Mexican Temporary Residency

[Fiscal]

It came to my attention several times that, relatively speaking, it does not seem to be all that difficult to obtain a temporary Mexican residence permit. Whether that is true remains to be seen but I have decided to start the process and see if I can manage to secure one.

My goal is to obtain multiple residence permits to create some more geopolitical security for myself. Unfortunately my nationality does not allow me to obtain dual nationality, but residence permits are very welcome. So you might see some more topics in the future but let's start with this one.

Over the past week I have looked into the matter to see how it all works. Spent some hours reading. The most important requirement is that you earn at least $4,000 (USD) per month and/or have $76,000 in assets. You can also opt for permanent residency by demonstrating that you are retired and earn a passive income, own real estate, or manage a Mexican company with sufficient capital (you will need to look up the exact amounts for this). An important caveat is that you are not allowed to work or set up a company in Mexico. However if you wish to do so it is possible through a separate process.

The required amounts have been steadily increasing over the past few years and I do expect it to become more difficult as the years go by. Therefore I have decided to take the plunge and try it as soon as possible.

Will I actually use the permit if I obtain one? I wouldn't be living there all year round, but I have been to Mexico City and Cancun and the surrounding region several times for a couple months at a time and I loved it. Obviously a bit touristic, but alas, I'm still somewhat young and ok with that. I think I will spend a few months there every now and then when I feel like it. Of course Mexico has more authentic places it and I'd still love to explore the rest of the country.

I am aware that Mexico is not a safe country everywhere. You must keep this in mind if you're starting this process for yourself. But on the other hand, do not let it scare you either. Behave politely, and do not flaunt your possessions or visit dangerous areas. I can only vouch for Cancun but I felt safe there and would even make long walks at night. And the people were friendly.

Regarding the process, I will use this topic to show how it works, what you need to do and how long everything takes.

I don't know how long I have to wait before I can get an appointment at the consulate. If you are American keep in mind that this can take many months because it is difficult to make an appointment due to the limited available slots. However it seems that you can 'shop around' and fly to another city for a faster appointment.

I am an EU passport holder myself and I still have hope that it will go fairly easily. The first bureaucratic hurdle presented itself when I tried to make an appointment online where I couldn't click on anything and couldn't submit the form. Fortunately, I found out quite quickly that the procedure at my embassy works just a little differently. will now have to gather documents which I will send at the end of next month. After that, according to the site I should be invited within 30 days.

The documents I need to submit:

- Completed VISA application form
- Motivation letter explaining why I want a residence permit
- Bank statements
- Copy of passport
- Everything translated into Spanish

Whether I get approval or not depends entirely on the consular officer but I actually can't imagine them rejecting me. If approved, a visa is stamped in your passport, which you must use within 6 months to enter Mexico. After that you have 30 days to make an appointment with the immigration services inside Mexico to complete the rest of the interview and obtain the plastic card. This is valid for 1 year and must be renewed every year. After 4 years, you receive permanent residence. You can use a fixer to smoothen this process. If you're lucky it takes one day to get your plastic card at the office but it can take several weeks.

I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[jafo]

It came to my attention several times that, relatively speaking, it does not seem to be all that difficult to obtain a temporary Mexican residence permit. Whether that is true remains to be seen but I have decided to start the process and see if I can manage to secure one.

My goal is to obtain multiple residence permits to create some more geopolitical security for myself. Unfortunately my nationality does not allow me to obtain dual nationality, but residence permits are very welcome. So you might see some more topics in the future but let's start with this one.

Over the past week I have looked into the matter to see how it all works. Spent some hours reading. The most important requirement is that you earn at least $4,000 (USD) per month and/or have $76,000 in assets. You can also opt for permanent residency by demonstrating that you are retired and earn a passive income, own real estate, or manage a Mexican company with sufficient capital (you will need to look up the exact amounts for this). An important caveat is that you are not allowed to work or set up a company in Mexico. However if you wish to do so it is possible through a separate process.

The required amounts have been steadily increasing over the past few years and I do expect it to become more difficult as the years go by. Therefore I have decided to take the plunge and try it as soon as possible.

Will I actually use the permit if I obtain one? I wouldn't be living there all year round, but I have been to Mexico City and Cancun and the surrounding region several times for a couple months at a time and I loved it. Obviously a bit touristic, but alas, I'm still somewhat young and ok with that. I think I will spend a few months there every now and then when I feel like it. Of course Mexico has more authentic places it and I'd still love to explore the rest of the country.

I am aware that Mexico is not a safe country everywhere. You must keep this in mind if you're starting this process for yourself. But on the other hand, do not let it scare you either. Behave politely, and do not flaunt your possessions or visit dangerous areas. I can only vouch for Cancun but I felt safe there and would even make long walks at night. And the people were friendly.

