When we assist in obtaining residency status in Mexico, applicants often ask the question: will they then be able to acquire citizenship on the basis of this residence permit?
All residence permits, temporary or permanent, obtained on any basis, provide a path to Mexican citizenship. Everything except one: a temporary residence permit for study (on the resident’s card it says “Residente Temporal Estudiante”). But it can also be converted into regular temporary resident status, although with the loss of time as a resident.
After issuing a resident card for any reason other than study, the countdown begins before applying for citizenship. It is the basis for the residence permit, and not its type — temporary or permanent — determines how many years after you are eligible to apply for citizenship:
- parents at birth in Mexico — in 2 years,
- spouse by marriage to a Mexican citizen — in 2 years,
- by other relationship with a resident or citizen of Mexico — in 5 years,
- by invitation to work — in 5 years,
- by economic viability — in 5 years,
- for settlement on any basis — in 5 years,
- on refugee — in 5 years,
- on other grounds — in 5 years,
- for studies — never.
Citizens of Ibero-American countries (Spanish speaking) have the opportunity to apply for Mexican citizenship after 2 years of resident status obtained on any basis.
Children have the right to apply for Mexican citizenship after 1 year of resident status obtained on any basis, but not earlier than their parent receives such citizenship.
The starting point for the period before citizenship is the date of acquisition of a Mexican resident card, and if you already had a card, but you married a Mexican — date of notification of the migration service about this event.
After obtaining a resident card, all that remains is to wait until the deadline for applying for citizenship approaches. But at the same time, the temporary resident card must be renewed on time, and if it was issued due to marriage and you want to apply for citizenship after 2 years, the marriage must remain valid.
It is incorrect to assume that the prospect of applying for citizenship is somehow tied to permanent resident status. If the deadline has come, you have the right to apply for citizenship as a temporary resident, but most often technically by that time you are required to purchase a permanent resident card because your temporary residence has expired.
The actual time frame for obtaining Mexican citizenship will most often be longer than those indicated above. It is possible, you will have to purchase from the migration service confirmation of your departures and entries for the last 2 years, which can take a month. You may have to wait to adjust the total period of absence from Mexico for these 2 years. Currently, a letter of naturalization (confirmation of Mexican citizenship) is issued 8-12 months after submitting documentation and passing exams. Only after purchasing the letter will you be able to obtain a Mexican passport.