Visitor without permission for paid activities (FMM tourist stay): US citizens do not need a Mexican visa for this status; the United States is not on the INM list of nationalities that require a visa. Entry is recorded on the Forma Migratoria Multiple (FMM), paper at land borders or digital for air arrivals. Paid work in Mexico is not allowed on this status, and it cannot be extended or converted into residence from inside Mexico in the ordinary case.
Country page
Living in Mexico long term
Mexico has no digital nomad visa and no golden visa. Long stays run through temporary residence, granted at a consulate before arrival for up to 4 years total, most often by economic solvency: monthly income above 680 days of UMA (MXN 79,770.80 at the 2026 UMA) or an average bank balance of 11,460 days of UMA (MXN 1,344,372.60). After 4 years, temporary residents change to permanent residence with no new solvency test, and retirees with strong pensions can go straight to permanent residence at a consulate. Visitors get up to 180 days per entry on the FMM, set by the officer at entry, and naturalization opens after 5 years of legal residence, or 2 years for spouses of Mexican citizens and parents of Mexican children.
Numbers on this page apply to holders of a US passport. Page last verified: 2026-10-15
Rules change. Confirm the current rules with the official source or the consulate for Mexico before you apply, pay a fee, or book travel around a date in this table.
Every route, with the math
Scroll sideways for the full table. The route name stays in view.
| Route | Income required | Investment required | Total cost | Processing time | Days allowed | Renewal rules | Tax residency trigger | Years to permanent residency | Years to citizenship | Last verified | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor without permission for paid activities (FMM tourist stay) Tourist allowance | Not applicable | Not applicable | MXN 983 visitor fee in 2026 (Ley Federal de Derechos, Article 8). It is charged for the FMM at land entry and is collected inside the airfare for air arrivals. | Issued at the port of entry. | Up to 180 days per entry. The INM officer at the port of entry sets the exact number of days on the FMM entry record, and it can be less than 180. | Not renewable and not extendable. The visitor must leave Mexico before the days granted on the FMM run out. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, tax residence follows establishing a home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. A person staying temporarily in tourist lodging is not treated as having established a home in Mexico when their center of vital interests is abroad (Regulation of the Federal Fiscal Code, Article 5). | Does not lead to permanent residency. | Does not count as residence for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Temporary resident visa by economic solvency Passive income | Monthly employment or pension income free of liens greater than 680 days of UMA over the last 6 months. At the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31 per day that is MXN 79,770.80 per month. Alternatively, investments or bank accounts with an average monthly balance of 11,460 days of UMA over the last 12 months, MXN 1,344,372.60 at the 2026 UMA. Consulates publish their own converted amounts and they vary by consulate. | No investment in Mexico is required. The savings option above is a bank or investment balance held by the applicant, not money paid into Mexico. | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM resident card fee in Mexico: MXN 11,140.74 for 1 year, MXN 16,693.36 for 2 years, MXN 21,142.58 for 3 years, MXN 25,057.22 for 4 years (Ley Federal de Derechos, Article 8, 2026 amounts). | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. After the exchange (canje) filing at the INM in Mexico, the INM has a maximum of 15 business days to resolve the procedure and issue the resident card, per the official INM procedure sheet for the canje published in the Diario Oficial. | The consular visa is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a temporary resident card, first issued for 1 year. | First card 1 year. It can be renewed for 1, 2, or 3 more years, up to a maximum of 4 years total as a temporary resident. After 4 years the holder changes to permanent resident or leaves the category. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | 4 years as a temporary resident, then a change of status at the INM. The 4 year path requires no new proof of solvency. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Temporary resident visa by family unity Other | For a family member sponsored by a temporary or permanent resident visa or card holder, the sponsor shows an average monthly bank or investment balance of 220 days of UMA over the last 12 months, MXN 25,808.20 at the 2026 UMA, or employment or pension income above 220 days of UMA per month over the last 6 months. Some consulates publish higher rounded amounts. | Not applicable | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM resident card fee with the 50 percent family unity reduction: MXN 5,570.37 for 1 year at the 2026 rate. | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. | The consular visa is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a temporary resident card, first issued for 1 year. | Renewed in 1 to 3 year increments up to 4 years total as a temporary resident, except spouses of Mexican citizens or permanent residents, who change to permanent resident after 2 years. