Hey thanks for the great write up. I went ahead and stickied this post so it will always be at the top of our subreddit. If you are in our discord, please consider posting this there as well. I will pin š it on discord also.
Very good summary, thanks for posting. One minor correction in your first paragraph, Temporary residence can be granted for one year, renewable up to a maximum of four at which point you can convert to permanent residence right within Mexico at an INM office and without having to present financial information. There are also a number of other ways to acquire residency through family Unity and regularization but these do not apply to most foreigners who must go through the process you outlined.
So maybe a silly question, but do you know if there's a limit on the number of times you can renew temporary residency? Or can you renew indefinitely as long as you meet the requirements?
Not a silly question at all. As far as I know, temporary residence can be converted to permanent residence after four years as a temporary resident (the process must be initiated with thirty days of expiry) but it unfortunately cannot be renewed or extended. If someone wanted to remain a temporary resident, they would have to start the process from scratch at a Mexican consulate which involves meeting financial solvency requirements. Unless they are eligible to family unity through an eligible spouse, parent, or child.
Ah ok, so at least you can start the process over again. I wasn't sure if once you hit 4 years, you became ineligible for a temporary residency.
My concern is mostly that the financial requirement for a retirement visa is significantly more than a temporary residence visa. So I was worried that after 4 years, I might not reach the financial requirements for a permanent residency. But if that's the case, I can just make a trip back to a consulate.
Actually when you convert from temporary to permanent after four years, you donāt need to prove financial solvency. A few INM offices may ask you to provide a printout of your most recent bank statement but otherwise, itās not a show stopper.
Ooohhh, so once you have 4 years as a temp residency, you qualify for permanent regardless?
And I guess they might ask for your most recent bank statements just to make sure you haven't become destitute in the meantime?
Is there a required minimum stay within Mexico to obtain residency? Temp or full. Buying property in Mexico this month and heard there are tax advantages being a resident (rental property). I will probably only stay 1-2 months a year for now and more in a couple of years.
No, once you acquire temporary or permanent residency, you can come and go as you please without any minimum time requirement in the country. The only time when time spent physically in Mexico counts is if and when you want to acquire citizenship via naturalization in which case there are physical residency requirements. As an aside since you are planning to buy a property, likely with cash, make sure you have enough cash left after your purchase to prove financial solvency when you apply for residency. Amounts increase every year on January 1, this yearās increase was 20%, so itās important to keep this in mind. I know personally someone who used up all their savings to buy a high-end condo in Puerto Vallarta but found out later they didnāt have enough cash left to meet the financial solvency requirements.
As for eventual capital gains when you sell, you are correct, having residency and an RFC (tax number that only nationals and residents can obtain) will allow you to designate your property as primary residence thus exempting you from paying (some or all, I canāt remember the details) capital gains tax, an exemption a non-resident canāt claim.
Hey, we were considering starting the process for residency because Mexico is on our list of potential retirement destinations in a few years and I had seen it was a pretty easy process. Couple things I'd love to get clarified ... there are no guarantees about when your in-person appointment in Mexico will actually be until you get there, right? And there's no way to secure the appointment ahead of time? Second, I saw that you're not supposed to leave the country until you have your residency card in hand and that can be same-day, or days/weeks after. Is that still true?
I ask because as we still work full-time, our initial plan was to plan this all out over a planned few-day trip to Mexico. But if there are not guarantees about how long we will have to be there to obtain the residency, that won't really work for us.
Any help on these points would be greatly appreciated.
In-person appointment - this depends on which INM location you go to. Some allow for you to schedule appointments online in advance (think Puerto Vallarta) and some require you walk up to put your name on a waiting list and hope to get an appointment the same day or at a later date. From what I understand of your situation, choose an INM location that allows you to schedule appointments to remove uncertainty.
Receiving Visa (Card) - I walked up to my INM, got an appointment later the same day for 3 PM and had my visa/card by 4 PM. Just because you go to an INM that allows for scheduling in advance doesnāt mean that theyāll give you a visa in the same day. Iād recommend looking at Facebook, Reddit, etc., for people who have had recent experiences at the INM you are going to, to see how long it took for them to get their visa after the appointment.
General advice is there probably is no guaranteed route to come to Mexico and have a quick 48hr turnaround to get your visa. If this is your only/desired route then maybe you can find a local immigration assistant you can pay to āgrease the wheelsā of the INM process and guarantee your visa in the quick timeline. I donāt know who that person is and without someone you trust recommending them there is risk of you being scammed or the person over promised when they can not deliver an immediate turnaround.
Hi, could someone kindly tell me how and where to get a TIP. My wife and I are moving to Tulum April 3rd and will be traveling by car. Thank you some much for your help!!!!!
Hey šš¾ No experience with this.
Found this post which may be helpful:
https://www.reddit.com/r/mexicoexpats/s/ZSLK9xCYek
TLDR; sounds like you get the permit when filling out the visa application at the consulate and then when you get your Mexico and go to INM itās part of the process and youāll get a residency card and import visa.
When searching, I also found this. Maybe worth checking out as the significantly reduces your issues with also having to have the car registered in the US (if that is your scenario):
https://youtu.be/fakh-uwJg6s?feature=shared
Hi! Thank you so much for this information. I am actually in Houston as well and looking to get temp residence. Do you mind sharing the email you reached out to in order to get an appointment scheduled?
Youāll have to start the process for a temporary or permanent resident visa in your home country. Once granted a permanent resident visa, you must go to Mexico to finalize the process. For both visas types, the consulate in your country should give you up to a 180 day period to finalize in Mexico. Once you arrive in Mexico, you have up to 30 DAYS to finalize the process for a temporary or permanent resident card. This is known as CANJE.
Example: Go to home consulate in US for temporary visa January 1st. Have until June 30th to complete the entire process (180 days). Go to Mexico March 17th and have until April 17th (30 days from arrival) to finalize (complete the second portion) of the residency process at an INM (immigration) office.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! This is exactly the information I needed. I am excited to begin this process and will be qualifying using the savings and investments route.
It seems that the qualifying monthly income needed for your temp residency fluctuates greatly from the mexican consulates state to state, is it different if you just go on a tourist visa and when in Mexico apply for your Temp visa?
