Types of Immigrant Permits
There are two kinds of immigration permit: Non-Immigrant and Immigrant:
- Non-Immigrant Permits are for people who intend to visit Mexico for a specific purpose and then depart;
- Immigrant Permits are for people who wish to gain long term permanent residence in Mexico.
what are the Non-Immigrant Visas?
There are various classifications of Non-Immigrant visitors to Mexico – the main ones are listed below.
Visitante – Visitor Permit for Short Term Visits
The ‘Visitante‘permit is intended for visitors—usually tourists and business visitors—to Mexico on short term visits of six months or less. For trips of longer than six months, a non-immigrant or immigrant visa should be considered—see the sections below for details about this.
A Visitor’s Permit is issued when you arrive in Mexico (by air, or travel inland by road beyond the ‘free border zone’) by completing a Forma Migratoria Multiple (FMM): these forms are issued by airlines, and are also available at ports of entry. The Visitor Permit is valid for up to 180 days and cannot be renewed. Upon its expiry you will need to leave the country*. There is a fee of about US$30 per person for this permit, which is usually included in the price if your flight (under taxes and fees). If you arrive by road or ship, and travel beyond the ‘free zone’ near the border, you will have to pay for this permit separately.
Mexico’s Temporary Resident Immigrant Visas
Visa de Residente Temporal – Temporary Resident Visa
Mexico operates what is known as a Temporary Resident Visa, intended for people who wish to live in Mexico for more than 6 months and not longer than 4 years. The Temporary Resident Visa is a renewable, long-term (more than six months) permit which gives non-immigrant temporary residency status to the holder. The visa is issued for one year, and can then be renewed for a further 1, 2, or 3 years (i.e. 1+3, 4 years max); this visa can optionally give work permissions, and allows unlimited entries to, and exits from, Mexico. This means that it gives a person holding the permit the right to live in Mexico for up to 4 years under terms as set out in the visa.
There are various categories under which the Temporary Resident visas are granted, and these relate to the activities you intend to undertake while in Mexico. Under the terms of the Temporary Resident Visa, you are authorized to only undertake certain, specific, activities which may be lucrative or non-lucrative, depending on the visa’s classification.
A key criterion that the Mexican authorities require for the issuance of a Temporary Resident Visa is that the applicant prove that they have sufficient funds to sustain themselves while in Mexico and/or a proven steady income. The financial requirements are based in Mexican pesos, and the financial criteria were formalized following the introduction of the new immigration law that was enacted in 2012.
Applications for Temporary Resident Permits
With a few exceptions, the Temporary Resident Visa cannot be issued to you in Mexico; you must apply for it at a Mexican consulate outside of Mexico. This is a change to the rules before 2012, where Visitor Permits could previously be exchanged for Resident Permits if the person(s) fulfilled the criteria. The follow will explain who can apply for residency within Mexico.
When applied for from overseas, the Temporary Permit (card) itself is not issued by foreign consulates. Instead, they process and pre-approve the application and place a Visa (sticker) in your passport. When you arrive in Mexico you have to attend your local immigration office within 30 days of arrival, and undertake a procedure to exchange your temporary resident visa (passport stamp) for a Temporary Resident Permit (a plastic card).
Once applied for and granted, you can hold the Temporary Resident Permit for up to four years, and after this it cannot be renewed: at the end of the four-year period you must exchange the Temporary Resident permit for a Permanent Resident permit, or leave the country.
Mexico’s Permanent Resident Immigrant Visas
Permanent Resident Visas are issued to foreign nationals who have the intention of living in Mexico for long periods of time (over six months) AND who intend to settle permanently (indefinitely) in Mexico.
Visa de Residente Permanente – Permanente Residente Visa
The Permanent Resident Visa is intended for people seeking permanent residency status in Mexico, or those who may seek eventual Mexican Citizenship. You do not need to be a Temporary Resident first to become a Permanent Resident later, provided that you fulfill one of the other requirements needed for permanent residency.
To apply for and be granted a permanent resident visa, the applicants must:
- have certain close family connections in Mexico, or
apply for retirement status and prove they have sufficient monthly income (or substantial assets) to support themselves “See Solvency economic 2020 Down below” or.
- have 4 consecutive years of regular status as Temporary Resident, or
- have 2 consecutive years of regular status as Temporary Resident where that Temporary Visa was issued through marriage to a Mexican National or a foreign permanent resident, or
- meet a minimum score under the Points System*, or
- be granted residency on humanitarian grounds or through political asylum.
If your goal is to seek long-term residency in Mexico, or to become a Mexican Citizen, you should apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.
Upon receiving immigrated status, you will receive a plastic card that looks like a driver’s license. This card enables you to pass through Mexico’s borders as if you were a Mexican national.