Regarding the process, I will use this topic to show how it works, what you need to do and how long everything takes.

I don't know how long I have to wait before I can get an appointment at the consulate. If you are American keep in mind that this can take many months because it is difficult to make an appointment due to the limited available slots. However it seems that you can 'shop around' and fly to another city for a faster appointment.

I am an EU passport holder myself and I still have hope that it will go fairly easily. The first bureaucratic hurdle presented itself when I tried to make an appointment online where I couldn't click on anything and couldn't submit the form. Fortunately, I found out quite quickly that the procedure at my embassy works just a little differently. will now have to gather documents which I will send at the end of next month. After that, according to the site I should be invited within 30 days.

The documents I need to submit:

- Completed VISA application form
- Motivation letter explaining why I want a residence permit
- Bank statements
- Copy of passport
- Everything translated into Spanish

Whether I get approval or not depends entirely on the consular officer but I actually can't imagine them rejecting me. If approved, a visa is stamped in your passport, which you must use within 6 months to enter Mexico. After that you have 30 days to make an appointment with the immigration services inside Mexico to complete the rest of the interview and obtain the plastic card. This is valid for 1 year and must be renewed every year. After 4 years, you receive permanent residence. You can use a fixer to smoothen this process. If you're lucky it takes one day to get your plastic card at the office but it can take several weeks.

I'll keep you guys posted.

This is SUPER interesting. Keep us updated, please.

PS. I have a few EU passports that won't allow double nationality, but since I had them since childhood (when these things were NOT scrutinized) I just keep renewing every 10 years. Obviously, I NEVER EVER disclose this to any of them, because we all know how b1tchy these political parasites are.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

It came to my attention several times that, relatively speaking, it does not seem to be all that difficult to obtain a temporary Mexican residence permit.

True! (From hearsay). There are other residence permits that are not difficult to obtain, do you already hold any?

My goal is to obtain multiple residence permits to create some more geopolitical security for myself.

Smart

Unfortunately my nationality does not allow me to obtain dual nationality,

Do you think your country would discover it? How?
Btw, Germany changed this rule in 2024. The other EU countries that don’t allow this (but all have exceptions) are Austria, Netherlands, Lithuania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, and Spain.

Will I actually use the permit if I obtain one? I wouldn't be living there all year round, but I have been to Mexico City and Cancun and the surrounding region several times for a couple months at a time and I loved it. Obviously a bit touristic, but alas, I'm still somewhat young and ok with that. I think I will spend a few months there every now and then when I feel like it. Of course Mexico has more authentic places it and I'd still love to explore the rest of the country.

One of the best ways to understand a country is to spend a few hours in the immigration offices 😬

I'll keep you guys posted

Thank you and enjoy the process!

 

[Fiscal]

This is SUPER interesting. Keep us updated, please.

PS. I have a few EU passports that won't allow double nationality, but since I had them since childhood (when these things were NOT scrutinized) I just keep renewing every 10 years. Obviously, I NEVER EVER disclose this to any of them, because we all know how b1tchy these political parasites are.

This is interesting, I need to look into this and see if I can just get away with it in the future. I was thinking there was some sort of exchange in systems but maybe that's not the case after all. Although residencies are not always ideal it's still something. Especially if it's permanent.

True! (From hearsay). There are other residence permits that are not difficult to obtain, do you already hold any?

Smart

Do you think your country would discover it? How?
Btw, Germany changed this rule in 2024. The other EU countries that don’t allow this (but all have exceptions) are Austria, Netherlands, Lithuania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, and Spain.

One of the best ways to understand a country is to spend a few hours in the immigration offices 😬

Thank you and enjoy the process!

Thank you. I expect it be a bit of a slow process but it takes no effort besides a visit to the consulate and Mexico itself (which I was planning regardless)

 

[Fiscal]

True! (From hearsay). There are other residence permits that are not difficult to obtain, do you already hold any?

Smart

Do you think your country would discover it? How?
Btw, Germany changed this rule in 2024. The other EU countries that don’t allow this (but all have exceptions) are Austria, Netherlands, Lithuania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, and Spain.

One of the best ways to understand a country is to spend a few hours in the immigration offices 😬

Thank you and enjoy the process!

At the moment, I have no other residencies. I moved to another EU country this year. Not ideal, because ideally I want to move out of the EUSSR. But it is a first step. Now I am going to start looking for other residencies. After Mexico, I want to look into Paraguay and/or Russia. I lived in Russia for a number of years, so I know my way around a bit. I used business visas and did visa runs that way: 3 months in, 1 day out, etc. I don't think that is still possible these days.