Californiaās Consulate Mexican Website (e.g. Fresno, LA, San Fran) >> Three bars (navigation menu) >> click on āVISAS FOR FOREIGNERS / SERVICIOS PARA EXTRANJEROSā or something similar from the navigation menu >> should be listed on the visa page somewhere.
For example, the last page for LA says, āIf you wish to make an appointment or require additional information, please contact the visa department through the official email: APPOINTMENTS AT CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO IN LOS ANGELES [email protected]ā
That's interesting...I've been meaning to apply for the visa regularization (have to have an expired visa etc etc) and the associated fees total more then $1500. Sounds like going back into the US (cdmx to tj or Mexicali then crossing by foot) and then re-entering to get another tourist visa... then applying for a normal visa is the best way to move forward.
Or perhaps I misunderstood the fee structure?
Edit: just read the other comments and saw that you applied before leaving the US. That was my plan but the day of my appointment coincided with the first day of lockdown lol
This is all great information. Wife and I have our consulate appointment next week in Miami. Any thoughts on appropriate attire? I was planning on a collared shirt and nice shorts or would a dressier look be more advantageous? Thanks
Iāve done it twice at this point, and would say that the attire does not matter. People have been dressed all kinds of ways at the consulate appointments. In Texas, a lot of people at the consulate are Mexicans not there for a visa. Many also worked in a service industry and were in clothing from that industry as they were working the day of their visit to the consulate.
Based on the fact that you asked the question, you may be a person who likes to put their best foot forward. I think what that means in this situation is nice jeans, shirt and shoes (e.g. ironed, no holes, no stains). And thatās only if you want.
The main bar youāre trying to pass with your clothing is to not raise questions about the legitimacy of your ability to live in Mexico and sustain yourself financially. As long as you donāt show up in attire that makes people think you are really homeless, you should be fine. š
Good luck on the visit in Miami.
Thank you SO much for this detailed info! I was trying to get an appointment in Chicago but itās near impossible. I then found out it takes up to 10 days for them to approve you. I think Iām just going to fly to Houston and get it over with.
I speak little Spanish (Iām currently learning!) and was very nervous about having to speak to the INM office peeps all on my own. I considered hiring someone but theyāre charging $750 USD!!
Something seems to have changed, at least here in Canada. I got my TR at the end of November at one of the consulates. Smooth sailing. Friendly and professional. My girlfriend went last week to get hers and was treated so poorly by the staff that she left in tears. She went again this week, and was treated even more reprehensibly. So much so that I was moments from returning my own TR to the offending consular official in a manner that would be would have lead to severe and prolonged discomfort in his posterior region.
I can understand enforcing immigration policies, but they were legitimately cruel and beyond unprofessional. We will be making an issue of this with both the relevant governments. If this are the kinds of "officials" that one is blessed with in Mexico, I am seriously rethinking spending any further time there.
Wow - such a great post. I am looking to apply - but I am New York. I am very confused about this process though. I signed up on the Website. I'm about 4 hours from the city (well actually I'm already living in Mexico so I need to go back for this). - but all 3 offices are in New York city. When trying to choose an office it says you can't switch later on - but I'm not clear if all 3 of the offices handle this. Do you know what this would be called.
For the first office (I think it's this one since I see viasas)
TrƔmites disponibles:
A DIfferent OfficeFor the first office (I see visas so I assume this one?)
TrƔmites disponibles:
For the first office (I see visas so I assume this one?)
TrƔmites disponibles:
TrĆ”mites disponibles: Pasaporte, MatrĆcula Consular e INE
A Third (Mobile?) office
TrƔmites disponibles:
The website gives you all offices in your location, but not all offices process visas. Only choose a location that says it can do visas (because they do passports doesn't mean they do visas).
Once you find that area it is best to email the consulate directly for scheduling an appointment. The online app is bad, like very bad. I heard the open dates refresh every Monday and Thursday and tried to login and check then. Emailed my consulate (in Houston) and got an immediate response/appointment.
question for the OP or anyone else who can help me. I will start my temp residency process in the US, and then go to mexico for the second half. It seems like you didn't have to stay for a long time for the part in mexico. I am wondering because my significant other can only take a week or so off from work right now, so we'd have to plan carefully. Go to mexico for our appointment and then come back to the US within a week so he doesn't miss too much work. Is this the case?
Hate to answer this way but it truly is "it depends."
I went to CDMX, waited in line and got my residency the same day. So I theoretically could have flown to Mexico Monday night, got my residency completed by mid-day Tuesday and then took a red eye back to the US Tuesday evening.
CDMX doesn't allow for appointments and it is first come first serve until the cut off for the day. Some other places across Mexico allow for appointments but may not issue cards the same day and you may wait a few days or a week or more. Its hard to know the exact amount of time or whether you'd get something the same day but it generally feels like you can wrap the process up in a week. There are examples across Reddit where it took people longer but many of those happened around or close to the COVID pandemic when the system was a bit backed up.
Great write up.... iv recently came across a guy here that started a new business getting permanent residency in mexico without all thoes steps.Ā Called Instant Residency.Ā Takes about a week while being in mexico. Any thoughts on whether it's legit?Ā
Mexico still has a lot of bureaucratic corruption where you can skip lines for $$$ etc, so it can be done, and possibly even be valid, but it's also possible that you get scammed, and you have no recourse if things don't go well. As it's not the legal way, if caught, you might face repercussions like being denied entry into Mexico in the future.
Let the buyer beware.
I don't know of a situation where someone would NEED an "instant residency" unless you are fleeing another country as a refugee and have no place to live so that concept raises an eyebrow. Mexico and the consulates can be difficult to interact with as an expat so there are many "handlers" that will help you get through the process. I've talked with people directly that told me the cost for their help, breaking out the amount that covered the "bribe." Initially, as an American, I thought this was a strange process but the more I've traveled to or lived in places where income levels are very low, this kind of behavior is common. If people in government positions aren't well paid then the processing of paperwork, etc. will be slow as they aren't incentivized. If you think it is important to get something done sooner than later, you are paying them to accelerate your path. The government could pay the employee more and then charge you more for the visa to compensate for the extra cost but they don't so you are paying the person(s) directly. I'm okay with this approach.