Applications for Permanent Resident Permits
With a few exceptions, the Permanent Resident Visa cannot be issued to you in Mexico; you must apply for it at a Mexican consulate outside of Mexico. This is a change to the rules before 2012, where Visitor Permits could previously be exchanged for Resident Permits if the person(s) fulfilled the criteria.
Examples of the kinds of people who might apply for Resident Visas:
Retirees / Independent Income
If you want to engage in “non-remunerative activities” (i.e. you do not intend to earn money in Mexico) and you are receiving funds from abroad (from a pension or other investments or income sources) you can apply for a Permanent Resident Visa if the income and assets you have meet the up above financial criteria.
Investors
You can receive a resident permit if you are willing to invest your capital in Mexico. Your investment can be directed at industry or services, and must equal a minimum set amount—check separately for the latest investment levels required for this visa.
Professionals
If you are a qualified professional, you can have your certificates validated by the Mexican Consulate in your home country and apply for an immigration visa to live in Mexico and seek residence here.
Technical or Scientific Professions
If you are a qualified technician or scientist, Mexico offers a category of visa which enables you to live and work in Mexico under sponsorship from a foreign company (this could be a company you own). The company must cover all of your income and expenses while you are in Mexico.
Prominent Person
To apply for this visa the applicant must be a person with recognized national or international prestige or be some other prominent person, such as a scientist, researcher, humanist, artist, sportsman or journalist. Each case is considered individually and entry is at the Interior Ministry’s discretion.
Which Mexican Visa is Right for Me?
Here are some examples of situations and the type of visa you may consider applying for:
Temporary Visitor / Resident
When you do NOT want to seek permanent residence in Mexico
For vacations, casual trips, or short business trips to Mexico: Simply fill out and use the Visitor’s Visa permit, available from the airline you travel with, or at the port of entry*
Volunteer work in Mexico: If you plan to volunteer here in Mexico, call us for details about the visa required.
For temporary work placements in Mexico: If you plan to live and work in Mexico for a defined period, and intend to return to your home country afterwards, a Temporary Resident Visa, valid for up to 4 years, is your best option. If you end up staying longer you can apply to exchange the temporary visa for a permanent visa after 4 consecutive years of residency in Mexico.
For other activities: You should apply for a Temporary Resident Visa commensurate with your activity (e.g. Student, Journalist, Scientist, Professional, etc.)
Long Term Resident, Economically Active
When you want to acquire permanent residency AND you want to work in Mexico
You should apply for a Permanent Resident Visa commensurate with the economic activity you want to undertake. Some common examples of economic activities which qualify for this visa are: a company-sponsored job, or an invitation to carry out academic or scientific research. If you have ~100,000 US dollars to invest in a Mexico (or a Mexican company) you can apply for an investor’s visa under this category.
Long Term Resident, Not Economically Active
When you want to acquire permanent residency but DO NOT want to work in Mexico:
If you have a regular source of income from abroad (e.g. investments, savings, pension, etc.) then a Permanent Resident Visa will be the most straightforward route. By law, you need to prove that you have sufficient funds or investments to sustain yourself, and the income criteria has been tightened up under the new laws which came into effect in 2012.
If you want to live permanently but not work in Mexico, you will need apply for a Permanent Resident Visa and satisfy one or more of the requirements (family connections, minimum income/investments, or political asylum). As part of your application, you will need to state what you intend to do there, e.g. early retirement due to health, etc.
ECONOMIC SOLVENCY (2020)
If you want to apply for residency in Mexico under the rules of Economic solvency, you will need to demonstrate that you have sufficient means to support yourself. Under the present rules, economic solvency test included:
- Regular Income from foreign pensions/investments
- Savings in cash or cash-like investments
- Ownership of real state in Mexico
- Investment in Mexican companies/stock market
By way of an example, if you’re a retiree and intend to apply for temporary residency in Mexico, the law stipulates that you need to demonstrate an income per month over the past 12 months derived from foreign sources (e.g. pension, investments) of at least 300 days’ worth of minimum wage (approximately US$1,945*) or have a savings balance equivalent to at least 5,000 days’ worth of minimum wage (approximately US$32,450*) over the past 12 months.
If you intend to apply for permanent residency you will need to demonstrate an income per month over the past six months of at least 500 days’ worth of minimum wage (approximately US$3,250*) or have savings equivalent amounting to 20,000 days’ worth of minimum wage (approximately US$130,000*) over the past 12 months.
May I be granted Mexican Citizenship?
There is a specific process to apply for and acquire Mexican Citizenship (also known as ‘naturalization’). As a minimum you must have applied for, and been granted, permanent resident status, although exceptions to this rule may apply, depending upon a variety of circumstances: marriage to a Mexican national, for example, may enable naturalization with a shorter qualification period.
You will be asked to undertake an exam, which you must pass, in order to acquire naturalization/citizenship. The examination is of a “multiple choice” type, consists of about fifteen questions, and is not hard—although you will need a basic grasp of the Spanish language to pass it.