You have the right to purchase a visa to Mexico to study Spanish in the country. This will be a simple visa for a stay in Mexico of up to 180 days and without a work permit. In essence, this is the same state guest visa, but the basis for its issuance — short-term study in Mexico. For many Mexican consulates, this basis for issuing a visa looks more solid than just tourism.
You can only apply for a short-term study visa at the Mexican consulate that serves citizens of your country. How to choose a Mexican consulate to apply for a tourist visa, we described in thispublications. There are several key points when obtaining a study visa.
1.Confirmation of enrollment. You must first obtain confirmation from the educational institution that you are accepted for study, and only then apply for a visa. The confirmation must be only in the original, with a live signature of the representative on the letterhead of the educational institution (instead of wet stamps in Mexico, it is possible to use QR codes or an imprint of a digital signature). Consulates do not accept printed PDF files.
The educational institution must be part of the National Education System of Mexico. There is an opportunity to check thispage. Taking into account these standards, you must enroll in language courses at Mexican universities, and private language schools most likely will not be suitable.
The confirmation letter must contain:
- Your complete student,
- Description of the curriculum indicating the educational level,
- Course name, start and end dates,
- Tuition fee,
- Full name of the head and contact details of the school or university.
The educational institution will provide confirmation of enrollment in courses after payment. At the same time, remote payment for training courses is most often possible. Chance to be enrolled in studies before coming to Mexico — significant difference from a resident student visa. To purchase a student visa, you must first enter Mexico with a travel visa or electronic permit, pass entrance exams and enroll in a Mexican university, then leave the country and purchase a student visa at one of the Mexican consulates.
2.Confirmation of economic solvency. The consulate will ask you to confirm that you have funds to cover tuition, room and board while in Mexico. This may be:
- proof of income (salary, scholarship or proof of other after-tax income), OR
- an extract (not a certificate!) from a bank account about savings.
For current criteria for the minimum amount of income or savings when obtaining a guest visa to Mexico, seeHere. Documents must be from the most recent 3 months, with wet stamps. Consulates do not accept uncertified printouts of electronic bank statements. It is important to note that evidence of financial solvency cannot be combined: either proof of income or a bank account statement.
If you are under 25 years of age, one of your parents has the right to confirm your economic solvency by providing one of the documents in your name described above, and in addition to this:
- a certified copy of your birth certificate,
- sponsorship letter of commitment (in free form).
In addition, if studying in Mexico will be paid for by a financial institution or company, you can provide an original document from such an institution confirming that the student is able to count on the appropriate financing.
In addition, the package of papers for obtaining a visa to Mexico must contain other papers:
3. Application form with photo — we talked about how to fill it out correctly in thisarticle. It is better to bring the photo separately and paste it after checking the application form.
If the visa recipient is a minor, both parents must be present to sign the application form (there are appropriate fields on it). If only one parent is present, a notarized release (in Spanish or English) from the other parent must be offered. If a minor is obtaining a visa alone or with someone who is not considered their parent, a notarized document must be provided in which both parents authorize their child to obtain the visa.
4. A valid passport with a validity period of at least 6 months after the expiration of the visa you receive, in other words, at least another 1 year.
5. If you are applying for a visa in the country of your residence (not citizenship) — a document confirming your legal status in this country, for example, a resident card.
6. Confirmation of payment of the visa fee ($56, 2026). You can pay by card or cash at the consulate or using the details at one of the local banks — depends on the consulate.
Each document must be accompanied by one simple photocopy; for passport — photocopy of the photo spread. If the documents were not issued in the country of your citizenship, they must be certified with an apostille stamp and, if necessary, translated into Spanish.
Most Mexican consulates require an appointment to visit and apply for a visa. After the collapse of the Mexitel system, it is possible to sign up for a visit to the consulate either through the MiConsulado website, or through other electronic registration systems that some consulates create for themselves, or by calling or emailing a specific consulate. There is no need to register at some Mexican consulates, for example in Moscow, and there are no queues for submitting documentation; You are allowed to simply come and apply for a visa.
In most cases, the visa is affixed to the passport on the same day before lunch.
In addition to the visa in your passport, when entering Mexico you should also have:
- return ticket,
- booking accommodation, at least for the first time,
- confirmation of the purpose of the visit — in your case this is confirmation of enrollment,
- confirmation of financial solvency — you have already submitted such documents on your solvency to the consular department.
Read this onepublicationto know the key requirements for tourists when entering Mexico.
If you are interested in information about a student visa for a resident of Mexico, you can:here.