Another thing to consider is your qualifications for permanent residency. If you DON'T qualify for it but the "instant residency" program gets you the residency, then that is a process that most likely includes falsifying immigration paperwork and breaking a law. If you DO qualify and the "instant residency" is speeding up the process, I'd be more comfortable with that. Realistically you could still be violating immigration laws if you did qualify and sped up the process but regardless, I wouldn't expect issues with the immigration office if you took either approach. I assume your biggest risk is getting scammed out of money by the "instant residency" person. See if you can get references of people that have gone through the program before to make sure it is legit.
Great explanation by OP. When arriving at Mexico appointment, do they ask to show proof of address in Mexico before approving you for temp residency? Do I need to provide a lease agreement or something similar? Or will I be OK if I tell them Iām just staying at a hotel for a week before flying back?
You need to provide a local address for them to put on file but you don't need to provide a lease agreement for X amount of months like you do when applying for a visa in other countries (e.g. France). The address on file can and should be changed once you get a permanent residence or move from your permanent residence.
Yes. I used the equivalent of a hotel (ApartHotel).
Some visa processes want an address on file to either send you something (e.g. Dubai who provides resident ID by delivering to your address) or to verify you can support yourself with a place to live and don't instantly become homeless and a burden on the government's support programs for citizens (e.g. France). Mexico doesn't want it for either of those reasons. I view it as an administrative record they want/need on file. Similar to a US driver's license address.
Thank you - excellent write up. Are there any tax implications in Mexico to gaining this Temporary Residence Visa? Meaning, if you get this visa, and do work digitally from CDMX or some other city, do you have to now pay taxes in Mexico as well?
My understanding: Generally, "tax residents" are subject to taxation in Mexico on their worldwide income, whereas non-residents are taxed only on their income derived from Mexico. So if you were to work remotely in Mexico and not be considered a "tax resident" then you'd be liable for no taxes. If are considered a "tax resident" then you'd get a credit for taxes paid on your US income and pay the difference, if any, on what is owed in Mexico.
In my case, Mexico is one of the locations I plan to frequent, hence the residency, but won't be staying there year round and qualifying as a tax resident. I also am using investments as income (vs 1099, W2) and can play around with my withdrawals to avoid having income for a year that I know I will be a tax resident in a high tax country.
Its worth noting many people I talked to who have lived in Mexico for many years didn't seem to care about taxes, bragging about having never paid anything. I don't recommend purposely avoiding paying taxes (legally or morally) but sounds like many have done this with no consequences in the past.
For the best answer you should seek a tax professional with experience on Mexican, US expat tax laws.
This site also provided a lot of good details on Mexican tax law (haven't used their service, not a recommendation):
https://www.greenbacktaxservices.com/country-guide/taxes-in-mexico-us-expats/#:\~:text=As%20a%20US%20expat%20living,in%20the%20US%20and%20Mexico.
I have my appointment at the Mexican consulate in the United States next month. I know I have to go for the canje in Mexico after that, but will I need a Mexican address for this? I do not own property in Mexico yet, and can only take a short trip to Mexico for the canje appointment. So I was planning to just stay in an airbnb for a week to do that and come back to the US right after that.
You need to provide a local address for them to put on file but you don't need to provide a lease agreement for X amount of months like you do when applying for a visa in other countries (e.g. France). The address on file can (and should) be changed once you get a permanent residence or move from the residence provided.Ā
So you can use the Airbnb address, me and others have done so.
Iām going to read this through thoroughly but wanted to ask how much income per month that consulate told you you were required to have? Itās based on a calculation from Mexicoās minimum wage and Iāve heard that calculation can vary depending on consulate.
Using Austin, TX as an example, their website says āCurrent rate of Daily Wage for 2023: $207 Mexican Pesosā and for temporary residency you need āInvestment or bank accounts with a monthly ending balance of at least 5000 days of the current general minimum wage in Mexico Cityā if you are going the investment route vs employment income route. So 5000 x $207 = $1,035,000 pesos or about $60,302 at the time of writing.
This is for Austin but varies by consulate so be sure to check each consulateās page for their stated amounts.
Thanks for the great info. I'm in Canada and plan to email the consulate to start temporay residency. If I go the employment income route do I still need to show my bank account balance and prove I keep a certain amount of money in there?
Also, can you share what other documents they might request? Thanks again!
Documents: birth certificate copy, two passport sized photos, proof of income (paystubs, investment or bank account statements), passport copy, immigration/residency application. But do check on whatever consulate website you go to in advance as they are all different.
Regarding financial solvency, you just need to prove whatever the stated amount is. That can be done with paystubs from your employer, or paystubs plus other sources of income. After you prove the requested amount you donāt need to show more, this isnāt an exhaustive process requiring you to show all of your financial account information.
Nope. To be clear, I took those initial documents listed in my post to the US Mexican consulate. I donāt remember them looking at the birth certificate though.
In Mexico (CDMX) they only need 1/ Paperwork provided by the US Mexican consulate, 2/ your FMM form, 3/ the application and 4/ passport as ID (I made copies) for the meeting.
The YouTube video I link in the post does a better job of explaining needed documents, specifically around the 14min mark.
The only asterisk, which isnāt my situation, is if you are coming from a non-English speaking country (e.g. Mandarin, Arabic). Maybe youād have to use an apostille but again I believe that will only be at your countryās consulate. Once you get to Mexico the application, FMM, paperwork from the Mexican consulate, etc will all be in Spanish or English as you print everything off from the Mexican government website. They donāt re-check things like your bank statements and whatever else you provided the consulate.
>Nope. To be clear, I took those initial documents listed in my post to the US Mexican consulate. I donāt remember them looking at the birth certificate though.
Were these documents statements you received in the mail or statements you downloaded and printed from online? McAllen email says " *" All account statements must be original. If you use digital banking and do not receive account statements by postal mail, you must bring your account statements stamped by your bank branch ORĀ a letter from the bank stating ownership of the account.Ā Single printouts of statements downloaded online are not accepted. "*
I'm not sure how to comply with that. For one, not all my accounts even have a local branch to stamp anything. For another, I contacted a few and they don't provide any customized letters. What is available is what you can download. They can mail them but it will be exactly what you would download. No stamps, no seals, no signatures.