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | 4 years as a temporary resident in the general case, or 2 years for a spouse or partner of a Mexican citizen or permanent resident. | 5 years of legal residence in total, or 2 years for a spouse of a Mexican citizen or a parent of Mexican children, before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Temporary resident by job offer (INM authorized work visa) Work | No fixed income threshold. There must be a real job offer from an employer in Mexico that is registered with the INM (constancia de inscripcion de empleador), stating the occupation, duration, work location, and pay. | Not applicable | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM resident card fee with the 50 percent job offer reduction: MXN 5,570.37 for 1 year at the 2026 rate. The separate INM visa authorization fee charged to the employer for 2026 was not confirmed on an official page and is recorded as unknown here. | The INM has a maximum of 20 business days to decide the employer visa authorization request, per Tramite 10 of the visa guidelines published in the Diario Oficial on July 25, 2025. After authorization, the consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview. | The visa authorized by the INM is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a temporary resident card, first issued for 1 year. | Renewed in 1 to 3 year increments up to 4 years total as a temporary resident, then a change to permanent resident. The INM must be notified of a change of employer or workplace within 90 days. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | 4 years as a temporary resident, then a change of status at the INM. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Temporary resident by investment in a Mexican company Investor | Not applicable | More than 45,850 days of UMA actually invested in the capital of a Mexican company. At the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31 per day that is more than MXN 5,378,663.50. The official alternatives are owning fixed assets or movable property in Mexico for business purposes above the same value, or documented business activity in Mexico, for example employing at least 3 workers registered with the IMSS. | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM resident card fee: MXN 11,140.74 for 1 year (2026). | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. | The consular visa is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a temporary resident card, first issued for 1 year. | Renewed in 1 to 3 year increments up to 4 years total as a temporary resident, then a change to permanent resident. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | 4 years as a temporary resident, then a change of status at the INM. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Temporary resident by real estate ownership in Mexico Investor | Not applicable | Ownership of real estate in Mexico, documented by public deed (escritura publica), with a value greater than 91,710 days of UMA. At the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31 per day that is more than MXN 10,758,500.10. | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM resident card fee: MXN 11,140.74 for 1 year (2026). | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. | The consular visa is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a temporary resident card, first issued for 1 year. | Renewed in 1 to 3 year increments up to 4 years total as a temporary resident, then a change to permanent resident. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | 4 years as a temporary resident, then a change of status at the INM. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Student temporary resident visa Study | Employment, pension, or scholarship income free of liens greater than 220 days of UMA per month over the last 3 months, MXN 25,808.20 per month at the 2026 UMA, or investments or bank accounts with an average monthly balance of 2,290 days of UMA over the last 3 months, MXN 268,639.90 at the 2026 UMA. An acceptance letter from an institution in the National Education System is also required. | Not applicable | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM resident card fee in Mexico: MXN 11,140.74 for 1 year (2026). | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. | The consular visa is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a student temporary resident card covering the course period. | Renewed while the studies continue. Student status cannot be obtained by changing status inside Mexico; it must be granted by a consulate before entry. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | Student time does not by itself convert to permanent residency; holders normally change to another temporary resident category first. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Permanent resident visa for retirees and pensioners (direct at a consulate) Retirement | Retirees and pensioners only. Pension income free of liens greater than 1,140 days of UMA per month over the last 6 months. At the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31 per day that is MXN 133,733.40 per month. Alternatively, bank accounts with an average monthly balance of 45,850 days of UMA over the last 12 months, MXN 5,378,663.50 at the 2026 UMA. Published consulate amounts vary: the Mexican Consulate General in Washington published MXN 139,400 per month of pension or MXN 5,576,000 of savings in its 2025 retiree document. | No investment in Mexico is required. The savings option is a bank balance held by the applicant. | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM permanent resident card fee of MXN 13,578.96 (2026). | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. | The consular visa is valid for 180 days with a single entry. After entering Mexico the holder has 30 calendar days to exchange it at the INM for a permanent resident card, which has no expiry. | Never renewed. Permanent residence is indefinite. The card is replaced only if lost, stolen, or damaged, or when a minor reaches an age checkpoint set by the INM. