any given time.

We wish to get a business license and register for taxation so that we can offer rentals for the three homes on our property in Mexico.

Is it worth trying for Permanent by presenting these facts to our consulate, or are we wasting our time?

Much thanks for your assistance and opinion on this.

I have a pension of $1462 per month, and I have about $400,000 in savings. Would I be eligible for a temporary, or better, a permanent residency?

Thank you, Mark

Hello .. my question is about financial requirements to obtain temporary residency status. I’m not fully retired, but eventually working toward that. I work in commission based sales. My bank account would show varied deposits, but the balance will well exceed the monthly balance requirement. At my initial Mex consulate visit, will I be able to present six months of bank statements, showing the balances? .. The income will not be from “pension income.” .. I don’t think I would have the 12 month financial balance requirement (as I’m not as yet fully retired) In any written letter requirement, is it enough to say I’m semi-retired? .. I would also be renting my condo out when I’m living in Mexico (so, there would be income from that). Is there a way to use present this data (and, would it be accepted as part of my financial picture)? .. From doing some research, I’ve heard the consulate in Laredo, TX is easy to work with. While from Canada, I had planned to initiate my application at the Laredo consulate. Is there any specific pros & cons of doing this? ..

Hello,

If I want to get a foreign marriage certificate registered here in the yucatan. Do both husband and wife have to sign for this?

Hi-
We plan on applying for temporary residency. Is INM still taking 3-6 months to issue cards?
Have reservations to be there Aug 14- Sep 1 and Dec 1 to Jan 3. Should we apply at our consulate before the Aug trip and start the INM while there is Aug? Is there a time limit to pick up the cards after issuance?

Your Formato Basico link in the text is not working anymore, it goes to a 404 page. Just to let you know.

My wife and I just returned from Progreso to the States on an “Exit Permit”. Do you know if the INM offices will extend the 60 day return requirement due to the current Pandemic that is going on?

Also we have been waiting for 3 weeks for our Permanent Resident Visa Card to be printed at the Progreso INM but have been told they don’t have the “Plastic” to print it. What going on??
Sound kind of fishy to us.

I just wanted to say this has been the most helpful and informative site I have come across. Thank you! I have emailed you with questions about my temp res visa.

Hello,

Thank you very much for your informative site!

My husband and I want to move from the US to Mexico in the next three or four months. We would like this to be a permanent move. We are US citizens.

I receive permanent disability payments of $1,069 a month (after my Medicare payment), and my husband will receive $1,270 a month when he applies for early retirement (which he will do in the coming weeks)–plus, he has an additional small monthly pension.

This will give us a joint pension, as a married couple, of $2,495 USD. Can we get a temporary residency visa in Mexico with this amount, or do we need more?

Thank you very much for your help!

I’ve gone through all the hoops to get a permanent resident visa based on having enough retirement. (I’ve never had any other visas.) I’m in Mexico now and planning to going to INM with all the documents. At the page https://www.inm.gob.mx/tramites/publico/estancia.html I can’t figure out what two pulldown menus under Tipo de trámite I should be selecting? Also, do I need to still create a letter in Spanish requesting the canje? Is there a form I could copy somewhere?

This page is AWESOME. Thanks for what you do! Kyle

Thank you! A few fairly quick questions for you. 1- With the recent exchange rate changes of Pesos to Dollars, have/should the Mexican Consulates made adjustments required for determining economic solvency? 2- I’ve heard differing accounts on the questions asked concerning “Border Visa Runs”. Are there any Mexican or U.S. laws or rules addressing this, or time restrictions between turning in old FMM at border and getting a new FMM for 180 days? 3- What ever happened with the UMA? Apparently it did what it was supposed to do. It allowed the minimum wage of workers to go up, while keeping most Government fees, fines and other regulatory costs down. Why hasn’t the UMA adjusted the requirements for determining economic solvency? I thought that was part of the law that was passed.

Sorry, by Border Run what I meant is, are there any laws or regulations regarding an expiring FMM or Tourist Visa that was only good for 180 days. How long do you have to wait to get a new Tourist Visa after you’ve gone to the border, turned in your expiring FMM and left the country? In other words, can you “Legally” live in Mexico, full time, by just renewing your Tourist Visa every 180 days? As far the UMA is concerned, seeing that the minimum wage has exploded by over 68 percent over the four years since the UMA was passed into law.. Do you think they will amend the law for economic solvency to recognize it? Thanks again! Have a great weekend!

