Moving to Mexico..Which Visa is right for you?

As we prepared for our move to Mexico, the first question to answer was what type of visa or permit to apply for. Having read numerous horror stories about the trials and tribulations associated with this process, we wanted to make sure we both made the right choice the first time, and made the process as painless as possible. Having now waded through the entire process from beginning to end, I will attempt to put together a guide to help simplify the process for those of you who may wish to follow us! I will start with the types of visas and permits that are available so that you may decide how to proceed.

There are two types of visas and one type of travel permit available to US Citizens who wish to either travel or reside in Mexico. The immigration process was significantly revised in 2013, so some of the information you will find online may be outdated. The information I am providing is current as of January 2017, but should be confirmed prior to making application, as requirements can vary from one Consulate office to another, and are sometimes subject to change without notice! No matter which type of visa or permit you apply for, you will need a current Passport or Passport Card.

The first and most painless type of permit is issued to tourists entering the country for stays of 180 days or less. These tourist permits are usually included in the price of your airfare, and you simply fill out the form on the plane if available, or at Customs when you arrive. (If you are entering the country by automobile, you will need to get your tourist permit at the border crossing. I suggest you check online for the latest instructions). As this post will deal primarily with applying for residency visas, I will not elaborate on tourist permit, but needless to say they are easy to obtain but are only good for 180 days. However, many people who reside in Mexico part time, some of them who have been doing so for many years, rely on the tourist permit as a simple way to gain entry to the country. If they are not planning to stay more than 180 days anyway, this can work well for them. In addition, if you do wish to stay for longer periods but do not want to apply for a Temporary or Permanent visa, generally, all that is required to renew the tourist permit is to simply leave the country and then reenter on a new permit. This can be done at a border crossing or by flying back to the US and returning. As many people will be returning home periodically anyway, this is often not an inconvenience. Be aware however that this method is one that could be subject to restrictions at any time, so make sure you pay attention to the current rules and do not overstay your permit!

Next, you may wish to apply for a Temporary Residency Visa. This works well for people who are perhaps still testing the waters as to living full time in Mexico, or who may not qualify financially as a Permanent resident. Both types of visas have nearly the same application process, but different financial requirements. Temporary visas are issued for periods of one year, and can be renewed without leaving the country for up to four years. At that time, you must decide to either apply for a Permanent visa, or return to the US. The main disadvantage to this type of visa is you will have to reapply each year, and pay a higher fee over the four year period than you would for a Permanent visa. If you qualify, and believe that you will be living in Mexico on a full time basis permanently, you may wish to do as we did and apply for a Permanent visa immediately.

When applying for either Temporary Residency or Permanent Residency you will need the following:

The requirements for a Temporary Residency Visa as of this writing are as follows:

You will need to provide Proof of Solvency. There are two ways you can do this:

Investments (401K, Retirement accounts, etc.) or bank accounts equal to 5,000 times the current daily minimum wage in Mexico City.  Current 2017 rate is 80.04 MXN per day. This is adjusted annually by the Government. At the current exchange rate, this amounts to approximately $20,000 USD, but will fluctuate depending on the Government set minimum wage, current exchange rates and individual Consulate requirements.

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You will need to provide two copies (one must be an original provided by your bank or investment company) showing a monthly balance equal to or greater than the requirements for the last 12 months.

OR

One original and a copy of documents showing a Pension and/or Social Security income with a monthly amount free of liens amounting to 300 times the current daily minimum wage for the previous six months. At the 2017 rates this is approximately $1200 USD monthly.

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*Note-Each consulate office has leeway and may have different requirements. Check with your local Consulate before you apply.

**Note-You are not allowed to work in Mexico on a Temporary Visa without a work permit.

***Note-You are allowed to drive a US licensed vehicle in Mexico on a Temporary Visa with the proper permits

Finally, if you can qualify, you may apply for a Permanent visa. Generally speaking, a Permanent Residency Visa is only available to applicants that qualify as retired or are making a substantial business investment in Mexico. The Consulate may require further documentation of your retirement status. This type of visa allows you to reside in Mexico full-time without major restrictions, and grants you most of the rights and benefits of a Mexican citizen other than the right to vote. These rights and benefits include access to low-cost health care and senior discounts on a variety of services.  This type of visa has the strictest financial requirements and is most frequently used by those who are retiring. It is relatively easy to figure out if you will qualify, and if you believe you will be moving to Mexico on a full-time basis permanently, this type of visa will probably make the most sense. Once you have received it, you will not need to deal with immigration again other then to notify them of your new address in the case of a move. You will also be issued a card that will allow you to enter the country without going through the more stringent customs and entry procedures a tourist will encounter. As most of you reading this are probably looking at retiring in Mexico, most of this information is related to retirement. For more information on other qualifying circumstances, please read this guide.

The requirements for a Permanent Residency Visa as of this writing are as follows:

You will need to provide Proof of Solvency. There are two ways you can do this.

Investments (401K, Retirement accounts, etc.) or bank accounts equal to 20,000 times the current daily minimum wage in Mexico City.  Current 2017 rate is 80.04 MXN per day. This is adjusted annually by the Government. At the current exchange rate, this amounts to approximately $80,000 USD, but will fluctuate depending on the Government set minimum wage, current exchange rates, and individual Consulate requirements.

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You will need to provide two copies (one must be an original provided by your bank or investment company) showing a monthly balance equal to or greater than the requirements for the last 12 months.

OR

One original and a copy of documents showing a Pension and/or Social Security income with a monthly amount free of liens amounting to 500 times the current daily minimum wage for the previous six months. At the 2017 rates this is approximately $2000 USD monthly.

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*Note-Each consulate office has leeway and may have different requirements. Check with your local Consulate before you apply.

**Note-You are not allowed to drive a US licensed vehicle on a Permanent Visa without first nationalizing the car. This is costly, and not all vehicles will qualify.

By reviewing the types of visas and their requirements, you should be able to determine the visa that will work best for you. Once you have decided on what you will apply for, it is time to begin the application process. In my next post, I will discuss the entire process and how to avoid the pitfalls and delays that some people have experienced.