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As a foreigner married to a Mexican citizen, you can apply and receive your temporary residency right away by providing proof of the marriage and proof that your Mexican spouse can financially support you here in Mexico.

The married foreigner will receive one year of temporary residency; the residency will be renewed for a second year. Upon renewal, in the third year, you may apply for either permanent residency which never expires, or you may wish to apply for Mexican citizenship.

This method of naturalization or citizenship is an option for foreigners who have lived continuously in Mexico for two years previous to the application date and can prove they are married to a Mexican citizen.

As a spouse of a Mexican, you will not be required to leave Mexico to begin the residency process.

Naturalization Benefits to Immigrants

• Purchase property in restricted areas without a trust (fideicomiso).
• The possibility of dissolving your current trust (fideicomiso) rewrite the title deed in your name.
• The right to vote in Mexico.
• No need to inform the National Institute of Immigration (INM) of each change regarding your living and work situation.
• Avoid the expense of changing your immigration status or renewal fees.
• Hold a Mexican passport and enjoy reduced wait times for immigration at Mexican airports.
• Hold dual citizenship (if your country of origin allows dual citizenship).
• The right to work for any employer in Mexico, the business will not require a Constancia de empleador.

Requirements

• Original and copy of the completed application form: http://sre.gob.mx/images/stories/docnatnacio/dnn3.pdf
• Original and two copies of your passport.
• Original and two copies of  Mexican ID.
• Original and two copies of resident card.
• Demonstrate continuous residency in the country for a minimum of two years prior to the date of the application and be valid for at least six months after applying.
• Copy of Unique Code of Population Registry CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población)
• Original and two additional copies of a foreign birth certificate issued by the appropriate Civil Registry office. The birth certificate must be legalized at a Mexican consulate or apostilled by a competent authority.
• Certificates must be translated into Spanish by a Mexican government-authorized translator.
• Original and two additional copies of the marriage certificate of the foreign applicant issued by the appropriate Civil Registry office. If the wedding took place in another country, the certificate must be legalized by the Mexican consular representative or be apostilled by a competent authority. This document must be translated into Spanish by a Mexican government approved translator.
• Letter under oath with two copies, recording the number of exits and entries to and from the country over the past two years preceding the date of the application. (You should not be out of Mexico more than 180 days during that period
• Original and two copies of “Certificado de NO Antecedentes Penales” (No Criminal Record Certificate) issued by a competent authority at federal and state entities in your place of residency.
• Demonstrate you have a basic conversational level of Spanish.
• Complete a questionnaire regarding Mexican history and general culture.
• Be integrated into the national culture.
• Applicants aged 60 and over are not obliged to take the test but will be interviewed by an officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and will be required to speak some Spanish.
• Two passport-size pictures, frontal with a white background, no glasses, bare head.
• Applicants will travel to Mexico City for fingerprints and questionnaire or interview.
• Proof of payment of the application fee is required.

The processing time for this procedure is approximately four to six months.

If you have any inquires about immigration to Mexico, contact us by email: contact@mexlaw.com

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The CURP, short for “Clave Única de Registro de Población,” which translates to Unique Population Registry Code in English, it is an 18 digit alphanumeric code, and is akin to Mexico’s version of a Social Security or Social Insurance number. It serves as a unique identification number assigned to each individual living in Mexico and remains unchanged throughout one’s lifetime.

If you are residing in Mexico and possess a  Temporary Resident Card or Permanent Resident Card, it’s crucial to understand that the CURP is now automatically generated and printed on your residency card as part of the residency application process. There is no longer a necessity to apply for it separately.

The CURP plays a vital role in various administrative procedures within Mexico. It is indispensable when applying for a Mexican driver’s license, registering a vehicle, seeking employment, obtaining an RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes – a tax identification number), which would enable you to file taxes, start a business, or open a bank account. Furthermore, a CURP is required for Civil Registry matters and to access government services such as healthcare and the INAPAM senior discount program.