Thank you very much for maintaining such an informative website! My wife are planning to immigrate to Mexico as soon as this pandemic is under control, and have a question about the minimum financial threshold for residency. Our monthly retirement income together is a bit less than the required minimum threshold for permanent residency as a married couple; however, we exceed the listed minimum threshold savings requirement of $130,000 that is listed. Our question: Is the $130,000 savings option the minimum for a couple; and if not, what would that minimum savings threshold be? Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

I am a US citizen, married to a woman from Thailand. We got married in Thailand. Thailand does not use apostille, only legalization. So how do we satisfy the Mexican requirements for proof of marriage? We can get the Thai Marriage certificate translated into English. Then, is the legalization enough, or do we have to get an apostille in a country other than Thailand?
It is difficult to get a translation into Spanish in Thailand. Is it possible to use the English version of the marriage certificate or does it have to be in Spanish?
Which version needs to be apostilled/legalized – the original Thai version, or the English version, or the Spanish version?

Thank you for providing so many great tips on how to gain a Temporary Residency VISA for Mexico! My best friends husband died last year so I trying to get a TRV to move in with and help her…but COVID-19 is creating delays in my efforts to get an appointment at the consulate in Denver – which needs to be made on line between the 1st and 3ed business day of the month. So I have two questions that I hope you can answer.

#1 – I want to make sure that I CAN schedule an appointment in June – and I’d like to know what time of day that the new schedule (for the month of June) is posted so I can apply for an appointment ASAP.

Do you know what time of day the schedule can be accessed on line?

#2 – I want to make sure that I get an approval for my TRV application BEFORE I book a flight to Mexico. But one of the tips you posted says that I need to provide my date of travel.

Can I just give them an ETA oe do I need to give them the exact date of my arrival to Mexico?

I am planning to get Mexican temporary residency once it is possible again based on having enough savings during the last 12 months.
My wife is a Thai citizen, and I want to get her residency as a family member once I have my residency permit in Mexico.
After I get my approval from a Mexican consulate in the US, it is possible that we both enter Mexico, I with my Canje, and she on a tourist visa, and then she stays with me in Mexico until my residency is finalized? Can I apply for her while she is in Mexico already, or does she have to be outside of Mexico?

As a second option, is it possible that my wife and I can apply as a couple for temporary residency at the consulate in the US, based on me having enough cash in the bank? She does no qualify on her own since she does not have enough funds in an account in her name. But I have enough cash to show for both of us. Is this possible?

Have the Mexican immigration offices open now?

Thank you for answering my question. As a follow-up, do you know currently how long it’s been taking to obtain a permanent residency card via canje process?

Thank you again! 🙂

Thank you for your excellent site with lots of information. I want to be sure I have not missed a point on my documents for Permanent resident visa. My question is from the list of documents that I need to take to the Mexico Embassy does my birth certificate or any financial documents need to be apostles or notary? Thank you
Robert

I have just received TR visa in my US passport and I am going to enter Mexico at McAllen/Reynosa border crossing in a week or two with my US plated car requiring TIP.

Would it makes sense for me to initiate canje application at Reynosa immigration office and stay in the city for as long as it takes (say, a month total) until I could pick up Resident Card and only then obtain TIP and drive to the south of Mexico?
Or could I do TIP immediately, drive to Tuxtla (my destination) right away, and initiate canje application there? But how do I handle TIP extension in such scenario?

I have been in Mexico for one year and just got approval for a 3 year extension. I retired a little earlier than my common law spouse of 20 years who will like to join me in the next year. For ease of application we plan to get married before he applies. I have a few questions…
1. Could I apply for him when he enters Mexico to join me or do I need to go back to Canada and apply at the Consulate there?
2. What economic solvency proof will he need? I see the Toronto Mexican Consular website saying that the applicant needs to have $950 Canadian monthly balance on account (each office has a different amount). https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/toronto/index.php/en/servicesforeigners/visas?id=233
3. When he gets a resident card, will it be only for a year for the rest of my temporary residency?
4. Can we apply for permanent residence anytime before the 3 year temporary resident visa is up? and do we have to prove economic solvency according to PR rules at the time or is there some recognition that you have lived for the period and doing fine?
Thank you in advance.

