Strays in Mexico

Stray dogs in Mexico are generally not treated very well, and the most common reaction of street dogs is to dodge when humans come close, probably a conditioned response to having been frequently kicked or stoned or hissed at to scat.

One overblown fear is that you could catch rabies. Years of government vaccination campaigns —since 1990— has reduced this probability to practically zero. In 2005, officials noted 125 cases of rabies among dogs and cats in nine states, compared with more than 3,000 cases in 1990 in 29 states. The latest data from Mexico’s health ministry demonstrate that in 2017 there were just three cases in three states—and not every case affected humans.

According to estimates from health officials, there are around 100,000 reported cases a year of dogs attacking humans, of which nearly half were vaccinated dogs, suggesting that dogs with owners are just as likely (or unlikely) to bite you as strays. This is in a population of 130 million people, and an estimated 18 million to 20 million dogs.

Concerns about stray dogs that have been mentioned by different local governments carrying out round-up campaigns include health problems caused by feces, and in one case in northern Durango state, dogs were said to be a threat to drivers as they crossed the highway.

Precise data are hard to come by

While there appear to be fewer street dogs every time you look, the number of dogs with owners seems to be increasing, along with other security measures in residential areas. (Keeping a dog is a deterrent to burglars.) Statistics in this case don’t go very far—the maze of data on the country’s National Statistics Institute web site turns-up little meaningful data about man’s best friend.

They don’t say, for example, how many dogs get taken for walks every day and how many are left to rot on rooftops, barking in desperation at anyone who walks below, and raising their level of excitement if the pedestrian is accompanied by a dog.

Trends observed by watching dog walkers

A walk in the park —or in one of Mexico City’s trendy neighborhoods where younger generations can be seen walking their dogs instead of pushing baby buggies— of a morning or an evening turns up a fair amount of anecdotal evidence about the habits of people and their dogs. The ‘poop scoop,’ for example, is becoming increasingly common, although it’s still sensible to keep an eye on the ground before you.

In middle-class suburbia, there is a good deal of oneupmanship when it comes to owning a dog. It’s not very practical to staple a pedigree certificate to the animal, and so the more obvious implicit superlatives are biggest, rarest, most expensive—things that people just know and dogs just don’t care about.

With many city dwellers living in apartments, sub-compact dogs appear to be more plentiful than the larger breeds. Schnauzers and Pugs enjoyed a period of popularity in recent years, although their fame has become overshadowed by the Bulldog. But most likely, as more and more people get Bulldogs, and their novelty wears-off, a need will arise for a new “in” dog.

Learn more about caring for pets in Mexico

Mexperience publishes guides and articles about bringing pets to Mexico and caring for them here:

• Latest articles about pets in Mexico
• Dog walkers in Mexico
• Bringing your pets to Mexico

Get help to plan your approach when you apply for residency in Mexico, and practical tele-assistance as you make your own way through procedures related to applying for legal residency in Mexico.

First-time residency applications in Mexico

Our associates can help you when you are planning to apply for residency in Mexico for the first time. (They can also help if you had residency before, allowed it to lapse, and want to re-apply for residency now.)

Mexperience offers detailed information about applying for residency, including the principal routes to residency and their qualification criteria.

How the Tele-Assistance facilitation service works

The tele-assistance facilitation service offered by our associates saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants seeking residency in Mexico. You can use tele-assistance regardless of what location you plan to move to (or are currently situated) in Mexico.

The service facilitates your application at every stage of the process:

• An initial consultation by phone/videocall/email/chat to understand your situation and plan a workable approach for your residency application.
• Confirmation of the required procedures for a first-time residency application.
• Review of your supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Customized checklist of documents you’ll need to carry and present at each stage of the process.
• Assistance to identify a suitable Mexican consulate abroad, including help to book an appointment, and support to prepare for your residency interview at a Mexican consulate.
• After the consulate places a visa stamp in your passport, our associates continue their support when you arrive in Mexico to exchange your visa for a residency card.
• Our associate will co-ordinate your intended arrival date in Mexico and book an appointment for you at the immigration office in Mexico using the INM’s online appointment system.
• They’ll correctly complete the application forms and letters (in Spanish) that you’ll need when you arrive at the immigration office in Mexico to exchange your visa for a residency card.
• Our associate will provide detailed instructions/guidance about where to go and what to do at the Mexican consulate abroad and/or at immigration office in Mexico on your appointment date.

Get support through every stage of the application

The table below describes the support offered at each stage of the application process.

First Time Application Tele-Assistance Fees

Our associate’s first time application tele-assistance support package offers facilitation that is transparent and affordable, with fixed-fee pricing and no hidden charges.  All consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.

Accompanied Option: The First Time Application service plan is also available as an Accompanied Assistance option at selected cities in Mexico.  Accompaniment is not available at Mexican consulates abroad.  See this page for details and fees.

Make a service request for Residency Assistance

To hire our associate to assist you with the facilitation of your first time residency application, please complete the request form below.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to the associate who will assist you.
• The immigration assistance associate will respond to you directly and request payment for their service. When you’ve paid, they’ll schedule-in your initial consultation and the service will begin.

