Moving to Mexico from the US: which visa or residence route fits

A US passport gets you into Mexico as a visitor without a visa, but a visitor stay is not residence. If you plan to live in Mexico for more than 180 days, the Mexican government expects you to hold a resident status, and for most Americans that process starts at a Mexican consulate in the United States, not in Mexico.

This guide compares the three routes Americans use most: temporary residence based on economic solvency, permanent residence for retirees and pensioners, and residence tied to a job offer from a Mexican employer. Thresholds below come from the 2026 requirement sheets published by Mexican consulates in Washington, DC and San Diego. Each consulate converts the federal formula into its own figures, so always print the sheet from the consulate that serves your state.

The two residence categories

Mexico's Foreign Ministry (SRE) describes two resident visas:

• Temporary residence (residente temporal) is for people who intend to stay more than 180 days and less than four years.
• Permanent residence (residente permanente) is for people who intend to stay indefinitely. SRE lists retirees and pensioners, and certain family ties to a Mexican or to a permanent resident, as the grounds.

The SRE page for the temporary visa lists the accepted grounds: economic solvency, scientific research in Mexican waters, a letter of responsibility, family ties to a Mexican or to a temporary resident, owning real estate in Mexico, investments in Mexico, or an international mobility agreement. For most Americans without Mexican family, the realistic grounds are economic solvency or, for permanent residence, retirement.

Route 1: temporary residence by economic solvency

This is the route most working-age Americans and early retirees use. You prove that you can support yourself from income or savings, either:

• with bank or investment statements showing a minimum monthly balance over the previous 12 months, or
• with proof of employment or pension income above a monthly minimum over the previous six months.

The 2026 figures on two consulate sheets:

• Washington, DC: a monthly balance of at least 1,394,000 Mexican pesos over 12 months, or net monthly income of at least 83,640 pesos over six months. The consulate says amounts are calculated in pesos at the official exchange rate on the day of your appointment.
• San Diego: a minimum monthly balance of at least 75,950 US dollars over 12 months, or income of at least 4,510 US dollars a month from employment or pension over six months.

The SRE page states that this visa allows you to work in Mexico as long as your salary is paid from abroad. That is why remote workers for US companies use it. San Diego asks employees using the income option for a signed letter on company letterhead stating your position, salary and the employer's explicit agreement that you will live in Mexico and work remotely. For the detailed document list, see Mexico temporary residency by economic solvency.

Route 2: permanent residence for retirees

The permanent resident visa skips the four years of temporary status, but the bar is higher. The Washington consulate's 2026 sheet is titled "officially retired or 62+ years old" and asks for proof of official retirement only if the applicant is younger than 62. The solvency options:

• Washington, DC: a monthly balance of at least 5,576,000 pesos over the previous 12 months, or a pension paying at least 139,400 pesos a month after taxes over the previous six months, with your retirement letter and the bank statements showing the deposits.
• San Diego: a minimum monthly balance of at least 303,880 US dollars over 12 months, or pension income of at least 7,560 US dollars a month over six months.

The Denver consulate's requirement sheet adds a practical detail for Social Security recipients: if your monthly income is a Social Security pension, bring a document from the Social Security Administration stating the exact amount you receive. The same sheet notes that the letter of intent you submit should state your address in Mexico, how long you plan to stay, and that you understand you may not work in Mexico on this visa.

Route 3: a job offer from a Mexican employer

If a company in Mexico will hire and pay you in Mexico, the process starts with the employer, not with you. SRE states that when a foreign national has a job offer and receives a salary in Mexico, the company or individual employer must request the visa authorization directly from Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM). The Denver consulate explains the sequence: once INM approves, you receive an official letter with a pre-authorization number (NUT), the consulate verifies that number, and only then do you book a visa appointment.

Which routes require a consulate visit before you travel

The Denver consulate sums up residence as a two-step process. The visa sticker is placed in your passport and cannot be issued in Mexico; you must apply at a Mexican consulate or embassy outside Mexico. Then, within 30 days of arrival, you go to your local INM office to exchange the visa for a resident card.

• Temporary residence by solvency: consulate first.
• Permanent residence as a retiree: consulate first.
• Job-based temporary residence: employer files with INM in Mexico first, then you collect the visa at a consulate.

Entering as a visitor and asking INM to convert that status is not one of the routes listed for these categories, so plan the consulate appointment before you book a one-way flight. The San Diego consulate explicitly advises against making travel plans or buying tickets before you have the visa.

Appointments, fees and timing

• Appointments are booked through the SRE system at citas.sre.gob.mx, one per person. San Diego says its online system is the only authorized way to schedule.
• The 2026 visa processing fee is 56 US dollars at both Washington and San Diego and is not refunded if the visa is refused. Washington takes cards; San Diego says cash only.
• San Diego says processing can take up to ten business days. Washington says a permanent resident visa is normally ready the same day at 1:30 p.m., without a guarantee.
• Washington requires original bank statements. If you bank paperless, the consulate says the statements must be stamped by your bank; plain downloads are not accepted.
• Documents issued outside Mexico and the United States need an apostille or legalization plus an official Spanish translation.

After you arrive

Your resident visa is a single-entry sticker. The Denver consulate notes it is valid for six months and gives you time to enter and complete the exchange. Once you land, the clock is 30 calendar days to start the exchange at INM. INM lists the 2026 fee for the one-year temporary resident card by exchange at 11,141 pesos and for the permanent resident card at 13,579 pesos. The full sequence is in your first weeks in Mexico, and the visitor rules that apply before your visa is issued are in entering Mexico on a US passport.

Changing from temporary to permanent later

INM's procedure sheet for the change of status lists three ways to move from temporary to permanent residence: a points system, being a retiree or pensioner with sufficient income from abroad, or completing four years as a temporary resident. If you apply on the four-year basis, INM says you must state that expressly in the application, and the authority verifies the time. The application review fee listed on that sheet is 1,149 pesos.

Common questions

Can I apply for Mexican residence after entering as a tourist? Not for the solvency or retiree routes. The resident visa is issued at a Mexican consulate outside Mexico, and you then exchange it for a resident card at INM within 30 days of arrival.

Can I work remotely for a US company on temporary residence? Yes. SRE states that the temporary resident visa allows work in Mexico as long as the salary is paid from abroad. A job paid in Mexico requires the employer to request authorization from INM.

Why do the income figures differ between consulates? The requirements are set in Mexican law as multiples of a daily reference unit and each consulate converts them. Washington publishes peso amounts calculated at the official rate on your appointment day, while San Diego publishes fixed dollar amounts for 2026.

How much is the consulate visa fee? The 2026 sheets from Washington, DC and San Diego both list 56 US dollars, non-refundable if the visa is refused.