Hello,

I am about to get my temporary resident visa completed and my wife will be going to INM to apply under the family unit. We think we have a problem though. Our marriage certificate uses her maiden name. Her passport and Drivers license is using her married name. I’ve read everywhere that the passport and marriage certificate must match exactly and if they don’t she has to go the the Embassy in Mexico City to have it notarized that she is the same person in both documents.

Is this correct? Is there an easier way to get this done? we will be living in Ensenada and going all the way to Mexico City seems extreme.

Thank you for any guidance/info you can provide.

Hello YES,
MY common-in-law partner and I plan to apply for permanent residency at the Mexican consulate in Canada. We are retired although in our late 50’s.We have joint savings exceeding 200,000 Cnd. dollars. also one pension of 1,700 CND per month. My questions are:
What do you advise from our end.
!. Will we both be able to apply for permanent residency?
2. Should one apply permanent and one temporary? ( If yes which should be perm which should be temp)
3 Will getting married first may the process easier?
Any advice moving forward would be greatly appreciated.

YES, I have a pension of $4500 US, and currently own a place in the San Jose Del Cabo, I plan on applying for permanent residence. My wife wants to wait to apply so are there any issues for me to apply and then have her apply in a year or so? Also the Houston Consulate requires bank verification of statements for the 130,000 but doesn’t seem to require the same verification for bank statements when accompanied by my pension statements, I just want to make sure I don’t have to have them signed by a bank official when I go in for my appointment. Here is what their website say. I plan on applying under option B.

Financial Solvency: You must choose options a) OR b):
a) Investment or bank accounts with a monthly ending balance of at least 20,000 days
of the current general minimum wage in Mexico City (approx. $130,000 USD). To
prove this, you need to provide:
i. The printouts of your electronic bank statements certified (signed and/or
stamped) by the bank, of each of the previous 12 months.
OR
ii. The printouts of your electronic bank statements PLUS a letter from your
financial institution indicating your full name (no omissions), the details about
your account, and the ending balance of each of the previous 12 months. The
letter must be signed by hand.
b) Pension that yields a monthly income of at least 500 days of the current general
minimum wage in Mexico City (approx. $3,200 USD) after taxes, during each of the
previous 6 months. You must provide the following:
i. The Original or most recent letter from the Social Security or Pension issuer indicating the
monthly amount that you receive PLUS the bank statements in which that amount is
reflected or the pension receipts for each of the last 6 months

Hi, I am preparing to submit my application for pensionado permanent residence at a consulate here in the U.S. I have two questions:

1. Do I make the appointment with the embassy and bring all the documents with me? Or am I required to mail the documents to them prior to the interview (including my passport?!!?!) If it is the latter, is it permissible to deliver the documents instead of sending by mail, and to obtain a receipt? I do not want to lose my passport, especially now, because I would have to deal with significant delays in getting it replaced.

2. Your information (thank you!) states that a permanent resident cannot import a car with foreign plates. I am planning to drive into Mexico in my car (with US plates) to turn in the visa and obtain the residency card. Is that a problem? Is it possible to either drive back to the U.S. once the card is received or, preferably, obtain Mexican plates for my car on the same trip to get the residency card?

3. One more! Must I apply for the card at the immigration office nearest where I plan to live, or does it matter – could I just cross the border and request it? And do I need to show evidence of a residence in Mexico to get the card?

Thank you so much.

Hi, I’m thinking of applying for a PR visa directly as I have more than 130,000 USD in investments and bank savings. However on the Mexican government website it clearly states that PR visas are only available for either ‘jubilados/pensionados’ – are there any specific requirements on age? I’m in my mid-30s, would this make me ineligible to apply for a PR visa straight away even if I meet the asset requirements? Or would I have to apply for the temporary one?

Also do you know if it’s allowed to work once I get a PR card (I know this isn’t allowed if you’re only a temp resident)? The consulate where I live (in Asia) hasn’t picked up my phone calls or replied to emails. Thanks a lot!

I want to change my last name, can I do that on a Temporary\Permanent Resident Card?

