Those who first came to Mexico as a guest of the state and lived here for some time often ask how to stay and legalize in this beautiful country? We have written more than once about the opportunities that Mexican legislation opens up for immigrants. But one of the most frequently asked questions — how to obtain residency status without leaving Mexico.
Let us remind you that to purchase any residence permit in Mexico you must have a reason. Based on this reason, you have the right to apply for one or another resident status (temporary or permanent).
The reason must be clear and documented. «I want to find a job in Mexico and stay here», «I want to open my own business and obtain resident status»… But your desire — this is not yet a reason for you to be given residency status. First, find a company that hires foreigners and will issue you an invitation to work. Open your own enterprise, hire a local director, an accountant and three more employees, work for at least three months, submit reports to the tax authority, obtain permission from the migration service to hire foreigners, and only then will your enterprise be able to offer you, even the owner, an invitation to work in Mexico.
As you understand, «reason» — this is a stack of papers on the basis of which you can begin the process of obtaining a residence permit. In most cases, you need to collect this stack of papers yourself or get it from someone in Mexico. And in most cases, you should begin the process of obtaining a residence permit outside of Mexico. But in some cases this is allowed to be done without leaving the country.
Here are the main reasons for obtaining a residence permit in Mexico. For each, we will tell you where you need to start the immigration process.
Without leaving Mexico, resident status can be obtained for the following reasons:
- Family connections:
- birth of a childin Mexico — parents, minor brothers/sisters, and also grandparents can acquire permanent resident status,
- marriagewith a citizen or resident of Mexico — the spouse is able to obtain temporary resident status,
- close relative— if a child, parent, minor brother/sister, grandmother/grandfather, grandson/granddaughter — a citizen or permanent resident of Mexico is allowed to acquire permanent residence.
- Pensioner, with a monthly income of at least $6,800 or savings of at least $272,000, has the opportunity to obtain permanent residence.
- Refugeehas the opportunity to establish permanent resident status.
Please note. A grandparent or grandchild of a citizen or permanent resident of Mexico is able to obtain permanent residence only if the intermediate — parents — also have citizenship or permanent resident status. However, parents can transfer the right to resident status only to their minor children.
In all other cases, the process of acquiring a residence permit can only beginoutside Mexico. In other words, you should leave the country, there is no other way. Let us recall these cases:
- Family connections:
- close relative (child, parent, grandparent, grandchild) — temporary resident of Mexico. The same remark applies here as in the previous case with relatives applying for permanent residence.
- Invitationto work
- Economicwealth:
- Monthly income of at least $4,430 after taxes,
- Savings of at least $74,700,
- Owning real estate in Mexico worth at least $598,000,
- Owning shares in a Mexican public company worth at least $299,000.
For current requirements for economic viability for obtaining a residence permit in Mexico, see thispublications.
- Study in Mexico
- Point system (for especially valuable employees, outstanding figures in science, culture, sports, etc.) — (temporarily not applicable)
In all such cases, you have the right to create only a temporary residence.
Mexican law does not provide for any other reasons for obtaining a temporary or permanent residence permit (although there are still settlement procedures), and each of them has its own specifics and restrictions. In addition, Mexican citizenship cannot be acquired except by birth or by naturalization after purchasing a residence permit.
If your reason involves the prospect of acquiring a non-residence permit,without leaving Mexico, you need to collect the necessary documents and contact one ofofficesNational Institute for Migration (INM) at your place of residence. The procedure is described in the links above.
If you requireleave Mexico, then you need to follow this scheme:
- prepare a resident visa at any Mexican consulate abroad,
- enter Mexico with this visa within 180 days,
- within 30 days, submit documentation for purchasing a residence permit to the INM office.
Note that it is indeed permitted to begin the process of obtaining a residence permit at any consulate of the country abroad. For example, many from Cancun to obtain a so-called «work visa» fly to Guatemala, Costa Rica or Colombia, that is, to the nearest visa-free countries. However, it is clear that it is still easier to submit documents in your own country. Moreover, in this case there is often no need to apostille them.