Moving to Mexico

Mexico temporary residency (financial solvency)

Visa de Residente Temporal por solvencia economica (Ley de Migracion Art. 52 VII)

Retirees, people living on savings and remote workers paid from abroad with about MXN 80,000 (roughly USD 4,000) a month after tax, or about MXN 1.34 million in savings; exact figures depend on the consulate.

What you need

• Tax-free monthly income from a job or pension of more than 680 days of UMA for the last 6 months (London consulate). Montreal shows the same level as CAD 6,460; San Diego shows USD 4,049. Washington instead asks for MXN 83,640 (300 days of the 2025 minimum wage of MXN 278.80) and New Brunswick (NJ) asks for USD 4,500. (MXN 79,770.8 a month)
• Or an average monthly balance in bank or investment accounts of 11,460 days of UMA over the last 12 months (London). Montreal: CAD 108,856. San Diego: USD 68,241. Washington: MXN 1,394,000 (5,000 days of the 2025 minimum wage). New Brunswick: USD 75,500. (MXN 1,344,372.6)
• Remote workers proving income from employment: San Diego asks for a signed employer letter on letterhead confirming salary, tenure and explicit agreement that the applicant lives in Mexico and works remotely.
• Valid passport, visa application form, passport photo, original bank statements stamped by the bank (online printouts not accepted at Washington and New Brunswick). Non-US/Mexican documents need apostille and Spanish translation.
• UMA 2026 values: MXN 117.31 a day, in force 1 Feb 2026 to 31 Jan 2027 (INEGI). (MXN 117.31)

Not for

• People who want to work for a Mexican employer (needs a separate work permit through an employer)
• Anyone who cannot show 6 months of income or 12 months of balances in their own name

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Apply in person at a Mexican consulate outside Mexico (usually in your country of residence), then enter Mexico within 180 days and swap the visa for a resident card at the National Migration Institute (INM) within 30 days. Thresholds differ by consulate.

How long it takes

Consulates state 1 to 10 working days for the visa (San Diego, London); Washington says often same day. INM card time not officially stated.

First permit

Visa valid up to 180 days for one entry; first resident card 1 year (Ley de Migracion allows temporary residence up to 4 years in total).

Renewal

Renew at INM in Mexico for 1 to 3 more years, up to 4 years of temporary residence.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 4 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.

Family

Spouse and minor children can apply as dependants; Montreal shows family-unit dependants of a temporary resident need about 220 days of UMA (MXN 25,808) a month or the main applicant's support. Check with the consulate.

Your passport

Same route for all three. The figure you must show depends on the consulate: UK applicants in London use UMA days; Canadians in Montreal see CAD; US consulates vary (Washington lowest, New Brunswick highest).

Mexico permanent residency for retirees

Visa de Residente Permanente por jubilacion o pension / por solvencia economica (Ley de Migracion Art. 54 III)

Retirees with a pension of about MXN 134,000 (roughly USD 6,800) a month or about MXN 5.4 million in savings who want permanent status from day one.

What you need

• Tax-free monthly pension or income of more than 1,140 days of UMA for the last 6 months (London). San Diego: USD 6,788. Washington: MXN 139,400 (500 days of the 2025 minimum wage). New Brunswick: USD 7,500. (MXN 133,733.4 a month)
• Or an average monthly balance of 45,850 days of UMA over the last 12 months (London). San Diego: USD 273,025. Washington: MXN 5,576,000 (20,000 days of 2025 minimum wage). New Brunswick: USD 301,500. (MXN 5,378,663.5)
• US consulates (Washington, New Brunswick) require official retirement or age 62+. The London page does not state an age limit and also accepts employment income.
• Passport, application form, photo, pension letter (e.g. SSA letter) and 6 months of bank statements showing the deposits.

Not for

• People below the income or savings thresholds (consider temporary residence first)
• Anyone under 62 who is not officially retired, when applying at a US consulate

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Apply at a Mexican consulate, then swap the visa for a permanent resident card at INM within 30 days of entry.

How long it takes

1 to 10 working days at the consulate (San Diego, London).

First permit

Permanent resident card with no expiry.

Renewal

No renewal needed.

Longer term

0Citizenship after about 5 years.

Family

Spouse and minor children can be included as economic dependants (New Brunswick lists marriage and birth certificates).