Thanks for this helpful information! I just got my TRV and will be heading to Mexico this weekend to do the canje. However, I had one question:

If you do your canje of FMM to temporary residency in one INM location, say Cuernavaca, will you always have to go to that same INM for future issues, such as if you lose your card or come the end of the year and you want to extend your temporary residency? Or could you do all this at the CDMX INM at any future time?

Hello,
I wanted to say thank you for the information provided on this blog – it helped me a great deal. I went to INM in Mexico City yesterday to apply for permanent residency. It took less than two hours for the entire process – submitting forms, photos and fingerprinting and receiving my permanent residence card. You must pay the permanent residence fee before you submit your forms. The forms requested were the pieza, letter requesting permanent residence, FMM canje from the airport, photocopy of passport photo page. The formato basico was not required when submitting forms but they will ask you the questions on that form when you are being fingerprinted. So it is easier to have a completed formato basico to hand the agent. You do not need to bring photos either. Here is a link for the bank payment form – https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/derechos/. So if you are in a hurry to get your Mexican permanent residence, I recommend applying in Mexico City.

Hi there, do you have the direct link to the online form for the start of the process. The one here just took me to the govt site and I couldn’t work out where to look after that. Any advice or links? Thanks

Can you apply in Mexico City even thou you will be residing in another city, like Cancun?

We went to the INM office in Puerto Vallarta on Thurs, 22 Oct 2020. The form I’d printed from their website online was an outdated one. The gentleman who helped me gave me the sheet of everything I needed. I went back to the hotel, completed the forms (translated from/back to Spanish), made the appropriate copies as mentioned on the sheet, went to the bank to pay the fee, and returned to the INM office on Friday. The line at the PV goes really quick. We got in, they reviewed our forms, and took our photos and fingerprints. Told us our cards should be ready in 2 weeks and they’d send us an e-mail when they were ready. Well, they did NOT send us an email saying they were ready. They did send an email acknowledging receipt of our application. The email included a link to our file and a password. Turns out they updated the link on Monday to show that our cards were ready for pickup! Unfortunately, not realizing there was the link & password, I didn’t pay attention, waiting for 2 weeks before I checked. All is good!

Great article! It looks like closest INM center to me is Play Del Carmen (PDC). A few questions: 1) First appointment: Do I need to make appointment to come come first time to request canje from visa to card or I would just walk in with all docs and stay in line? 2) Fee processing: After I stay in line and get form to pay fees, do I come back and stay in line again after I paid fee at the bank? Or should I ask for F5 payment form before hands and go with it to the bank and then come back to INM and get into line? 3) Fee Bank: What is the closest bank to pay fees next to INM in PDC? 5) Photos: Where can I make infantil size pictures close to INM in PDC? Will it be ready right away? Many thanks in advance

Thank you for the very useful information you provide. My wife and I used your suggestions to assemble documents to take to the INM office in La Paz to apply for our Permanent Resident Cards.

We are retired and the process to obtain our visas at the Mexican Consulate in Fresno, California was very straightforward. Then we stopped at the immigration office at the San Ysidro border crossing into Baja by land and got our no-cost 30 day FMM to be used during the canje process in La Paz.

We began assembling documents during our first week here and went to the INM office on a Monday morning at 9:00 a.m., no appointment needed. (Office hours are 9:00 to 1:00 M-F). We ended up with some things we didn’t need, but here is what they asked for and how the process went:

* A copy of Passport picture page and a copy of Visa picture page. Black and white works here. We had extra copies but didn’t need them.

* The printed copy of the online form signed with blue ink identical to passport signature. https://www.inm.gob.mx/tramites/publico/estancia

* The Formato Básico pdf that we had downloaded, printed and filled out by hand, found here: https://www.gob.mx/inm/documentos/informacion-formato-basico

* The original 30 day FMM that we got at the border.

* We wrote a letter requesting the canje, but they didn’t want it. They instead had us sign a pre-printed form.

* We downloaded the E5 payment form and paid at the bank before going to INM. They will give you the form, but then you have to go to the bank, pay, and find a place to make 3 copies, then go back to INM and get back in line. Form is found here https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/derechos/.

* They want a copy of a utility bill showing your place of residence, not the original.