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | Immediate. This route grants permanent residence directly. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization, or 2 years for a spouse of a Mexican citizen or a parent of Mexican children. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Change from temporary resident to permanent resident (after 4 years, at the INM) Other | None for the 4 year path. Four years of uninterrupted temporary residence is itself the qualification and no new solvency proof is required. | Not applicable | MXN 1,847 application study fee plus MXN 13,578.96 for the permanent resident card (2026 amounts on the official gob.mx procedure page). The card fee is halved to MXN 6,789 when the change is based on family unity, a job offer, or an institutional invitation. | 20 business days, per the official INM procedure page on gob.mx. | Permanent resident card with no expiry, issued by the INM in Mexico. | Never renewed. Permanent residence is indefinite. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | This route is the change to permanent residency itself, after 4 years as a temporary resident, or after 2 years for a spouse or partner of a Mexican citizen or permanent resident. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization, or 2 years for a spouse of a Mexican citizen or a parent of Mexican children. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Permanent resident visa by family unity Other | When the link is to a permanent resident visa or card holder, the sponsor shows an average monthly bank or investment balance of 220 days of UMA over the last 12 months, MXN 25,808.20 at the 2026 UMA, or income above 220 days of UMA per month over the last 6 months. No solvency proof is listed for the parent of a Mexican child. | Not applicable | USD 56 consular visa fee (2026 SRE consular tariffs), plus the INM permanent resident card fee of MXN 13,578.96 (2026), subject to the 50 percent family unity reduction where the Ley Federal de Derechos applies it. | The consulate issues the visa within 10 business days after the consular interview, per the official SRE consulate guidance. | Permanent resident card with no expiry for qualifying family members. | Never renewed. Permanent residence is indefinite. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | Immediate for the family relationships listed. | 5 years of legal residence in total, or 2 years for a parent of Mexican children, before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Regularization of immigration status inside Mexico Other | No solvency threshold is published for the expired document path. Family unity regularization uses the family link instead. | Not applicable | The INM charges an application fee and a fine set in days of UMA, plus the fee for the document issued. The fine for 2026 was reported from the INM fee table as 20 to 100 days of UMA, MXN 2,346.20 to MXN 11,731.00 at the 2026 UMA. The exact regularization application fee for 2026 was not confirmed on an official page and is partly unknown. | The INM has a maximum of 30 calendar days to resolve a regularization application, per the official INM procedure sheets for regularization published in the Diario Oficial. | Regularization normally results in a temporary resident card, first issued for 1 year, or a visitor record, depending on the case approved by the INM. | The status granted is then renewed under the rules of that status, for example temporary residence up to 4 years total. | No day count. Under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, a person is a tax resident when they establish their home (casa habitacion) in Mexico. If they also keep a home abroad, they are a Mexican tax resident when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, which includes having more than 50 percent of total income from Mexican sources or their main center of professional activities in Mexico. | 4 years as a temporary resident after regularization, then the standard change to permanent resident. | 5 years of legal residence in total before applying for naturalization. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
| Points system for permanent residency (in law, not implemented) Other | Not in operation. No income requirement has ever been set for this system. | Not in operation. No investment requirement has ever been set for this system. | Not in operation. There is no application and no fee. | Not in operation. There is no application to file or decide. | Not in operation. No stay is granted under this system because it has never been implemented. | Not applicable. The system is not implemented. | Not in operation. Nobody can hold this status, so it triggers nothing. A person actually living in Mexico is tested under Article 9 of the Federal Fiscal Code, as set out in the other routes on this page. | Not in operation. The system was designed to lead to permanent residency but has never been implemented, so it grants nothing today. | Not in operation. The system grants no residence, so no time accrues toward naturalization under it. | 2026-10-15 | Official source |
Route notes
Temporary resident visa by economic solvency: This is the route most remote workers and early retirees use. Mexico has no digital nomad visa; people who work online for foreign employers or clients normally hold this status, which by itself does not authorize work for a Mexican employer. Solvency has been calculated in UMA since the visa guidelines published in the Diario Oficial on July 25, 2025 replaced the old minimum wage basis. The resident card fee drops by 50 percent when the stay is based on family unity, a job offer, or an institutional invitation, not for solvency applicants.