Your passport

US consulates require age 62+ or official retirement; the London consulate page does not. Figures vary by consulate.

Mexico work visa

Visa de Residente Temporal por oferta de empleo (permiso para trabajar)

People hired by a Mexican employer that is registered with INM and files the work-permit request in Mexico.

What you need

• The Mexican company or institution must request the work permit at INM in Mexico; the consulate issues the visa after INM authorises it.
• Passport, application form, photo and the INM authorisation number (NUT); consular fee.

Not for

• Remote workers paid from abroad (use the solvency route)
• Self-employed people without a Mexican employer

Where you apply

From home or inside the country. Employer files at INM in Mexico; the worker then attends a consulate abroad for the visa and swaps it for a card at INM.

How long it takes

Not officially stated.

First permit

Temporary resident card of 1 to 4 years.

Renewal

Renewable at INM up to 4 years in total.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 4 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.

Family

Family members can apply for family-unity residence.

Mexican citizenship or residency through a Mexican parent or grandparent

Nacionalidad mexicana por nacimiento (Constitucion Art. 30 A II) / Residencia permanente por vinculo familiar (Ley de Migracion Art. 54 VII)

Americans, Canadians and Britons with a Mexican parent (citizenship by birth) or a Mexican-born grandparent (permanent residence, then fast naturalisation).

What you need

• Anyone born abroad to a Mexican father or mother is Mexican by birth (Constitution Art. 30 A II, reformed 17 May 2021); this is registered, not applied for as a visa.
• Ascendants or descendants up to the second degree (parents, children, grandchildren) of a Mexican by birth qualify for permanent residence (Ley de Migracion Art. 54 VII).
• Direct descendants of a Mexican by birth can naturalise after 2 years of residence instead of 5; second-degree descendants without another nationality are exempt from the residence period (Ley de Nacionalidad Art. 20 I a).

Not for

• People whose Mexican link is three or more generations back with no Mexican parent

Where you apply

From home or inside the country. Nationality registration through a Mexican consulate or civil registry; permanent residence through a consulate or INM.

How long it takes

Not officially stated.

First permit

Citizenship: permanent. Family residence: permanent card.

Renewal

Not applicable.

Longer term

0Citizenship after about 2 years.

Family

Spouse and children can follow on family-unity grounds.

Mexico residency through investment or property

Visa de Residente Temporal: inversionista o propietario de bienes inmuebles

People investing more than about MXN 5.4 million in a Mexican company, or owning Mexican property worth more than about MXN 10.8 million (Montreal consulate figures).

What you need

• Investment in Mexico exceeding MXN 5,378,664 (about CAD 435,520). This equals 45,850 days of 2026 UMA, but the consulate does not state the peg. (MXN 5,378,664)
• Or ownership of real estate in Mexico worth more than MXN 10,758,500 (about CAD 871,439). (MXN 10,758,500)

Not for

• Most buyers of ordinary homes (threshold is high)

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Mexican consulate abroad, then INM card in Mexico.

How long it takes

Not stated.

First permit

Temporary resident card, 1 year first.

Renewal

Up to 4 years of temporary residence.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 4 years. Citizenship after about 5 years.

Family

Not stated on the page read.

Only one consulate page states these figures, and it has no date. Documents and how the investment must be proven were not read.

Mexico student visa

Visa de Residente Temporal Estudiante (mas de 180 dias)

People accepted onto a course longer than 180 days at a Mexican institution who can show about USD 1,310 a month or USD 13,636 in savings (San Diego figures).

What you need

• Acceptance letter from an institution in Mexico's national education system, with course, dates and tuition cost.
• Employment, pension or scholarship income of USD 1,310 a month for the last 3 months (San Diego). This appears to equal about 220 days of UMA, but the consulate does not state the peg. (USD 1,310 a month)
• Or an average monthly balance of USD 13,636 over the last 3 months. Parents can show solvency for students up to 25; a scholarship or loan letter also works. (USD 13,636)

Not for

• Courses of 180 days or less (visitor status)
• People who want to work (study status does not include work rights)

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Mexican consulate abroad, then INM card in Mexico.

How long it takes

1 to 10 working days at the consulate (San Diego).

First permit

Temporary resident student card for the length of studies.

Renewal

Renewable while studying.

Family

Not covered on the page read.