After scrutinizing and stamping all the forms they asked us to wait for 50 minutes. We were then invited to the window one by one where they took our pictures and fingerprints. (We had had pictures, infantil, taken previously at a photo shop, but they didn’t want them.) They gave us our Pieza numbers and passwords, our NUT numbers and said the Permanent Resident cards should be ready to pick up in about a week. We can follow the status by logging in to this link https://www.inm.gob.mx/tramites/publico/seguimiento-tramite.html

So, in La Paz the process is very simple and straightforward. Just make sure that everything is filled in correctly and matches your passport. The agents handle English very well. We were in and out in a little over two hours, and if the cards are ready to be picked up as advertised, we will be very happy. Thank you for your help!

My wife and I recently completed our permanente applications in Chapala, MX. We applied separately as our 40+ year-old marriage certificate was in pretty rough shape! It was a very straightforward application process for us. Due to COVID, the Mexican consulate in Phoenix is only making visa appointments via email. You can no longer make those online. As of mid-October, the lead time for appointments was about 2 months. We presented ourselves at the INM office in Chapala a few days after arriving with our forms completed (using our AirBnb host’s address – no utility bill requested). We were given the E5 forms, paid our fees at a bank down the street and returned a half hour later with copies. Photos and fingerprints were taken and we were given Pieza numbers and passwords. We returned to INM 10 days later and now have our permanente cards.

Hi,

I have a couple of questions.

1) Are consulates open in the US right now to give temporary visas?
And
2) If we obtain a temporary visa is it possible to drive our US plated vehicle from Texas down to Playa del Carmen?

Thanks in advance,

Stephanie

What a great website! Thank you.
I was wondering if you knew how long the Canje process is taking in Ensenada. I plan to apply in March.

Thanks,
Norm

Whaaat?!? That’s amazing! Thank you for the quick response and thank you for a most helpful website!

Norm

Hi there. My daughter is a Mexican citizen through her dad, but she was born in the US (she’s been registered at the consulate and we have that birth certificate). Can I apply through her?

Hi there, great information on this post! I am wondering if you can tell me more about the address to use for the Canje process- I would like to use a type of temporary address while I search for a more permanent address in Mexico.

I am wondering if it is possible to use a virtual mailbox/office address- does the INM require proof of address at the time of Canje, or it depends on the specific INM?

Hi, I’m Mexican and my husband is American, we want to move to Merida and he found a job there but how can we apply so that he can work in Mexico ASAP? Do we still have to apply here in the United States for a Visa and then go to Merida and do the rest of the process there? How long will it take for him to be able to work in Mexico? Thank You!

Hi, I am a US citizen and permanent resident in Mexico and reside in Mexico. I have been offered a job in the US and will receive payments through my US bank account and pay taxes there. I will work remotely from Mexico. Am I required to pay taxes in Mexico, too?

Hi and thanks for the good information. I just started freelance working and have a pretty low income right now, but I do have savings. Would a savings account or a retirement account at a certain dollar amount be enough to meet the economic requirements, or does it have to be income?
Alternatively, if my partner (Mexican national) and I married, would that be a better way to apply for temporary residency?

To successfully apply for the temporary visa, is a passport BOOK required? I currently only have a passport card.

I received my permanent Resident Visa, but I have not applied/requested canje yet and I plan to do it in a couple of months. Right now I need to go to Mexico for the weekend to take care of some business and come back. I plan to use my passport card not the passport with the Visa. Will this trip void my visa?

My understanding is that not until you start requesting canje, you don’t have a pending status issue, correct? This is urgent and I would really appreciate your guidance!

Thank you so much! You are the best!

Do you know how long the Canje process is taking in Mexicali?

“It is worth mentioning that only pensioners can apply for the Permanent Resident VISA without having the Temporary Resident VISA first.”

1 ) My wife and I would like to apply for permanent resident visa (through 12-month bank statements with required minimum monthly average) but we are not pensioners (we’re in our late 40’s), and one of us is not retired. Does any of that make us ineligible to apply for permanent residency without going through temporary residency first?

2) What Mexican cities currently have the fastest Canje processing times (1 day, 1 week)? Assuming that we can apply straight for permanent resident visa, it may not be possible (due to work) for one of us to stay in Mexico longer than a couple weeks for the Canje process. Given this predicament, is it advisable (or even possible) for one partner to apply for PR now and add the other as dependent later on? Any known issues in visa issuance in such cases?

