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you will find online may be outdated.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.
*
**
***
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.
*
**
***
*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.
*
**
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.
*
**
*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.