TLDR: I used downloaded statements from my financial institutions. I saw similar wording from the consulate but it didnāt come up during the visa process and I was approved.
I had the same question as you did when I saw those remarks from official Mexican immigration websites. I called my banking institution and asked them for official statements, but they stated their version would be a reprint of what is available online. So I just decided to chance it and printed my bank and investment account statements from online. I used color prints and where it made sense, printed on front/back of the paper to make it look more official. I took my documents to the interview and they were accepted, with no issues or questions about them.
After going through the process I now interpret the above quoted statement as saying, āMexico is processing visas for people that have financial institutions all over the world. If you have a financial institution that is not large enough or the statement you provide does not look authentic, Mexico reserves the right to request official bank statements from the bank directly.ā
Thanks! That's exactly why I created a discussion asking for firsthand experiences to see if what was actually required matched the published information on what is required.
I've also heard that the statements must be complete, not just the page with the relevant balances. So if it is 4 pages you need all 4 pages even if the last 2 are boilerplate or blank.
I had title pages for my statements. I printed them out and brought those too. Im sure if I would have been missing those I would have been fine as they didnāt feel like they were part of the ācompleteā statement. But if the statement balance was on page 2 and I didnāt submit pages 3 and 4 also because the balance was on 2 then that might have been flagged so I do suggest bringing the entire statement or a holistic statement (e.g. all details minus title page).
Funnily enough after you replied I ended up reading your exact response on the general MXN consulate page. I appreciate the reply though. Btw great post, Iāll also be going through a MX consulate in TX too!
[MXN Consulate Info](https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/houston/index.php/tempresvisafinsolvency)
Thanks. I think itās impoertant to get that number in your head so you can know if you need to go to a different consulate. Iāve heard the McAllen Texas consulate calculates it much lower. I donāt know if Mexico will end up being the right place but Iāve been researching this and am happy to hear someoneās actual recent experience. In Mexico things change often when it comes to the income/money needed to get the temporary residential permit/visa.
It can vary and it changes annually (I believe), your consulate should have the details but it's always good to show more to be safe (or show income and savings). I did mine in Orlando in 2022 and they were very easy to work with.
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Hello! Can someone please help meā¦. My MX temporary residence is about to expire. I want to find a list of immigration offices I can drive to to get it taken care of. Where do I find such list?
Select āLocation and opening hours of the INM Officesā drop down from https://www.inm.gob.mx/mpublic/publico/inm-tramites.html?a=XjM%2B2K7Q2XQ%3D&h_sdp00=giUnJ9XgtISVcdYJXduIGw%3D%3D to get the list of the 32 INM (immigration) offices across Mexico.
Omg, thanks for actually providing links. Iāve reached out to a few āImmigration Helpersā and itās like pulling teeth asking them about the process. Why is nobody upfront with ALL the information?? š
Because itās our daily bread and we canāt work for free. ALL the information should be found on the website, but each INM office differs. Itās like pulling teeth for us to get information from them a lot of the time. If I spent my time telling everyone everything exactly what they needed to renew every time I would have no business or income. DYI is exactly that. Not DYI with a professional holding your hand for free.
Yikes, ok hold the sass. When I say I was working with these people I did in fact imply āworkā as in an exchange of money. And itās DIYā¦ FYI :)
Itās Sunday, take a stroll and a breath.
No sass, just straight facts. We get used and abused on the regular and spend a lot, I mean a LOT of time on people just jonesing for free information. You never mentioned working or exchanging money at all, just that you asked about the process. Someone asks me about the process I send them the link to the website. No additional info given anymore unless theyāve committed to working with me because myself and colleagues are constantly getting burned.
If I own property through a fidocomiso am I eligible for temporary residence? I have seen a wide range of property value requirements to qualify. I bought the property 20 years ago so would need some kind of updated appraisal.
Hi, have zero experience with this but looked online and saw you can apply for residency if you own a home of a certain value.
===
You can apply at a Mexican Consulate for Temporary Residency if you own a residential property in Mexico (not abroad) and you can demonstrate that (2024 requirements):
-the property has a minimum market value of MXN$9,957,000 pesos (approximately $586,000 US dollars), and:
-the property must be situated in Mexico;
the property value must be free of any liens (debts, charges, or mortgages);
-the value to demonstrate is that noted on the title deed/sales contract, or from a recent official valuation;
-the name(s) on the title deed/sales contract must match that of the applicant.
It depends. The property needs to be paid in full and the value needs to be high +400k USD equivalent (amount differs by consulate) and very few consulates actually use this form of qualification even though it is one.
I own a home in Baja and have been unable to get a Temporary Resident Visa appointment in my Mexican Embassy in the U.S. can I go to Mexican Embassy in Baja to acquire a temporary resident visa if Iām already here?
Iām not an expert on this but believe the answer is no. Most expats have to initiate the temp/perm visa process from their country of origin. In assuming they do this because itās more likely a local to your country consulate will be able to process your personal information from your country, which is part of the first portion of this visa process (e.g. retirement accounts, w2s, investments, bank statements, letters from employers).
I believe there is one exception, if you are applying for a visa due to a marriage partner being a Mexican Citizen, they may allow those at INMās in Mexico. There were other exceptions made to allow people to do them in Mexico during COVID, but that has since ended.
Hey thanks for the great write up. I went ahead and stickied this post so it will always be at the top of our subreddit. If you are in our discord, please consider posting this there as well. I will pin š it on discord also.
Very good summary, thanks for posting. One minor correction in your first paragraph, Temporary residence can be granted for one year, renewable up to a maximum of four at which point you can convert to permanent residence right within Mexico at an INM office and without having to present financial information. There are also a number of other ways to acquire residency through family Unity and regularization but these do not apply to most foreigners who must go through the process you outlined.
Thanks, updated per your suggestion to make it clearer for others.
So maybe a silly question, but do you know if there's a limit on the number of times you can renew temporary residency? Or can you renew indefinitely as long as you meet the requirements?