Thank you.

Thank you for your response and for the awesome website and information. Much appreciated.
With respect to #1 above, do you have any feedback from applicants who applied in the Toronto consulate? Are they known to be flexible? (Sorry, this could be a very vague question).
Looks like it may be better for both of us to apply together and hope for the best from the consular officer we interact with.

Hello,

Thank you for such clear instructions about how to obtain a resident card!

I am retired under Social Security, making $1840/month. I have obtained a temporary resident visa. But, after reading your website, it seems that I could have obtained the permanent visa at once. What is the current income requirement for a retiree to obtain the permanent visa in 2021? Is this income requirement waived after the 4-year temporary residency?

Also, any idea how long it could take to obtain the resident card in Tijuana?

Thanks so much!
Julie

Hello,
Thanks for all the helpful info on your site! My wife and I and our two adult children will soon be applying for Mexico residency. My wife and I are in our mid-50s and we just retired. We will be seeking permanent residency. We want to get our 2 adult children (18 and 22) temporary residency. Regarding this:
1) Can my 2 adult children use our assets for getting temporary residency (my wife and I have enough to cover 2 permanent and 2 temporary residencies)?
2) I have about 400 pages of financial documents for the assets. Do i need to make a copy of these for each of the applicable applications?
3) Do my wife and I somehow need to proved we are retired. We won’t be collecting any sort of pension for at least 6 years.
Thank you again!!

Hello
I’m thankful to have found this site! I want to apply for my permanent residency. I am retired. What forms do I need? What paperwork do I need to bring in filling out the permanent residency form? Showing my financial status, you need proof for my income? For how many months? Also, bank statements for how many months? I own a condo, the title work is still in process with the lawyer. The Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia, PA says appointments aren’t needed. It is approximately 5-6hours of driving time and I need help to make sure I have all correct paperwork. I do have my passport. Can you, please, help me with this information and what is needed. I appreciate your help and thank you in advance!

My husband and I would like to move to Merida and we are in the process of doing the documentation to be presented at the Miami consulate office in two weeks.I would like to clarify the annual social security income gross of $1828 or $1708 net monthly would qualify for permanent residency. I also have rental income of $1850 gross. In addition, approx. $150 to 200 monthly income in investment stocks. I own all my properties free of debt. My husband only receives monthly social security income of $675.00. Do we qualify based on our monthly income? Would I have to submit monthly statements or just my 1099 of the rental income and the stock investments? Please let me know as soon as possible since I am do to go to the consulate in two weeks. Thank you very much for your attention.

I submitted my visa paperwork at the INM office in Ensenada on March 18. On April 4 I received an email in Spanish (I don’t speak it) that I believe is telling me it’s time to go down for fingerprints on my next trip. The email, after logging in, took me to a status site that said

Fecha Estatus trámite Ubicación
17/03/2021 El trámite ha sido registrado Delegación Local Ensenada
18/03/2021 Ha sido asignado el tipo de trámite Delegación Local Ensenada
18/03/2021 Un pago ha sido registrado Delegación Local Ensenada
28/03/2021 Registre los datos para la expedición de su documento migratorio Delegación Local Ensenada
31/03/2021 Se emitió oficio Delegación Local Ensenada

Am i interpreting this correctly? Also, when I do go down for fingerprints will I need to make an appointment? And will I get my visa card the same day or will that be another trip a week later?

Norm

Hello, guys! Thank you for all the outstanding help you provide.
My wife and I are retiring within the next 6-12 months. We are moving to Mexico at that point. We have our 23 year old son with whom we have power of attorney (financial, medical) due to his intellectual disability. Do we need to obtain full guardianship of him to facilitate the move? He currently receives SSI in the US. We know that will end.
We want to obtain permanent residency. Will there be issues concerning our son? We assume that we will be responsible for him forever.
Thanks, again. Your services are invaluable.

Thanks for all the useful information.
My question is, if you buy a condo 2017 that worth 238,000 USD and received the deed 2020, and then applying for temporary residency in 2021, which year’s minimum wage will be calculated by the consulate in abroad?
Many thanks.

