Moving to Mexico from the US, Canada or the UK

For retirees, remote workers paid from abroad and people with Mexican family. How temporary and permanent residence by economic solvency work, why the income figure depends on your consulate, and what happens after you arrive.

Most Americans, Canadians and Britons who move to Mexico use one route: residence by economic solvency. You show a Mexican consulate that you have enough income or savings, get a visa, and finish the process in Mexico. It suits retirees, people living on savings and remote workers paid from abroad. This guide explains how it works and why the figure you need depends on which consulate you use.

How it works: consulate first, then Mexico

Residence starts outside Mexico. The steps are the same for temporary and permanent residence.

1. Book an appointment at a Mexican consulate. Appointments are made through the Foreign Ministry’s booking site, one per person. You attend in person. Consulates in the UK and US ask non-citizens of that country for proof of legal residence there, so apply where you live.
2. Bring proof of solvency. You show either six months of income or twelve months of average account balances, depending on the option you choose. Statements must be originals. Washington and Vancouver do not accept plain online printouts unless the bank stamps them.
3. Pay the fee and wait. US consulates such as Washington and San Diego charge USD 56, which is not refunded if you are refused. London says a decision takes 2 to 10 working days after a complete application. Washington says the visa is usually ready the same day, but does not guarantee it.
4. Enter Mexico and visit the INM. Within 30 calendar days of entering, go to the National Migration Institute (INM) to get your resident card.

Why the income figure depends on your consulate

London states the thresholds as a number of days of the UMA (Unidad de Medida y Actualización), a daily reference value that INEGI updates each year. From 1 February 2026, one UMA day is MXN 117.31.

Other consulates publish fixed amounts in pesos, US dollars or Canadian dollars. They update at different times and convert at different rates. As a result, the same visa has different figures in different cities:

The peso amounts for London are our calculation from the UMA. Washington’s figures are higher than London’s. Income must be tax-free, meaning after tax. Check the page of the consulate you will use on the day you book. If it does not show a figure, ask the consulate.

The main ways in

Temporary residence by economic solvency. This fits retirees, people living on savings and remote workers paid from abroad. Meet either the income or the savings test above. If your income comes from a job, San Diego asks for an employer letter on company letterhead. It must confirm your salary and that you may live in Mexico and work remotely. Temporary residence lasts up to four years in total. A job with a Mexican employer needs a job offer and a separate work permit. Your spouse and children can join you. Vancouver asks for CAD 2,090 a month in income or average balance for each family member.

Permanent residence for retirees. This gives permanent status from the start, with no renewals. The thresholds are higher:

• Washington: you must be officially retired or 62 or older. Show a pension of MXN 139,400 a month, tax-free, for the last six months, or an average balance of MXN 5,576,000 over twelve months.
• London: show tax-free income from a stable job or pension above 1,140 UMA days a month for six months, or an average balance of 45,850 UMA days over twelve months. At the 2026 UMA, that is about MXN 133,733 a month or MXN 5,378,664, by our calculation.

From temporary to permanent. After four years as a temporary resident, you can switch to permanent residence. It suits people who do not meet the higher permanent thresholds at the start.

Through a Mexican parent or grandparent. Anyone born abroad to a Mexican mother or father is Mexican by birth under the Constitution. You register this; you do not apply for a visa. Children and grandchildren of a Mexican by birth can get permanent residence directly.

Mexico also has routes for people with a Mexican job offer, students and investors. See every route below for the full rules.

Money, tax and cost of living

Many people look at Mexico for its cost of living. Costs vary between cities, beach towns and smaller places. We do not quote averages we cannot source, so price housing and health insurance where you plan to live.

The thresholds are a test of your means, not a budget. Because many are set in pesos, the dollar or pound amount you need moves with the exchange rate.

Living in Mexico can make you a Mexican tax resident. Ask a tax adviser who knows both countries before you move. US citizens stay subject to US tax on worldwide income wherever they live. They must file a US return to claim the foreign earned income exclusion or foreign tax credits.

The path to citizenship

Naturalisation generally needs five years of residence in Mexico immediately before you apply. Two years is enough for direct descendants of a Mexican by birth, and for parents of a child who is Mexican by birth.

What catches people out

• You apply before you travel. The visa comes from a consulate outside Mexico. Book your appointment well ahead.
• The 30-day deadline. Miss your INM appointment window after entry and you put the process at risk.
• Statements must be originals. Bring bank-stamped statements in your own name. Several consulates reject online printouts.
• Figures change. The UMA is updated every year, and exchange rates move every day. A figure from last year’s blog post may be wrong.
• One appointment per person. Washington asks for a separate appointment for each applicant, including family members.
• Documents from other countries. Washington and San Diego ask for an apostille and an official Spanish translation for documents not issued by the US or Mexico.

This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Confirm the current requirements with the Mexican consulate you will use before you apply.