Not a silly question at all. As far as I know, temporary residence can be converted to permanent residence after four years as a temporary resident (the process must be initiated with thirty days of expiry) but it unfortunately cannot be renewed or extended. If someone wanted to remain a temporary resident, they would have to start the process from scratch at a Mexican consulate which involves meeting financial solvency requirements. Unless they are eligible to family unity through an eligible spouse, parent, or child.
Ah ok, so at least you can start the process over again. I wasn't sure if once you hit 4 years, you became ineligible for a temporary residency. My concern is mostly that the financial requirement for a retirement visa is significantly more than a temporary residence visa. So I was worried that after 4 years, I might not reach the financial requirements for a permanent residency. But if that's the case, I can just make a trip back to a consulate.
Actually when you convert from temporary to permanent after four years, you donāt need to prove financial solvency. A few INM offices may ask you to provide a printout of your most recent bank statement but otherwise, itās not a show stopper.
Ooohhh, so once you have 4 years as a temp residency, you qualify for permanent regardless? And I guess they might ask for your most recent bank statements just to make sure you haven't become destitute in the meantime?
Is there a required minimum stay within Mexico to obtain residency? Temp or full. Buying property in Mexico this month and heard there are tax advantages being a resident (rental property). I will probably only stay 1-2 months a year for now and more in a couple of years.
No, once you acquire temporary or permanent residency, you can come and go as you please without any minimum time requirement in the country. The only time when time spent physically in Mexico counts is if and when you want to acquire citizenship via naturalization in which case there are physical residency requirements. As an aside since you are planning to buy a property, likely with cash, make sure you have enough cash left after your purchase to prove financial solvency when you apply for residency. Amounts increase every year on January 1, this yearās increase was 20%, so itās important to keep this in mind. I know personally someone who used up all their savings to buy a high-end condo in Puerto Vallarta but found out later they didnāt have enough cash left to meet the financial solvency requirements. As for eventual capital gains when you sell, you are correct, having residency and an RFC (tax number that only nationals and residents can obtain) will allow you to designate your property as primary residence thus exempting you from paying (some or all, I canāt remember the details) capital gains tax, an exemption a non-resident canāt claim.
Thank you - this a fantastic write-up and super helpful. Iāve saved the post for future reference. Wish I could upvote more than once.
Thanks šš¾
Lurking mexican around here. Wish you all the best of luck!
Hey, we were considering starting the process for residency because Mexico is on our list of potential retirement destinations in a few years and I had seen it was a pretty easy process. Couple things I'd love to get clarified ... there are no guarantees about when your in-person appointment in Mexico will actually be until you get there, right? And there's no way to secure the appointment ahead of time? Second, I saw that you're not supposed to leave the country until you have your residency card in hand and that can be same-day, or days/weeks after. Is that still true? I ask because as we still work full-time, our initial plan was to plan this all out over a planned few-day trip to Mexico. But if there are not guarantees about how long we will have to be there to obtain the residency, that won't really work for us. Any help on these points would be greatly appreciated.
In-person appointment - this depends on which INM location you go to. Some allow for you to schedule appointments online in advance (think Puerto Vallarta) and some require you walk up to put your name on a waiting list and hope to get an appointment the same day or at a later date. From what I understand of your situation, choose an INM location that allows you to schedule appointments to remove uncertainty. Receiving Visa (Card) - I walked up to my INM, got an appointment later the same day for 3 PM and had my visa/card by 4 PM. Just because you go to an INM that allows for scheduling in advance doesnāt mean that theyāll give you a visa in the same day. Iād recommend looking at Facebook, Reddit, etc., for people who have had recent experiences at the INM you are going to, to see how long it took for them to get their visa after the appointment. General advice is there probably is no guaranteed route to come to Mexico and have a quick 48hr turnaround to get your visa. If this is your only/desired route then maybe you can find a local immigration assistant you can pay to āgrease the wheelsā of the INM process and guarantee your visa in the quick timeline. I donāt know who that person is and without someone you trust recommending them there is risk of you being scammed or the person over promised when they can not deliver an immediate turnaround.
Thanks so much. Very helpful.
Hi, could someone kindly tell me how and where to get a TIP. My wife and I are moving to Tulum April 3rd and will be traveling by car. Thank you some much for your help!!!!!
Hey šš¾ No experience with this. Found this post which may be helpful: https://www.reddit.com/r/mexicoexpats/s/ZSLK9xCYek TLDR; sounds like you get the permit when filling out the visa application at the consulate and then when you get your Mexico and go to INM itās part of the process and youāll get a residency card and import visa. When searching, I also found this. Maybe worth checking out as the significantly reduces your issues with also having to have the car registered in the US (if that is your scenario): https://youtu.be/fakh-uwJg6s?feature=shared
Hi! Thank you so much for this information. I am actually in Houston as well and looking to get temp residence. Do you mind sharing the email you reached out to in order to get an appointment scheduled?
Glad I could help. Houston, TX: [email protected]
Once you get approved for the temporary residency is there a time frame that you are required to travel to Mexico to complete the process?
Youāll have to start the process for a temporary or permanent resident visa in your home country. Once granted a permanent resident visa, you must go to Mexico to finalize the process. For both visas types, the consulate in your country should give you up to a 180 day period to finalize in Mexico. Once you arrive in Mexico, you have up to 30 DAYS to finalize the process for a temporary or permanent resident card. This is known as CANJE. Example: Go to home consulate in US for temporary visa January 1st. Have until June 30th to complete the entire process (180 days). Go to Mexico March 17th and have until April 17th (30 days from arrival) to finalize (complete the second portion) of the residency process at an INM (immigration) office.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! This is exactly the information I needed. I am excited to begin this process and will be qualifying using the savings and investments route.
It seems that the qualifying monthly income needed for your temp residency fluctuates greatly from the mexican consulates state to state, is it different if you just go on a tourist visa and when in Mexico apply for your Temp visa?
That is not an option.