Good day,
Very insightful comments. I am a young proffessional and have spent 2 years in Mexico from 2019 before living.
I have access to mexico as a visitor. But would now like to settle for good in Merida. Does the rule for retirement still appplies for permanent residency visa?

Or can I just apply based on my monthly foreign income?

Would like to enter with a permanent visa directly if possible as I am from the African continent. and making forth and back trips can be difficult and long.

Hi, I have received the permanent residency visa (family unity) and will be entering in Veracruz in a few months. Does anyone have experience with the INM office in Veracruz? What is the most up-to-date list of requirements and what can I take care of here in the US before I arrive in Mexico? For example, can I fill out the FMM and/or pay the fees online? Thank you for your help!

Hello…I want to apply for a temporary resident visa and start the process from here (US)…I have tried my nearest consulate several times by phone and so far have not been able to reach a person. Do you know if the Mexican consulate in Albuquerque NM requires an appointment or do you have a direct phone# or email for them? thank you so much!

Hello, I am retired person with social security of 2200,0 plus annuity of 789.0 a month. total of 2989.0 dollars. Also the annuity comes from my ira account in which i have about 130,000.00 With these amounts do i qualify for permanent residency. Another question is can i apply any at consulate I am not able to get any info from here Chicago office. Thinking to apply in Las Vegas or Yuma, Arizona. your input deeply appriciated. thanks

Hello,

I am in the process of filling out my permanent residency visa application and the form asks for the date and point of entry in Mexico. I do not however, have the date and destination city planned out yet. Does it make a difference if my actual date of travel and/or destination city is different from what I indicate on the form?

Also, are the cities of Mexico City, Ensenada, León and Mazatlán still the fastest in terms of Canje processing times (1 day, 1 week) like in February this year? Which other places have similar faster processing times? I have not travelled to any of these cities (besides Cancun) and am wondering which city would be easier for me to figure out in addition to faster processing of Canje?

Thank you for all your help. Will keep you posted on my experience with the interview.

Update:

I finally got permanent residency (Ontario, Canada) last week. Provided proof of solvency through 12 months of bank statements. I was afraid they would grant me temporary instead of permanent. But it was all perfect in the end. So happy.

Also, I was not sure if applying together with wife would deny both a shot at the direct permanent residency visa because one of us isn’t retired yet. So wife will apply later. I believe she cannot apply for permanent directly like I did but will have to go through two years of temporary first? Or can she apply for permanent directly if she meets solvency requirements?

Importantly, does she need to apply from outside Mexico or can she do it from within Mexico, now that I have the permanent?

Lastly, I am targeting either Leon or San Miguel de Allende for the canje process, as you have indicated these have fast processing. I do not know much Spanish (working at it). Do you think I will be able to do the canje at INM myself or would you suggest I hire help? How difficult or easy is the process?

Thank you again! Such an awesome and helpful forum.

Hi,
Do you have information on the canje (residency card) processing times at INM in Puerto Vallarta? Are they fast? Would you advise going to INM there?
Thanks…

Thank you. It’s been driving me nuts trying to decide on where to go for the canje process. The air tickets have gotten so expensive!
I am also considering Merida but the 5-6 hour bus ride from Cancun airport will make for a long travel day. Still thinking about it though.
Does Cancun have an INM office that will provide the canje services? How fast is it there?
How about Playa del Carmen? Is it fast there? What would you suggest?
Muchas gracias!

Thank you for your helpful wesbsite. I’m looking to apply for a temporaty residency through economic solvenc, but will already be in Mexico on a tourist visa, so will need to travel abroad for the first part of the application. Do you have any particular consulates you recommend travelling to for those in my situation? I am from the UK but ideally would minimise cost, so would be looking for somewhere cheap and convenient to get to from Mexico City, and ideally somewhere that processes fairly fast so I wouldn’t have to hang around for long before returning to Mexico.

I would also be worried about have to do the process in Spanish. Do you offer a service where you help check all my documents are in order before I apply?

Hello, Do the bank statements need to be stamped by the bank or can I just print them out from computer?

