Mexico shifts Temporary Resident income floor to $4,400 per month

Mexico's UMA-based residency math

Mexico's consulates now calculate Temporary Resident financial solvency using the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA) index instead of the Mexico City minimum wage, a shift Mexico's foreign ministry instructed in July 2025 and consulates broadly adopted through late 2025 and into 2026.

The 2026 UMA value, published Jan. 8, sits at 117.31 pesos per day. Applied to the standard formulas, that puts the income route at 680 × UMA per month and the savings route at 11,460 × UMA average balance. In dollar terms, single applicants need roughly $4,400 per month in net income over the past six months or about $74,000 in savings averaged across the last 12 months.

The UMA peg actually softens the threshold compared with earlier minimum-wage projections, which had pointed toward $5,000 to $5,100 a month.

Who feels the change

The Temporary Resident visa covers stays beyond 180 days and up to four years, making it the default route for retirees, expats and remote workers. Mexico has no dedicated digital nomad visa, so remote workers typically qualify under the economic solvency rules by documenting foreign-employer or client income.

Tourists entering visa-exempt for up to 180 days aren't affected. Travelers cycling through repeated tourist entries who want to formalize a longer stay will hit the new UMA thresholds.

Families add cost. Each dependent adds 220 × UMA to the monthly income requirement, roughly $1,400 to $1,450 more per month per person.

What applicants need to file

The process starts at a Mexican consulate outside Mexico. Core documents include:

• Valid passport with at least six months remaining, plus a photocopy
• Completed visa application form
• Bank statements stamped by the bank or electronically verifiable, covering six months for income or 12 months for savings
• Pension award letters for retirees, alongside statements

Some consulates still request 12 months of income statements rather than six. Applicants pay the consular visa fee at the interview. Approved visas allow entry to Mexico within roughly 180 days, after which holders have 30 days to exchange the visa for a resident card at the National Migration Institute.

Read our full Mexico guide for the complete picture.