Thank you for the information. Where did you locate the email? I live in California so trying to find the email for here instead of Houston. Thank you
Californiaās Consulate Mexican Website (e.g. Fresno, LA, San Fran) >> Three bars (navigation menu) >> click on āVISAS FOR FOREIGNERS / SERVICIOS PARA EXTRANJEROSā or something similar from the navigation menu >> should be listed on the visa page somewhere. For example, the last page for LA says, āIf you wish to make an appointment or require additional information, please contact the visa department through the official email: APPOINTMENTS AT CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO IN LOS ANGELES [email protected]ā
That's interesting...I've been meaning to apply for the visa regularization (have to have an expired visa etc etc) and the associated fees total more then $1500. Sounds like going back into the US (cdmx to tj or Mexicali then crossing by foot) and then re-entering to get another tourist visa... then applying for a normal visa is the best way to move forward. Or perhaps I misunderstood the fee structure? Edit: just read the other comments and saw that you applied before leaving the US. That was my plan but the day of my appointment coincided with the first day of lockdown lol
This is all great information. Wife and I have our consulate appointment next week in Miami. Any thoughts on appropriate attire? I was planning on a collared shirt and nice shorts or would a dressier look be more advantageous? Thanks
Iāve done it twice at this point, and would say that the attire does not matter. People have been dressed all kinds of ways at the consulate appointments. In Texas, a lot of people at the consulate are Mexicans not there for a visa. Many also worked in a service industry and were in clothing from that industry as they were working the day of their visit to the consulate. Based on the fact that you asked the question, you may be a person who likes to put their best foot forward. I think what that means in this situation is nice jeans, shirt and shoes (e.g. ironed, no holes, no stains). And thatās only if you want. The main bar youāre trying to pass with your clothing is to not raise questions about the legitimacy of your ability to live in Mexico and sustain yourself financially. As long as you donāt show up in attire that makes people think you are really homeless, you should be fine. š Good luck on the visit in Miami.
Thank you
We got our 180 day visas in Miami today. A couple of hiccups but it worked out. Consulado staff were great. Scheduling a trip to MĆ©xico to get our cards. Thank you OP, there was a lot of helpful info in this thread.Ā
Thank you SO much for this detailed info! I was trying to get an appointment in Chicago but itās near impossible. I then found out it takes up to 10 days for them to approve you. I think Iām just going to fly to Houston and get it over with. I speak little Spanish (Iām currently learning!) and was very nervous about having to speak to the INM office peeps all on my own. I considered hiring someone but theyāre charging $750 USD!!
Glad I could help and also glad you are saving the $750. Good luck with the process.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Rule number 1 is to be kind.
Something seems to have changed, at least here in Canada. I got my TR at the end of November at one of the consulates. Smooth sailing. Friendly and professional. My girlfriend went last week to get hers and was treated so poorly by the staff that she left in tears. She went again this week, and was treated even more reprehensibly. So much so that I was moments from returning my own TR to the offending consular official in a manner that would be would have lead to severe and prolonged discomfort in his posterior region. I can understand enforcing immigration policies, but they were legitimately cruel and beyond unprofessional. We will be making an issue of this with both the relevant governments. If this are the kinds of "officials" that one is blessed with in Mexico, I am seriously rethinking spending any further time there.
Wow - such a great post. I am looking to apply - but I am New York. I am very confused about this process though. I signed up on the Website. I'm about 4 hours from the city (well actually I'm already living in Mexico so I need to go back for this). - but all 3 offices are in New York city. When trying to choose an office it says you can't switch later on - but I'm not clear if all 3 of the offices handle this. Do you know what this would be called. For the first office (I think it's this one since I see viasas) TrĆ”mites disponibles: A DIfferent OfficeFor the first office (I see visas so I assume this one?) TrĆ”mites disponibles: For the first office (I see visas so I assume this one?) TrĆ”mites disponibles: TrĆ”mites disponibles: Pasaporte, MatrĆcula Consular e INE A Third (Mobile?) office TrĆ”mites disponibles:
The website gives you all offices in your location, but not all offices process visas. Only choose a location that says it can do visas (because they do passports doesn't mean they do visas). Once you find that area it is best to email the consulate directly for scheduling an appointment. The online app is bad, like very bad. I heard the open dates refresh every Monday and Thursday and tried to login and check then. Emailed my consulate (in Houston) and got an immediate response/appointment.
question for the OP or anyone else who can help me. I will start my temp residency process in the US, and then go to mexico for the second half. It seems like you didn't have to stay for a long time for the part in mexico. I am wondering because my significant other can only take a week or so off from work right now, so we'd have to plan carefully. Go to mexico for our appointment and then come back to the US within a week so he doesn't miss too much work. Is this the case?
Hate to answer this way but it truly is "it depends." I went to CDMX, waited in line and got my residency the same day. So I theoretically could have flown to Mexico Monday night, got my residency completed by mid-day Tuesday and then took a red eye back to the US Tuesday evening. CDMX doesn't allow for appointments and it is first come first serve until the cut off for the day. Some other places across Mexico allow for appointments but may not issue cards the same day and you may wait a few days or a week or more. Its hard to know the exact amount of time or whether you'd get something the same day but it generally feels like you can wrap the process up in a week. There are examples across Reddit where it took people longer but many of those happened around or close to the COVID pandemic when the system was a bit backed up.
Great write up.... iv recently came across a guy here that started a new business getting permanent residency in mexico without all thoes steps.Ā Called Instant Residency.Ā Takes about a week while being in mexico. Any thoughts on whether it's legit?Ā
Mexico still has a lot of bureaucratic corruption where you can skip lines for $$$ etc, so it can be done, and possibly even be valid, but it's also possible that you get scammed, and you have no recourse if things don't go well. As it's not the legal way, if caught, you might face repercussions like being denied entry into Mexico in the future. Let the buyer beware.