Thank you for this website! I still have a few questions that I hope you can answer:
We are a family of 2 adults and 2 children.
We will start the 1-year Visa process in Europe the 14th of February.
If we get pre-approval, we will fly to Mexico and will hopefully get the 1-year Visa.
My questions:
Is there a fast IMN in Chetumal? I am thinking about going there, I heard in PDC it takes more than 2 months to get appointment, maybe here it doesn’t take that long?
Is it easy or complicated to go to the INM appointment without help from an immigration specialst and to apply by ourselves?
Do we need to make an appointment or can we walk in?
If we have to make an appointment at INM: how can we do that?
I cannot find a immigration specialist (no lawyer!) in Chetumal. Do you know how I can find one?
Or would it be much better to fly to San Miguel or another ‘fast’ INM?
Thank you very much!

Update-2 (from Leon):
Good morning.

I finally decided to apply for the canje at the Leon INM. Been here for near four weeks now. As fate would have it, I had to deal with a medical emergency within a couple days of landing in Leon. Out of action for couple weeks. Did a information seek trip to INM later and was told by staff that canje for card can be done in a day. Got an appointment a week out. Used the time to collect all the required documents. But on the day of the appointment I was told it will take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month! Reason – backlog. Very disappointing, as this forced me to change my travel plans a second time (after medical issues). I keep checking the online status everyday. My question to you is, do you have similar reports out of Leon? Will it really take as long as 2-4 weeks if they told me so?

A couple quick notes –
I speak minimal to nil Spanish, and the INM at Leon is Spanish only staffers. Communication has been a struggle (understatement) without knowledge of the local language. That, and the fact that Leon is not currently as fast as I had initially thought, I keep wondering if I should have picked Merida or PVR instead.
Second, your detailed description of the tramite, as described on this page, is thorough and proved very helpful in putting together all required documents for submission. Thank you so much!

Keep you posted.

Hi I am planning to move to Mexico with my wife next year. We are an English, Iranian couple and will apply at the Embassy in Istanbul. We will apply based on savings which total more than $45000. I have already contacted the Embassy and they said $42,000 for 12 months is necessary for the application. My wife works but will apply as my dependent. I have a few questions. 1) I am under the impression the Temporary residence visa is for 4 years, although I read about some people who only received one year. Are there different types based on the amount of money you have? 2) Applying with a dependent the embassy said that I did not need a higher amount although their reply did not fill me with confidence that applying for two people with $42000 was a good idea. Should we have a higher amount or can she apply as a dependent once I get residency on my own 3) What is required to change the temporary permit into permanent residency after 4 years. We are planning to go long term 4) Everyone that I read about was American or European. We have experienced our fair share of issues with my wifes Iranian nationality, is the process more complicated with a non-western applicant. Does anyone have any experience. I appreciate all and any help. Thank you

Good morning,

I am in a limbo here in Mexico. I submitted my canje application for my resident card but upon visiting the INM to get a status update after more than two weeks of submission (online status still says “Sin Resolución”), I am told there’s a problem with my visa!

As it turns out, the Mexican consulate in Canada reversed my first name and last name on my residency visa. The visa that they stamped on my passport has my first name under Apellidos and my last name under Nombres!!! I am told they have contacted Mexico City and it could take long.

This mistake and uncertainty has messed up my travel plans bigtime and causing me a lot of grief. If you could please respond to my following questions it would be very helpful –

1) Is there a possibility that they could reject my canje process because of the error in name on my visa?

2) If they don’t cancel my visa/canje, how long would it normally take for Mexico City to respond to the Leon office with a correction so it can issue me the residency tarjeta? I am told by INM Leon that it will be another couple weeks or more before they hear from Mexico City!

3) Would you suggest that I apply for the permission to leave and return (max. two months) and hope the issue will be resolved during that time, or is it better to stay put here and keep waiting until this is fixed?

4) If I leave (after applying for permission), will they put my application on hold until I return or will the processing keep going while I am out of Mexico?

5) Do you know of any other cases where there was a simple mistake on a Mexican residency visa that was later corrected/resolved by INM? How long did it take?

6) Do you think there’s any way this can be expedited?

It is frustrating that they should take that long to correct an obvious human error on my visa. The spelling of my name is all correct, just the first and last names are reversed. It is easy to confirm with my passport details on which the very visa is stamped. I am not sure why the simple correction should take such a long time. This is causing me a lot of anxiety and this delay, coupled with my health issues here, have already cost me a lot of stress and money.

Look forward to your kind response.

Thank you…