When contacting the migration service to purchase a residence permit, illegal stay in Mexico is not considered an obstacle! Sometimes we hear horror stories that if a travel visa has expired, a residence permit will not be given, you need to leave and enter the country and only then apply for a residence permit. This is not true. If you have a reason to purchase a residence permit, you will be given a resident card without leaving, even if you are an illegal immigrant. If you do not have a reason to purchase a residence permit, you will not be given a resident card, even if you are legally in Mexico.
Let's say your travel visa or permitted period of stay has expired, and you are in Mexico illegally. But you have a reason to purchase a residence permit in Mexico. If there is no — invent or buy such a base. And if they tell you that it will be more expensive because you are an illegal immigrant, do not believe it, it does not cost more.
Then contact the immigration office to purchase a Mexican resident card on your basis. When you come to the migration service office, you will not be kicked out or detained because you are an illegal immigrant. Detention of illegal immigrants at the migration service office is expressly prohibited by law. You will also not feel any negative attitude towards yourself.
Since 2022, Mexico has been implementing the so-called Migration Resolution Program. According to its criteria, anyone who has already been to Mexico in 2023 or in previous years and who is now in Mexico illegally has the right to prepare a residence permit in Mexico. It is to be an illegal immigrant — one of the key conditions of the program. Many people specifically wait until their permitted period of stay expires, so that they can then contact the migration service.
When an illegal immigrant applies to the migration service to purchase a Mexican resident card, the migration service issuesfinefor violation of the migration regime and only then issues a card. The fine can range from 2,171 MXN (most often charged) to 10,857 MXN (2024). This is the only punishment that the migration service applies to illegal immigrants who apply to its offices. Payment of the fine acts as a kind of indulgence and releases the former illegal immigrant from any further liability. If they tell you that in addition to this fine, an illegal immigrant must pay something else in order to safely receive a resident card at the migration service office, do not believe him, he does not have to pay anything extra.
So, if you are illegal in Mexico, but you have grounds for obtaining a residence permit, do not be afraid of anything, go to the migration service and get a resident card.
If you are an illegal immigrant and do not intend to become a resident of Mexico, proceed with caution. In rare cases, during on-site migration checks you may be detained, as we talked about in thispublications.