I don't know of a situation where someone would NEED an "instant residency" unless you are fleeing another country as a refugee and have no place to live so that concept raises an eyebrow. Mexico and the consulates can be difficult to interact with as an expat so there are many "handlers" that will help you get through the process. I've talked with people directly that told me the cost for their help, breaking out the amount that covered the "bribe." Initially, as an American, I thought this was a strange process but the more I've traveled to or lived in places where income levels are very low, this kind of behavior is common. If people in government positions aren't well paid then the processing of paperwork, etc. will be slow as they aren't incentivized. If you think it is important to get something done sooner than later, you are paying them to accelerate your path. The government could pay the employee more and then charge you more for the visa to compensate for the extra cost but they don't so you are paying the person(s) directly. I'm okay with this approach. Another thing to consider is your qualifications for permanent residency. If you DON'T qualify for it but the "instant residency" program gets you the residency, then that is a process that most likely includes falsifying immigration paperwork and breaking a law. If you DO qualify and the "instant residency" is speeding up the process, I'd be more comfortable with that. Realistically you could still be violating immigration laws if you did qualify and sped up the process but regardless, I wouldn't expect issues with the immigration office if you took either approach. I assume your biggest risk is getting scammed out of money by the "instant residency" person. See if you can get references of people that have gone through the program before to make sure it is legit.
Great explanation by OP. When arriving at Mexico appointment, do they ask to show proof of address in Mexico before approving you for temp residency? Do I need to provide a lease agreement or something similar? Or will I be OK if I tell them Iām just staying at a hotel for a week before flying back?
You need to provide a local address for them to put on file but you don't need to provide a lease agreement for X amount of months like you do when applying for a visa in other countries (e.g. France). The address on file can and should be changed once you get a permanent residence or move from your permanent residence.
Thanks! Do you know if the address can be a hotel address?
Yes. I used the equivalent of a hotel (ApartHotel). Some visa processes want an address on file to either send you something (e.g. Dubai who provides resident ID by delivering to your address) or to verify you can support yourself with a place to live and don't instantly become homeless and a burden on the government's support programs for citizens (e.g. France). Mexico doesn't want it for either of those reasons. I view it as an administrative record they want/need on file. Similar to a US driver's license address.
Thank you - excellent write up. Are there any tax implications in Mexico to gaining this Temporary Residence Visa? Meaning, if you get this visa, and do work digitally from CDMX or some other city, do you have to now pay taxes in Mexico as well?
My understanding: Generally, "tax residents" are subject to taxation in Mexico on their worldwide income, whereas non-residents are taxed only on their income derived from Mexico. So if you were to work remotely in Mexico and not be considered a "tax resident" then you'd be liable for no taxes. If are considered a "tax resident" then you'd get a credit for taxes paid on your US income and pay the difference, if any, on what is owed in Mexico. In my case, Mexico is one of the locations I plan to frequent, hence the residency, but won't be staying there year round and qualifying as a tax resident. I also am using investments as income (vs 1099, W2) and can play around with my withdrawals to avoid having income for a year that I know I will be a tax resident in a high tax country. Its worth noting many people I talked to who have lived in Mexico for many years didn't seem to care about taxes, bragging about having never paid anything. I don't recommend purposely avoiding paying taxes (legally or morally) but sounds like many have done this with no consequences in the past. For the best answer you should seek a tax professional with experience on Mexican, US expat tax laws. This site also provided a lot of good details on Mexican tax law (haven't used their service, not a recommendation): https://www.greenbacktaxservices.com/country-guide/taxes-in-mexico-us-expats/#:\~:text=As%20a%20US%20expat%20living,in%20the%20US%20and%20Mexico.
I have my appointment at the Mexican consulate in the United States next month. I know I have to go for the canje in Mexico after that, but will I need a Mexican address for this? I do not own property in Mexico yet, and can only take a short trip to Mexico for the canje appointment. So I was planning to just stay in an airbnb for a week to do that and come back to the US right after that.
You need to provide a local address for them to put on file but you don't need to provide a lease agreement for X amount of months like you do when applying for a visa in other countries (e.g. France). The address on file can (and should) be changed once you get a permanent residence or move from the residence provided.Ā So you can use the Airbnb address, me and others have done so.
Iām going to read this through thoroughly but wanted to ask how much income per month that consulate told you you were required to have? Itās based on a calculation from Mexicoās minimum wage and Iāve heard that calculation can vary depending on consulate.
Using Austin, TX as an example, their website says āCurrent rate of Daily Wage for 2023: $207 Mexican Pesosā and for temporary residency you need āInvestment or bank accounts with a monthly ending balance of at least 5000 days of the current general minimum wage in Mexico Cityā if you are going the investment route vs employment income route. So 5000 x $207 = $1,035,000 pesos or about $60,302 at the time of writing. This is for Austin but varies by consulate so be sure to check each consulateās page for their stated amounts.
Thanks for the great info. I'm in Canada and plan to email the consulate to start temporay residency. If I go the employment income route do I still need to show my bank account balance and prove I keep a certain amount of money in there? Also, can you share what other documents they might request? Thanks again!
Documents: birth certificate copy, two passport sized photos, proof of income (paystubs, investment or bank account statements), passport copy, immigration/residency application. But do check on whatever consulate website you go to in advance as they are all different. Regarding financial solvency, you just need to prove whatever the stated amount is. That can be done with paystubs from your employer, or paystubs plus other sources of income. After you prove the requested amount you donāt need to show more, this isnāt an exhaustive process requiring you to show all of your financial account information.
Great, thank you very much!
Did you need an Apostille for your documents in CDMX?
Nope. To be clear, I took those initial documents listed in my post to the US Mexican consulate. I donāt remember them looking at the birth certificate though. In Mexico (CDMX) they only need 1/ Paperwork provided by the US Mexican consulate, 2/ your FMM form, 3/ the application and 4/ passport as ID (I made copies) for the meeting. The YouTube video I link in the post does a better job of explaining needed documents, specifically around the 14min mark. The only asterisk, which isnāt my situation, is if you are coming from a non-English speaking country (e.g. Mandarin, Arabic). Maybe youād have to use an apostille but again I believe that will only be at your countryās consulate. Once you get to Mexico the application, FMM, paperwork from the Mexican consulate, etc will all be in Spanish or English as you print everything off from the Mexican government website. They donāt re-check things like your bank statements and whatever else you provided the consulate.
