Mexico Temporary Resident Visa

Mexico has no dedicated digital nomad visa. Remote workers who want to stay longer than a visitor can usually apply for the temporary resident visa on economic solvency grounds: proof of steady income or savings, set in the country's inflation-indexed unit, the UMA.

• Status: active, under the visa Lineamientos in force since Aug. 9, 2025
• Income route: MX$79,770.80 a month over the last six months
• Savings route: an average monthly balance of MX$1,344,372.60 over the last 12 months
• Consular fee: MX$990.79, charged in local currency
• Stay: more than 180 days and up to 4 years in total

It is a two-step process: a visa from a Mexican consulate abroad, then a resident card from the National Migration Institute (INM) inside Mexico. The Mexico guide covers costs, taxes and where to live.

The Lineamientos for consular visas accept economic solvency in either of two forms:

• Income: monthly income from employment or a pension, net of tax, above 680 days of UMA in each of the last six months. At the 2026 UMA of MX$117.31 a day, that is MX$79,770.80 a month.
• Savings or investments: an average monthly balance of 11,460 days of UMA over the last 12 months, or MX$1,344,372.60 in 2026.

The UMA is updated every Feb. 1, so both figures move each year. Consulates convert them into local currency, which is why dollar amounts differ from one consulate to another.

Family members allowed: Yes. A spouse or partner, minor children and parents can come under family unity. The Lineamientos ask the main applicant to show extra solvency of 220 days of UMA for each family member, MX$25,808.20 a month in 2026, as income or as an average balance.

Local work allowed: No. Solvency-based residents need a separate INM work permit tied to a Mexican job offer. Mexican law does not regulate remote work for foreign employers, so it is neither expressly allowed nor banned.

Under the Lineamientos, the consulate asks for:

• A valid passport, in original
• Proof of legal stay in the country of application, for applicants who are not its nationals
• Solvency evidence: bank or investment statements for the last 12 months, or proof of employment or pension income for the last six months
• For family members: marriage, partnership or birth certificates, plus solvency for each person

Consulates add their own practical requirements, such as the application form, a passport photo, apostilles and translations. Some also convert the UMA amounts into their own currency or ask for extra documents. The checklist of the consulate that holds jurisdiction is the one to follow.

• Consular visa fee: MX$990.79 under the Ley Federal de Derechos, charged in the consulate's local currency. It is not refunded after a refusal.
• INM resident card, up to one year: MX$11,140.74 since Jan. 1, 2026. Cards valid for two to four years cost more under the same article of the law.
• Renewals: each renewal pays the card fee for the new length.

The card fees for 2026 roughly doubled after the Nov. 7, 2025 reform of the Ley Federal de Derechos, so older budgets understate them. Apostilles, translations, insurance and any legal help are private costs on top.

Where to apply: In person at a Mexican consulate abroad; then, within 30 days of entry, exchange the visa for the resident card at an INM office in Mexico.

1. Book an appointment at the Mexican consulate for the place of residence.
2. Attend the interview with the full file and pay the consular fee.
3. Wait for the decision. The Lineamientos set a maximum of 10 days, counted as business days from the interview with a complete file.
4. Enter Mexico on the visa, which is valid for 180 days and one entry.
5. Within 30 days of entry, go to an INM office to exchange the visa for a temporary resident card and pay the card fee.

Applying from inside Mexico as a visitor is not possible on solvency grounds.

• Visa: 180 days for one entry.
• Resident card: more than 180 days and up to 4 years in total under art. 52 of the Ley de Migración.
• Renewal: Card renewed with INM before expiry, for 1 to 3 more years, up to 4 years in total; each renewal pays the card fee for its length.

Longer term: Permanent residence after 4 years as a temporary resident. Retirees with a qualifying pension can apply directly for permanent residence instead.

No official source fixes the length of the first card; INM decides it when the visa is exchanged.

Temporary residence does not decide tax residence. Art. 9 of the Código Fiscal de la Federación sets the test. No day-count test: residence is having a home in Mexico, and if there is also a home abroad, having the center of vital interests in Mexico (over 50% of income from Mexican sources or main professional activity in Mexico).

Tax residents are taxed on worldwide income under the Income Tax Law, and Mexico's tax treaties can change the outcome for people with homes in two countries. No official source states how remote income of temporary residents is treated, so anyone basing themselves in Mexico should get advice on their own case before the move.