Toying with the idea of leaving the U.S. and wondering about getting long term visas for Mexico? You are not alone! With more people working from home than ever, plus the general chaos of the world, more and more U.S. citizens are seeking a better life down in Mexico!
I’ve personally been living in Mexico for a total of 5 months now, and while I don’t have plans to stay permanently once travel picks back up, I went ahead and researched the options for residency, just in case.
In this post, I will explain the three main ways for getting long term visas for Mexico, that don’t include the easy ways…like finding a random Mexican citizen to marry!
Before making a decision to move or travel to Mexico, please see my post on Mexico Safety! And be sure to read my guides for Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Sayulita, to help decide where you want to live in Mexico!
Compared to other countries, like the ones in Europe, I’d say yes! And not to mention, compared to foreigners trying to get U.S. residency, it’s a hell-a-lot easier!
It mostly requires a bunch of paperwork (now would be a good time to practice your Spanish or ask a friend for a favor because the forms are all in Spanish). Proving you make money on your own and won’t be taking away from the Mexican citizens’ job opportunities, and getting some headshots. Oh and you need to start it all in the US, and finish it in Mexico. This is just for the two residency visas though, you can also just straight up go to Mexico for 6 months just by showing up.
I’ll get to that one first!
If you’re like me, and by “moving to Mexico” you really mean, going for a few months, then this visa is for you! Every person who travels to Mexico automatically gets a free 6 month visa upon arrival!
It’s one of the longest free passports in the World, which is likely why there’s so many digital nomads, snow birds, and travelers here!
It also technically restarts whenever you leave and re-enter the country, which a lot of expats have taken advantage of. For example, instead of paying or going through the paperwork to legally live in Mexico longer than 6 months, they just leave the country right before 6 months, and come back a few days later, then voila, another 6 months. But that’s technically called “visa running” and the Mexican gov is starting to crack down on it, so I wouldn’t suggest trying it!
But if you’re not planning on staying longer than 6 months, simply just show up with your passport, and enjoy 180 days in paradise!
The “temporary resident visas for Mexico” are for people who plan on staying longer than 6 months, but less than 4 years. However if they decide to stay after 4 years, they can then easily apply for permanent residency. AKA this is probably the best option if you want to move-move to Mexico!
To get Temporary Resident Visas for Mexico you must:
Temporary Residents can:
Temporary Residents cannot:
If you’ve fallen in love with the charm, beauty, and energetic vibe of Mexico, and want to make it your permanent home, you’ll want to apply for the permanent resident visas for Mexico.
The process is exactly the same as above, with these two exceptions:
Permanent Residents Have:
Permanent Residents cannot:
For a super intense complete guide to long term visas in Mexico, check out their government guide!
Resources used for this post aside from my friends who live in Mexico are: Internationalliving.com, YucatanExpatriateServices, and the official Mexican Government website.
If you found this post useful, please share it on social media! And be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok (@mylifesatravelmovie) for more tips about moving, living, and traveling abroad!
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Sound very interesting..excellent t information..I am so jealous ...in a good way...that I am not in Mexico right now.. I have been to Cancun and loved it.. Enjoy your time there and forget the stress of this world..My airport is locked since March 2020. Even if I wanted to travel I cannot. All so depressing...Enjoy for all of us and be safe!
Excellent information..covidor the so-called pandemic has the world upside down.. good to get some info on alternatives to what we going through. Thanks