When obtaining a Mexican visa, both a simple (national guest) and a resident visa, the question of financial support for family members often arises. For example, if a wife and children who do not work and cannot provide a certificate from their place of work and a bank account statement receive a tourist visa, the head of the family should take over their financial support. If a resident visa based on financial solvency is obtained by one of the family members whose income allows them to obtain resident status in Mexico, other family members can also obtain resident visas. But the head of the family will also have to show the financial support of other members.
In this article, we will tell you how to calculate and how to arrange financial coverage for family members when obtaining a visa at Mexican consulates.
When receiving consular visas, family members are considered:
- husband and wife,
- their minor children under 18 years of age,
- guardian (trustee) and his minor ward.
The financial sponsor of one spouse can only be the other spouse, and the children — only their parents. In some cases, consulates allow sponsorship of other family members not listed above, however, sponsorship by non-relatives is not allowed. In addition, parents are able to sponsor a child who is going to study in Mexico on a student visa, if he is not over 25 years old.
Travel visa
Each family member who receives a simple Mexico visa must prove their financial support by showing the following documents:
- a certificate of employment with a salary of at least $1,434 per month, or
- certificate of scholarship not less than $847, and
- Bank account statement with a minimum balance of $4432 for the last 3 months.
The dollar amount of financial coverage shown is considered approximate. How it is considered, we told in thispublications. By following the link, you also have the opportunity to view the financial criteria for recipients of all types of non-immigrant visas in Mexico.
If one of the spouses is considered the sponsor of the other, the sponsor's financial support requirements increase: his account must have $1,434 more than the balance specified above.
Children have the right to obtain a visa to Mexico only if at least one of the parents receives or already has such a visa. Exception — trips to Mexico in organized groups. The amount of financial support for children is the same as for adults, regardless of age. That is, if, for example, the head of the family sponsors a wife and three children, he should earn and have five times more in his account than if he received a Mexican visa only for himself. Sometimes the consulate has the opportunity to make concessions and lower the standards for the amount of financial coverage if the children are very small. One way or another, this is an individual decision of the consul, and you should ask for a reduction in requirements in advance.
Family members must confirm their relationship with the following documents:
- marriage certificate — for spouses,
- birth certificate — for children.
The visa application does not indicate who is sponsoring whom. But some consulates ask for a free-form sponsorship letter: “I, (sponsor), personal information, residential address, father (of the sponsored person), personal information, undertake to cover the costs of food, accommodation, travel there and back, as well as medical expenses for the duration of your stay in Mexico (dates).”
Under any circumstances, the sponsor must be present when his family members submit papers to the consular department. Parents always sign their child's visa application in the presence of a consular officer.
For instructions on obtaining a travel visa to Mexico, seeHere.
Resident visa
Unlike a travel visa, when family members obtain a resident visa, the financial criteria for the main visa recipient are not doubled.
In particular, the recipient of a temporary residence permit in Mexico, based on financial solvency, should have a monthly income of $4,432 or bank savings of at least $74,687 — For more information about the criteria for obtaining a residence permit in Mexico based on economic viability, read herematerial. For each family member who receives a resident visa along with the primary beneficiary, the overall financial criteria increases by $1,434. That is, if resident status is based on a bank account balance, the minimum monthly balance must be higher by $1,434.
If the second spouse receives a resident visa, he can show his own income or savings in excess of $1434. If children receive — income or savings for each child can be shown either by the main recipient, or his spouse, or both. Accounts in different banks are allowed to be summed up, but income and savings cannot be mixed — or income or savings. If the condition for acquiring a resident visa from the main recipient was income, then only income will be assessed for all family members; if savings, then only savings will be assessed.
The main recipient and members of his family (whom Mexican immigration law calls “dependents”) are only able to apply for resident visas all together, in one package of papers.
We have described all the reasons for obtaining a resident visa and residence permit in MexicoHere.