In the long term (next year or the year after), I also want to move out of the EU and acquire another nationality, if that works out.

It is no secret by the way; I have a Dutch passport. But I have no idea how strict the government is. It is a bit of a strange system they use. Dutch people are supposedly not allowed to acquire another nationality but someone born with another nationality does not have to renounce it.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

This is interesting, I need to look into this and see if I can just get away with it in the future. I was thinking there was some sort of exchange in systems but maybe that's not the case after all.

Not at all, at least for now.

Thank you. I expect it be a bit of a slow process but it takes no effort besides a visit to the consulate and Mexico itself (which I was planning regardless)

Are you using a local lawyer/fixer?

 

[Fiscal]

Not at all, at least for now.

Are you using a local lawyer/fixer?

I see many expats speaking highly of GP Expat Services | Immigration & Residency Services in Mexico - GP Expat Services. They charge only $250 USD for guiding the entire process. They also schedule an appointment at the immigration office which is convenient because it can be a bit of a pain in the ass to do so. I am going to give them a try and will let you all know how it goes. Unfortunately, they do not have an office in Mexico City, where I originally wanted to have it done, but I think I will go to Puerto Vallarta to have it done.

I need a fixer anyway. The only obstacle is actually having a document that proves you're living at a local address. But it is an useless formality. I don't have one and they can easily arrange that.

The expected waiting time is about 2 months before I can go to the consulate. So I'm hoping to be able to fly there by the end of the year. I might possibly fly on to Paraguay afterwards if I am in South America anyway.

 

[JohnnyDoe]

I see many expats speaking highly of GP Expat Services | Immigration & Residency Services in Mexico - GP Expat Services. They charge only $250 USD for guiding the entire process.

When the fee is too cheap, something must be wrong. $250 doesn’t sound right.
I would expect to pay $2500 for an all inclusive service that makes me save time and avoid long lines.
If something doesn’t work when you are there and you are forced to extend your stay or plan another visit, the problem can cost you way more than $2500.

 

[Fiscal]

When the fee is too cheap, something must be wrong. $250 doesn’t sound right.
I would expect to pay $2500 for an all inclusive service that makes me save time and avoid long lines.
If something doesn’t work when you are there and you are forced to extend your stay or plan another visit, the problem can cost you way more than $2500.

It's not a very difficult or extensive process. You make an appointment, show up, fill in some paperwork and answer some questions. Receive your card. Takes an afternoon. It's useful if your. Spanish is not good enough to communicate with officials and to bring someone with you. 250 seems ok for this process alone. Albeit on the cheaper side. But like you say if this doesn't work the way it should they probably won't help or charge more to solve. Therefore better to shell out some more money, I agree. Haven't thought about it that way before. And to be honest I'm prepared for the worst. Things can and will take longer in countries like this.

I haven't looked into other options which I will definitely do. I just saw several different people praising their services. I'd still prefer a personal fixer and will probably try to find one that way. When I arrive I don't want to spend weeks there dealing with this process. Thing is, I don't have the time to do so. Ideally just one week to get everything arranged. Probably an attorney is a better option for all of this. I'll post info of what services I've used when I get to that point

 

[JohnnyDoe]

It's not a very difficult or extensive process. You make an appointment, show up, fill in some paperwork and answer some questions. Receive your card. Takes an afternoon. It's useful if your. Spanish is not good enough to communicate with officials and to bring someone with you. 250 seems ok for this process alone. Albeit on the cheaper side. But like you say if this doesn't work the way it should they probably won't help or charge more to solve. Therefore better to shell out some more money, I agree. Haven't thought about it that way before. And to be honest I'm prepared for the worst. Things can and will take longer in countries like this.

I haven't looked into other options which I will definitely do. I just saw several different people praising their services. I'd still prefer a personal fixer and will probably try to find one that way. When I arrive I don't want to spend weeks there dealing with this process. Thing is, I don't have the time to do so. Ideally just one week to get everything arranged. Probably an attorney is a better option for all of this. I'll post info of what services I've used when I get to that point

It's always better to have someone who can really take care of you from start to end. On paper, everything is simple. Then you show up at the immigracion and the circus begins.
You need people with inside contacts who can expedite things and quickly fix any problem. Because there will be problems, always: it can be a stamp, a form, whatever minor becomes a huge issues - because that's what bureaucracy exists for.
For example, I'm sure that without @GuaraniGhost 's assistance, I would never have been able to complete the PY residence application process in less than 24 hours. It would probably have taken me days or weeks, as it happened to other applicants who hired someone cheaper or tried the DIY route.