Mexico’s General Law of Population sets out the rights and obligations of foreigners, as well as the different statuses associated with foreign immigration.

Types of Immigrant Permits
There are two kinds of immigration permit: Non-Immigrant and Immigrant:

Non Immigrant Permits are for people who intend to visit Mexico for a specific purpose and then depart;
Immigrant Permits are for people who wish to gain long term permanent residence in Mexico.
Applying for Mexican Visas
You may apply for your visa(s) in person, or you may hire a representative to advise you, make the application on your behalf and do all of the paperwork. See Immigration Consultancy and Immigration Lawyers for more details.

Renewing an Existing Mexico Resident Permit
If you currently hold a Mexican resident permit, you can find information about renewal of your Mexico resident card here.

Please Note

The information on this page is intended as a summary of basic principles and immigration procedures in Mexico. For detailed information contact an immigration lawyer or download the Mexico Immigration Guide eBook
What are the Non-Immigrant Visas?

There are various classifications of Non-Immigrant visitors to Mexico – the main ones are listed below.

Visitante – Visitor Permit for Short Term Visits
The ‘Visitante‘ permit is intended for visitors—usually tourists and business visitors—to Mexico on short term visits of six months or less. For trips of longer than six months, a non-immigrant or immigrant visa should be considered—see the sections below for details about this.

A Visitor’s Permit is issued when you arrive in Mexico (by air, or travel inland by road beyond the ‘free border zone’) by completing a Forma Migratoria Multiple (FMM): these forms are issued by airlines, and are also available at ports of entry. The Visitor Permit is valid for upto 180 days and cannot be renewed. Upon its expiry you will need to leave the country*. There is a fee of about US$22 for this permit, which is usually included in the price if your flight (under taxes and fees). If you arrive by road or ship, and travel beyond the ‘free zone’ near the border, you will have to pay for this permit separately.

See Also: Entry Requirements for Tourists

* In a small number of circumstances, your Visitor’s Permit may be exchanged for a Resident Permit. See the next section for details.

Visa de Residente Temporal – Temporary Resident Visa
Mexico operates what is known as a Temporary Resident Visa, intended for people who wish to live in Mexico for more than 6 months and not longer than 4 years. The Temporary Resident Visa is a renewable, long-term (more than six months) permit which gives non-immigrant temporary residency status to the holder. The visa is issued for one year, and can can then be renewed for a further 1, 2, or 3 years (i.e. 1+3, 4 years max); this visa can optionally give work permissions, and allows unlimited entries to, and exits from, Mexico. This means that it gives a person holding the permit the right to live in Mexico for up to 4 years under terms as set out in the visa.

There are various categories under which the Temporary Resident visas are granted, and these relate to the activities you intend to undertake while in Mexico. Under the terms of the Temporary Resident Visa, you are authorized to only undertake certain, specific, activities which may be lucrative or non-lucrative, depending on the visa’s classification.

A key criterion that the Mexican authorities require for the issuance of a Temporary Resident Visa is that the applicant prove that they have ‘sufficient funds to sustain themselves while in Mexico’ and/or a proven steady income. The financial requirements are based in Mexican pesos, and the financial criteria were formalized following the introduction of the new immigration law that was enacted in 2012.

Applications for Temporary Resident Permits

With a few exceptions, the Temporary Resident Visa cannot be issued to you in Mexico; you must apply for it at a Mexican consulate outside of Mexico. This is a change to the rules before 2012, where Visitor Permits could previously be exchanged for Resident Permits if the person(s) fulfilled the criteria. This article explains who can apply for residency within Mexico.
When applied for from overseas, the Temporary Permit (card) itself is not issued by foreign consulates. Instead, they process and pre-approve the application and place a Visa (sticker) in your passport. When you arrive in Mexico you have to attend your local immigration office within 30 days of arrival, and undertake a procedure to exchange your temporary resident visa (passport stamp) for a Temporary Resident Permit (a plastic card).

Once applied for and granted, you can hold the Temporary Resident Permit for up to four years, and after this it cannot be renewed: at the end of the four year period you must exchange the Temporary Resident permit for a Permanent Resident permit, or leave the country.

Detailed Information about Temporary Resident Visas
For detailed information about Resident Visas, contact an immigration lawyer or download the eBook Mexico Immigration Guide.

*To holders of passports from specific countries only.
See Mexico Entry Requirements for details.

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Mexico’s Permanent Resident Immigrant Visas

Permanent Resident Visas are issued to foreign nationals who have the intention of living in Mexico for long periods of time (over six months) AND who intend to settle permanently (indefinitely) in Mexico.

Visa de Residente Permanente – Permanent Resident Visa
The Permanent Resident Visa is intended for people seeking permanent residency status in Mexico, or those who may seek eventual Mexican Citizenship. You do not need to be a Temporary Resident first to become a Permanent Resident later, provided that you fulfill one of the other requirements needed for permanent residency.

To apply for and be granted a permanent resident visa, the applicants must:

have certain close family connections in Mexico, or
apply for retirement status and prove they have sufficient monthly income (or substantial assets) to support themselves, or
have 4 consecutive years of regular status as Temporary Resident, or
have 2 consecutive years of regular status as Temporary Resident where that the Temporary Visa was issued through marriage to a Mexican National or a foreign permanent resident, or
meet a minimum score under the Points System*, or
be granted residency on humanitarian grounds or through political asylum.
If your goal is to seek long-term residency in Mexico, or to become a Mexican Citizen, you should apply for a Permanent Resident Visa.

Upon receiving immigrated status, you will receive a plastic card that looks like a driver’s license. This card enables you to pass through Mexico’s borders as if you were a Mexican national.

Detailed Information about Permanent Residency Visas
For detailed information about Resident Visas, contact an immigration lawyer or download the eBook Mexico Immigration Guide.

Applications for Permanent Resident Permits

With a few exceptions, the Permanent Resident Visa cannot be issued to you in Mexico; you must apply for it at a Mexican consulate outside of Mexico. This is a change to the rules before 2012, where Visitor Permits could previously be exchanged for Resident Permits if the person(s) fulfilled the criteria. This article explains who can apply for residency within Mexico.