FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
The Temporary Resident Card for Mexico is valid for one year initially and can be renewed for a maximum of four years. After four years, you can apply for permanent residence (a Mexican Permanent Resident Card). However, depending on your case, you may be eligible for permanent residence from the start.
Everyone who intends to move to Mexico for a period longer than 180 days must have a Temporary or Permanent Resident Card, depending on the duration and purpose of their stay we will provide the advice that suits your needs.
Foreigners who want to enter and exit and stay in Mexico for up to 6 months but less than 9 months should apply for a Temporary Resident Card.
If you have close family relations in Mexico, or
If you have found a job offer in Mexico,
As a foreign citizen, you could apply for a Temporary Resident Card if you find employment, want to join a family member who is also a permanent or temporary resident, or if you start studying in Mexico.
The Permanent Resident Card for Mexico is a popular option among retirees, which is why it is also often referred to as the Mexico Retirement Visa. Foreigners who want to settle in Mexico permanently should have a Permanent Resident Card.
There are several options to acquire a Permanent Resident Status, I will mention two of the most common ways to obtain this category. For example, if you are fully retired and have enough income to satisfy the requirements of Mexican Immigration Law. Another frequent option, is to keep 4 consecutive years of temporary residency and then you qualify for a change of status for a permanent category.
You are allowed to work in Mexico and no fees will be charged if you apply for a working visa.
You can get up to 3 different job offers.
The Permanent Resident Card it’s a onetime process and payment, no need of renewal.
You can travel all over Mexico.
It is a prior step to Mexican Citizenship.
The Permanent Resident Card for Mexico does not have an expiration date and it does not have to be renewed, like Temporary Resident Cards.
If you are already living in Mexico on a Temporary Resident Card, when your current Card is about to expire, you must apply at the INM to switch it into a Permanent Resident Card (provided you have lived in Mexico as a temporary resident for four years). You must apply at least 30 days before your current residence card expires.
You may apply for Mexican citizenship after five years of residency in Mexico, regardless of whether you have lived as a temporary or a permanent resident. Mexico allows dual citizenship, so you do not even have to renounce your current citizenship to obtain it. As a citizen, you would have full rights to vote and live without fear of being deported. The Mexican passport is also one of the strongest, allowing visa-free access to well over 100 countries.
A Will is the most personal, revocable and free act, by which a capable person disposes of his assets and rights. In this document where the wishes of a person are expressed with respect to his belongings and property and the designated who will receive it at the time of his death. Its basic purpose is that the ownership endures despite the owner’s death.
Anyone living in Mexico full-time, or anyone who owns property in Mexico (real estate, bank accounts, jewelry, or other) should have a Will that is recognized in Mexico.
All the official documents you submit (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) have to be legalized before via an Apostille and translated into Spanish by a certified translator.
Expats in Mexico have the following health insurance options:
- Public health insurance (Seguro Popular)
- Public health insurance (IMSS).
- Private health insurance (Different companies offer this service in Mexico)
If you subscribe to the IMSS health insurance scheme, the cost of Mexican health insurance ranges from $4,650 Mexican Pesos per year to $12,750 Mexican Pesos per year.
Below there is a non-official cost of Expat Health Insurance in Mexico by age range:
AGE | APPROXIMATE COST |
0 to 19 years | MXN 4,650 |
20 to 29 years | MXN 5,500 |
30 to 39 years | MXN 5,850 |
40 to 49 years | MXN 8,100 |
50 to 59 years | MXN 8,450 |
60 to 69 years | MXN 12,250 |
70 to 79 years | MXN 12,700 |
80 and over | MXN 12,750 |