As the CURP is now automatically generated during the residency application process, it will be given to applicants along with their Temporary Resident Card or Permanent Resident Card. It is important to consider that although your CURP is already printed on your card, some agencies may require it in PDF format, which can be downloaded from: https://www.gob.mx/curp/

This update significantly streamlines the administrative requirements for residents in Mexico, eliminating the need for a separate CURP application and ensuring a smoother immigration process.

For any questions or assistance with immigration in Mexico, please do not hesitate to contact Mexlaw’s team of immigration experts for guidance and support. We are here to help you navigate through the process smoothly.

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To apply for a residency in Mexico, either temporary or permanent, you need to request an appointment at a Mexican consulate. To do so, you are not necessarily required to visit the consulate located in your hometown for this; you may apply online for any Mexican consulate around the world.

In a few consulates, making an appointment is not required, some of them will accept walk-in procedures or appointment requests. However, in the majority of Mexican consulates, there are only three ways to request an appointment, and the appointment process is decided by the consulates individually. To know what option is available at the consulate of your choice, you can visit the Mexican consulate´s individual web page. The options include email, phone call, or online through MiConsulado (also called ConsulMex).

To schedule an appointment through MiConsulado, click on the following link:

https://citas.sre.gob.mx/

On the MiConsulado website, create an account, fill in the form with the required information, and set up a password. Once the registration is completed, log in to your account, select the language, country, zip code, and schedule an appointment for the date you prefer among the consulate’s availability. To get an appointment through MiConsulado, you will also have to provide your complete name, date of birth, passport number, email address, phone number, and information of an emergency contact.

Note that in some consulates and during busy periods of the year, you will have to wait until the beginning of the month to see the availability for the month, in other cases the consulate will issue new appointment slots every week or a specific day of the month.

Immediately after completing the appointment formulary and choosing the date, you will be able to download the appointment slip and will also receive it through a confirmation by email; print it and bring this appointment slip to your appointment along with the other required documentation.

Example: https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/shanghai/images/pdf/MiConsulado_2206_ENG.pdf

Requirements may vary depending on the consulate you are dealing with. For instance, in certain Mexican consulates, applicants may only qualify for temporary residency if they are investors in Mexico, and financial records may not be accepted for this purpose, unlike consulates in Canada and the US.

In all Mexican consulates, you are required to bring your valid passport with at least a six months validity left before the expiration date, the original, and one photocopy. A passport-size photograph: white background, clear view of the face (glasses or other accessories are NOT ALLOWED, filters or image alterations are NOT ALLOWED.), a completed and both sided printed visa application form, which may be downloaded online from the consulate´s website, and $53 USD for the visa application fee, typically required in cash or credit/debit card (we recommend you bring both methods of payment).

For financial solvency, in general, you are required to supply documents proving economic solvency such as:

• Original (notarized or stamped by the financial institution in many cases) and one photocopy of investments or savings account statements from the previous consecutive 12 (twelve) months.

or

If by income: Bank statements for the last 6 (six) months with a monthly income per person and must provide the corresponding document of the following:

• Original document proving employment or pension (employment letter; labor contract; payroll; pension voucher, etc.). If the applicant is retired: Must provide proof of retirement (an OFFICIAL DOCUMENT THAT STATES RETIREMENT).
• Self-employed persons must provide proof of commercial or business license.
• Individuals who are self-employed WITHOUT having a registered trade or business must provide proof of income with one of the following options: Submit a 1099 form from your client showing how much income you have generated with him/her; pay stubs; proof of direct deposits; rental agreement (if income is from rental property), etc.

All bank statements must be submitted monthly split and with a verification letter from the financial institution or bank.

The consulates require an average monthly balance of a determined sum of funds for the last 12 months or proof of a determined monthly income.

The financial requirements may differ between consulates and may fluctuate with the exchange rate. Generally speaking, to receive temporary residency, you need to prove you have investments or savings account statements of over $74,000 USD from the last 12 (twelve) months, or bank statements or paystubs from the last 6 (six) months. The monthly income must exceed $4,400 USD plus $1,500 USD average for each dependent.