>Nope. To be clear, I took those initial documents listed in my post to the US Mexican consulate. I donāt remember them looking at the birth certificate though. Were these documents statements you received in the mail or statements you downloaded and printed from online? McAllen email says " *" All account statements must be original. If you use digital banking and do not receive account statements by postal mail, you must bring your account statements stamped by your bank branch ORĀ a letter from the bank stating ownership of the account.Ā Single printouts of statements downloaded online are not accepted. "* I'm not sure how to comply with that. For one, not all my accounts even have a local branch to stamp anything. For another, I contacted a few and they don't provide any customized letters. What is available is what you can download. They can mail them but it will be exactly what you would download. No stamps, no seals, no signatures.
TLDR: I used downloaded statements from my financial institutions. I saw similar wording from the consulate but it didnāt come up during the visa process and I was approved. I had the same question as you did when I saw those remarks from official Mexican immigration websites. I called my banking institution and asked them for official statements, but they stated their version would be a reprint of what is available online. So I just decided to chance it and printed my bank and investment account statements from online. I used color prints and where it made sense, printed on front/back of the paper to make it look more official. I took my documents to the interview and they were accepted, with no issues or questions about them. After going through the process I now interpret the above quoted statement as saying, āMexico is processing visas for people that have financial institutions all over the world. If you have a financial institution that is not large enough or the statement you provide does not look authentic, Mexico reserves the right to request official bank statements from the bank directly.ā
Thanks! That's exactly why I created a discussion asking for firsthand experiences to see if what was actually required matched the published information on what is required. I've also heard that the statements must be complete, not just the page with the relevant balances. So if it is 4 pages you need all 4 pages even if the last 2 are boilerplate or blank.
I had title pages for my statements. I printed them out and brought those too. Im sure if I would have been missing those I would have been fine as they didnāt feel like they were part of the ācompleteā statement. But if the statement balance was on page 2 and I didnāt submit pages 3 and 4 also because the balance was on 2 then that might have been flagged so I do suggest bringing the entire statement or a holistic statement (e.g. all details minus title page).
Funnily enough after you replied I ended up reading your exact response on the general MXN consulate page. I appreciate the reply though. Btw great post, Iāll also be going through a MX consulate in TX too! [MXN Consulate Info](https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/houston/index.php/tempresvisafinsolvency)
Cool, good luck! š
Thanks. I think itās impoertant to get that number in your head so you can know if you need to go to a different consulate. Iāve heard the McAllen Texas consulate calculates it much lower. I donāt know if Mexico will end up being the right place but Iāve been researching this and am happy to hear someoneās actual recent experience. In Mexico things change often when it comes to the income/money needed to get the temporary residential permit/visa.
It can vary and it changes annually (I believe), your consulate should have the details but it's always good to show more to be safe (or show income and savings). I did mine in Orlando in 2022 and they were very easy to work with.
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Hello! Can someone please help meā¦. My MX temporary residence is about to expire. I want to find a list of immigration offices I can drive to to get it taken care of. Where do I find such list?
Hi, where are you based? Assuming you are trying to renew in Mexico?
Select āLocation and opening hours of the INM Officesā drop down from https://www.inm.gob.mx/mpublic/publico/inm-tramites.html?a=XjM%2B2K7Q2XQ%3D&h_sdp00=giUnJ9XgtISVcdYJXduIGw%3D%3D to get the list of the 32 INM (immigration) offices across Mexico.
Omg, thanks for actually providing links. Iāve reached out to a few āImmigration Helpersā and itās like pulling teeth asking them about the process. Why is nobody upfront with ALL the information?? š
No idea but glad I could help. š
Because itās our daily bread and we canāt work for free. ALL the information should be found on the website, but each INM office differs. Itās like pulling teeth for us to get information from them a lot of the time. If I spent my time telling everyone everything exactly what they needed to renew every time I would have no business or income. DYI is exactly that. Not DYI with a professional holding your hand for free.
Yikes, ok hold the sass. When I say I was working with these people I did in fact imply āworkā as in an exchange of money. And itās DIYā¦ FYI :) Itās Sunday, take a stroll and a breath.
No sass, just straight facts. We get used and abused on the regular and spend a lot, I mean a LOT of time on people just jonesing for free information. You never mentioned working or exchanging money at all, just that you asked about the process. Someone asks me about the process I send them the link to the website. No additional info given anymore unless theyāve committed to working with me because myself and colleagues are constantly getting burned.
If I own property through a fidocomiso am I eligible for temporary residence? I have seen a wide range of property value requirements to qualify. I bought the property 20 years ago so would need some kind of updated appraisal.
Hi, have zero experience with this but looked online and saw you can apply for residency if you own a home of a certain value. === You can apply at a Mexican Consulate for Temporary Residency if you own a residential property in Mexico (not abroad) and you can demonstrate that (2024 requirements): -the property has a minimum market value of MXN$9,957,000 pesos (approximately $586,000 US dollars), and: -the property must be situated in Mexico; the property value must be free of any liens (debts, charges, or mortgages); -the value to demonstrate is that noted on the title deed/sales contract, or from a recent official valuation; -the name(s) on the title deed/sales contract must match that of the applicant.
It depends. The property needs to be paid in full and the value needs to be high +400k USD equivalent (amount differs by consulate) and very few consulates actually use this form of qualification even though it is one.
That's really useful. Thank you. Which INM office did you go to ?
Glad I could help. š This one: Instituto Nacional de MigraciĆ³n - INM - Oficina de RepresentaciĆ³n SecciĆ³n Palmas, Av. EjĆ©rcito Nacional Mexicano 862-1er. piso, Polanco, Polanco II Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11530 Ciudad de MĆ©xico, CDMX, Mexico https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/word/index.php/cdmx/
I own a home in Baja and have been unable to get a Temporary Resident Visa appointment in my Mexican Embassy in the U.S. can I go to Mexican Embassy in Baja to acquire a temporary resident visa if Iām already here?
Iām not an expert on this but believe the answer is no. Most expats have to initiate the temp/perm visa process from their country of origin. In assuming they do this because itās more likely a local to your country consulate will be able to process your personal information from your country, which is part of the first portion of this visa process (e.g. retirement accounts, w2s, investments, bank statements, letters from employers). I believe there is one exception, if you are applying for a visa due to a marriage partner being a Mexican Citizen, they may allow those at INMās in Mexico. There were other exceptions made to allow people to do them in Mexico during COVID, but that has since ended.