Temporary resident visa by family unity: Covers spouses and partners, parents, and minor children of Mexican citizens and of temporary or permanent residents, under Articles 55 and 56 of the Migration Law. The family member in Mexico must appear in person with the applicant at the consulate. A spouse of a Mexican citizen or of a permanent resident cannot receive a permanent resident visa directly; they hold temporary residence for 2 years and then change to permanent resident while the relationship continues. The resident card fee is reduced by 50 percent for family unity cases.
Temporary resident by job offer (INM authorized work visa): The employer starts the process at the INM in Mexico and receives a NUT (single procedure number); the worker then attends a consular interview abroad. This is the only ordinary route that authorizes work for a Mexican employer from day one. An existing temporary resident who later wants to work for a Mexican employer needs a separate INM work permit. The resident card fee is reduced by 50 percent for job offer cases.
Temporary resident by investment in a Mexican company: The investment must already be made and documented, for example by a share purchase contract or a company document certifying the amount contributed. There is no passive buy and hold program and no citizenship by investment program in Mexico.
Temporary resident by real estate ownership in Mexico: The property must already be owned and registered in the applicant's name when applying. Buying coastal or border property as a foreigner normally goes through a bank trust (fideicomiso), and how a trust-held property counts toward this threshold should be confirmed with the consulate before relying on it.
Student temporary resident visa: Applicants under 25 may prove solvency through a parent or guardian. Students do not get work rights automatically; paid activity requires a separate authorization from the INM.
Permanent resident visa for retirees and pensioners (direct at a consulate): This is the only direct to permanent route based on money, and it skips the 4 years of temporary residence. It requires actual retirement or pensioner status, not just savings from work. Permanent residents may work in Mexico without a separate work permit in most cases, with exceptions for activities reserved by law.
Change from temporary resident to permanent resident (after 4 years, at the INM): Filed inside Mexico on INM form INM-03-010-B. A separate retiree change inside Mexico exists on the same form, but the solvency wording on the official INM page still uses the retired minimum wage basis and conflicts with the UMA basis in the 2025 consular guidelines, so those in-country retiree amounts are recorded as unknown in the research note rather than guessed. Spouses of Mexican citizens or permanent residents use this same change after 2 years of temporary residence.
Permanent resident visa by family unity: Covers the parent of a Mexican child, minor children, and certain siblings of Mexican citizens and of permanent residents. A spouse or partner of a Mexican citizen or permanent resident is expressly excluded from this direct route and must hold temporary residence for 2 years first.
Regularization of immigration status inside Mexico: This is a standing INM procedure under the Migration Law, not a visa, and it applies only to people already in Mexico whose FMM or resident card expired or who did an activity their status did not allow. It is not a planned route for a new arrival, and this page does not coach overstaying: anyone already out of status should take advice on their own dates and documents. In its 2025 reporting, the SEGOB migration policy unit confirmed the INM runs regularization for family unity, humanitarian reasons, and expired documents or unauthorized activities on a permanent basis.
Points system for permanent residency (in law, not implemented): The Migration Law and the visa guidelines provide for a points system for permanent residency, with requirements to be set by an agreement published in the Diario Oficial. The official INM procedure page states plainly that this system has not been implemented, so it cannot be applied for. It is listed here so readers are not misled by sites that present it as an open program.