Canadian and US Mexican consulates will accept property ownership in Mexico valued over $9,957,200.00 Mexican pesos or $575,000 USD average or ownership in a Mexican company with $290,000 USD average invested in shares or properties, including real estate property in the company´s name.

For permanent residency, the required financials are $290,000 USD in investments or savings, or $7,400 USD average of salary or pension per month.

Due to constantly changing requirements and false information about residency in Mexico, you may want to speak to professionals. Ensure your procedure is done correctly and efficiently; contact an immigration specialist at Mexlaw.

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“Vehicles should only be registered by foreigners holding a residence visa”

You should obtain a Temporary or Permanent Visa before buying and registering a vehicle as you will be required to provide a CURP number at some point, which you receive from having a Resident Visa.

In other incidents you may hear of the car dealer providing tourists with a generic RFC in order to make the sale, again we recommend you complete your immigration process and receive a valid CURP so then after you can request an RFC. Depending on the State the CURP should only be assigned through your residency and issued by INM Instituto Nacional de Migración, in person or online or by Registro Civil.  In Playa del Carmen INM issues the CURP.

If you are in the market for a used car and find one you are interested in buying be sure the seller can provide the original factura (receipt) of the car, you will need this receipt in order to register the car. If the seller does not have the original receipt, you should move on and find a different vehicle.

The seller should provide tax receipts for previous years if the seller does not have them you would have to go to the licensing center and pay for a print out of all the past receipts and pay the balance owed.

Preparing to Purchase and Register a Vehicle:

• Make sure the vehicle is not recorded as stolen by entering the vehicle’s information into this government website; https://www.repuve.gob.mx/repuve
• Get recommendations for a reliable mechanic to inspect the car before you agree to purchase it, it is very inexpensive and can save you a lot of grief down the road.
• The original invoice of the vehicle with the names and signatures of the previous owners written on the back, attaching a copy of their identification.
• Check the VIN and the registration to ensure it matches.  
• Ask for proof that the seller has authority to sell the vehicle.
• Tax receipts from previous years when the Tenencia was in effect, if the tax is outstanding, you will need to pay it before registering the vehicle.
• Before you pay for the car, the seller should attend the Registration office with you to do the transfer of ownership. The Playa del Carmen office is located at 15th Ave., at 1st Street Sur.
• Bring original and copy of your passport, residence visa,
• Proof of address, a utility bill, title deed, or rental contract.
• CURP Clave Única de Registro de Población (Unique Population Registry Code).
• Buy insurance; it is mandatory to have liability insurance for your vehicle. Choose a policy which includes a bail bond and legal representation in the case of an accident and injury. If you are in a serious accident you will be detained, be sure to purchase insurance from a broker who is available if you need assistance.
• It is essential to consider that the vehicle registration tax is annual, and the change of license plates is made every 3 years, depending on the year of change of plates, the payment must be made.

Buying a new car at the dealer may be a less complicated option, with the benefits of a new car warranty, guaranteed to be free of liens and some car dealers have been known to do the registration for you for a fee.

If you are interested in learning more about the residency process in Mexico or are ready to apply for your Mexican residency, please contact Mexlaw’s Immigration Services Department today: contact@mexlaw.com

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How is the requirement calculated?

There are two different ways that Mexican Consulates and Mexican Immigration offices may determine the financial requirements for residency. Note: Each consulate and office are different. Before you schedule your appointment with your local Mexican Consulate, you should always check the requirements on their website.

✓ Based on the Mexican daily minimum wage ($141.70MXN).

OR

✓ Based on the daily UMA (Unidad de Medida y Actualización) rate ($89.62MXN).

• • UMA is the basis for all calculations in Mexico that relate to payments made to the Mexican Government. It is used in calculations such as residency, employer contributions to social security, and other federal and state obligations.

Temporary residency with foreign income = 300 X daily minimum wage or UMA.

Temporary residency with savings balance = 500 X daily minimum wage or UMA.

Permanent residency with foreign income = 5000 X daily minimum wage or UMA.

Permanent residency with foreign income = 20000 X daily minimum wage or UMA.

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