Which procedure to choose when filling out an application on the migration website...

Most of the requests that visitors make to the National Institute of Migration of Mexico (INM) require that they first fill out an electronic application for conducting stages (tramite) on the website of the migration service. In this case, you need to indicate exactly what procedure you want to carry out by selecting the name of this procedure from the drop-down lists. In this publication we will tell you what the names of the procedures in these lists mean and which procedure you need to choose in which case.

All applications for migration procedures on the INM website are filled out on thispage. You do not have the right to fill out the application by hand, but you should do this on the INM website.

Selecting the type of procedure for the Mexico Migration Service — Selecting the type of procedure of the Mexican Migration Service

The type and subtype of the migration process should be selected in the drop-down lists in the first blockTipo de trámite. The migration service itself, when it issues instructions for preparing documentation, usually indicates which type of process to choose. When we describe any procedure on our website, we also indicate which type of steps to choose. You yourself are able to understand the meaning of what type of stages to choose, however, this choice is not always obvious. Therefore, take advantage of the recommendations in this publication.

In the first drop-down list ¿Qué deseas hacer? — 7 types of migration procedures, and each of them corresponds to several subtypes in the second Especifica drop-down list.

Extender la estancia

Select this option if you need to renew your legal status in Mexico as a temporary visitor, temporary resident, or permanent resident of Mexico. This does not apply to regular visiting countries, for whom the period of stay in Mexico cannot be extended.

Expedición de Tarjeta de Residente por Renovación— you are going to purchase a temporary resident card or a child’s permanent resident card for a new period due to the expiration of the current card.

Expedición de Tarjeta de Visitante por Ampliación— you are about to obtain a new visitor's card for humanitarian reasons due to the expiration of the current card, without a final decision on granting refugee status by the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR).

Cambiar condición de estancia

Select this option if you:

a traveler but intending to become a humanitarian visitor or a resident of Mexico, a humanitarian visitor but intending to become a resident of Mexico, a temporary resident of Mexico but intending to become a permanent resident of Mexico, AND you have circumstances that allow you to acquire or change your immigration status in Mexico. Cambio de condición a residente permanente por unidad familiar ᙙ You are about to receive a Mexican permanent resident card for the first time because: you gave birth to a child in Mexico (for parents of a child ᅹ a Mexican citizen), you are the parent of a permanent resident or a Mexican citizen of any age, you are a minor child of a permanent resident or a Mexican citizen, you are a child or grandchild of a Mexican citizen by birth, you have been 2…

Information in this block is available to registered users. Registration is simple and free.Entrance

Canjear o reponer documento migratorio

Various requirements for purchasing a resident card, for the first time or to replace a lost one.

Canje de FMM por Tarjeta de Visitante o de Residente— you received a temporary or permanent resident visa from the Mexican consulate and came to Mexico to exchange (canje) this visa for a resident card.

Reposición de documento migratorio por pérdida, robo o deterioro— you want to obtain a Mexican resident card to replace a lost, stolen or damaged one.

Expedición de Tarjeta de Residente cuando se otorga la condición por acuerdo— You are an employee of a diplomatic or other foreign government mission in Mexican territory and you want to extend your stay in Mexico while or after you finish working for that organization. This is the so-called residence by agreement, which gives permission to work.

Obtener permiso para trabajar

Select this option if your request is for a permit to work in Mexico.

Obtener permiso para trabajar con empleador— you want to obtain a work permit as an employee.

Obtener permiso para trabajar (actividades independientes / autoempleo)— you want to purchase a work permit as a self-employed person.

These points differ only in the list of documents that must be submitted to the migration service to obtain a work permit. Having received a work permit on any basis, you can work both as an employee and as a self-employed person.

Notificar cambios (residentes temporales y permanentes)

You are obliged to notify the migration service of any event described below. This applies to both temporary and permanent residents of Mexico.

Notificación de cambio de lugar de trabajo— you changed your job. Formally, you are required to notify, even if you have moved from one office to another of the same company.

Notificación de cambio de domicilio— you have changed your home address.

Notificación de cambio de nacionalidad— you changed (renounced or received a new) nationality.

How to purchase a Mexican resident card for another citizenship, we described in thismaterial.

Notificación de cambio de estado civil— you changed your marital status, that is, you registered a marriage, got divorced, or became a widower or widower.

Notificación de cambio de nombre— you changed your first or last name.

Regularizar situación migratoria

All issues related to the settlement of the migration situation, in particular, the transition from illegal to legal migration status or from one basis for obtaining a residence permit to another. To settle, in other words to obtain visitor or resident status, you must have a basis. During the coronavirus epidemic, the settlement was used to extend «travel visa» (permitted period of stay in Mexico) is not currently applicable.

Regularización por unidad familiar— acquisition of resident status through kinship and family ties. This clause applies when you need to first regulate the migration situation, and then use the Cambio de condición a residente (…) por unidad familiar clause.

Regularización por razones humanitarias— registration of visitor status for humanitarian reasons. This paragraph is practically not applied, since it duplicates the paragraphs of the Cambio de condición a visitante por razones humanitarias (…).

Regularización por tener documento vencido o por realizar actividades no autorizadas— if your authorized stay in Mexico as a tourist has expired, your visitor or resident card has expired, or you are caught engaging in commercial activities without permission to work in Mexico. In addition, select this option if you are going to receive a temporary resident card under the settlement program.

Obtener permiso de salida y regreso

Select this option if you already have an open procedure with the Mexican Migration Service, but want to obtain permission to leave the state for a period of 60 days. Since now a resident card in most migration service offices is issued in 1 day, this point is used in very specific cases, for example, the migration service conducts a lengthy check of your papers, and during this time you need to leave.

If you have already filled out an application for a migration procedure, but then discovered that you incorrectly indicated the type of such procedure (selected the wrong items from the drop-down lists), cancel this application and then create a new one.

Which procedure to choose when filling out an application on the Mexico Migration Service website