If your existing Mexico residency card is expired, our associates may be able to help you renew the card: in Mexico through a regular renewal process; or by restarting your residency application inside Mexico; or by restarting your residency application at a Mexican consulate abroad—depending on the circumstances.

How you deal with an expired residency card depends on:

• Whether you are physically inside Mexico or outside of Mexico when the card expires; and
• How many calendar days have passed since the card expired; and
• If you were outside of Mexico when it expired, how many days have passed since your return date to Mexico; and
• How many years of temporary residency you have accrued.

Renewing your Mexico residency when your residency card has expired

Our associates can provide consultation and practical assistance in the event that you have let your residency card expire.  Their support and facilitation depends on your circumstances, thus:

If you’re currently outside of Mexico and less than 55 days have passed since the card expired, and you have less than four years of temporary residency accrued, our associates can help with a regular renewal of your existing residency card.

If you’ve recently arrived back in Mexico with an expired card and you have less than four years of temporary residency accrued, and less than 5 days have passed since your arrival date, our associates can help with a regular renewal of your existing residency card.

If you’re currently inside Mexico, and less than 55 days have passed since the card has expired, and you have less than four years of temporary residency accrued, our associates can help you re-apply for residency at an immigration office in Mexico, and you can use the form on this page to make a service request. In this situation you will be required to re-prove your income and all your key documents including bank/account statements will need to be notarized/apostilled and translated into Spanish.

How the Tele-Assistance facilitation service works

The tele-assistance support service offered by our associates saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants dealing with their expired residency cards in Mexico. You can use tele-assistance regardless of what location you plan to move to (or are currently situated) in Mexico.

The service facilitates your application if you have a qualifying expired residency card (see notes above) and you want to apply for a renewal or re-apply for residency.

• An initial consultation by phone/videocall/email/chat to understand your situation and plan a workable approach for renewing your residency card or re-applying for residency.
• Confirmation of the required procedures for dealing with your expired residency card, depending on your circumstances.
• Checklist of requirements and review of your supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Correct completion of the forms and covering letter you will need to file for renewal of an expired residency card or re-application.
• Customized checklist of documents you’ll need to carry and present when you attend the immigration office in Mexico.
• Detailed instructions/guidance about where to go and what to do when you arrive at the immigration office to file the application.

Get support through every stage of the application

The table below describes the support offered through the expired residency card renewal or re-application process.

Dealing with Expired Residency Cards Tele-Assistance Fees

Our associate’s expired residency card assistance packages offer facilitation that is transparent and affordable, with fixed-fee pricing and no hidden charges.  All consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.

Accompanied Option: The Expired Residency Card assistance service plan is also available as an Accompanied Assistance option at selected cities in Mexico.  Accompaniment is not available at Mexican consulates abroad.  See this page for details and fees.

Make a service request for assistance with dealing with expired residency cards.

To hire our associate to assist you with the facilitation of your renewal of or re-application for residency when your residency card is expired, please complete the request form below.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to the associate who will assist you.
• The immigration assistance associate will respond to you directly and request payment for their service. When you’ve paid, they’ll schedule-in your initial consultation and the service will begin.

Common terms for streets in Mexico

The most common term seen and used in Mexico is “calle” —street— with calle principal indicating a main route, usually crossing or connecting smaller streets adjacent.  The fancier avenida, or avenue, and even bulevar may also be employed when the need for distinction arises.

Camino, the equivalent of ‘road’ or ‘way’ in English, is less commonly seen and used in Mexico, and is a word that can also serve to describe a person’s journey: va en camino, he’s on his way—or distinctly, va por su camino which translates to ‘he’s making his own way (in life)’.

Callejón indicates a narrow road or alley, and retorno stipulates a dead-end or cul-de-sac, with the Spanish in this case more practical in letting the wanderer know there’s no point going there without a specific reason.  Retorno can also indicate a loop or opportunity to U-turn or double-back over a bridge or under a tunnel to cross-over to the other side of a road; on some roads it could also be a wide space within a camellón (median strip) reserved for that purpose.

Related to retorno is cerrada, which is oftentimes used to describe a private road with a dead-end; privada might also be used in this context.

Another term you’ll come across when driving in Mexico the word crucero which means junction.  Related to crucero is the word entronque, which means to connect, or merge.  Junctions are most often signed when they require additional precautions to be exercised, —for example, Entronque Peligroso— where a road merges with another on the left hand side of the adjoining highway (overtaking lane) instead of the (more-usual) merge lane on the right.

Freeways and tolled highways

Moving onto trunk roads, there are two ways of referring to a highway: carretera and autopista; and these are sometimes referred to (or signed on highways) as ‘Libre‘ (freeway) or ‘Cuota‘ (tollway), respectively.

Carretera is akin to the U.S. freeway and most often refers to the federally-funded interstate roads which connect main towns and cities, but may also refer to a primary trunk road around a town or city.  These are usually not tolled, and most are two-lane highways; some have stretches for overtaking slow vehicles.  You might see these signed as ‘Libre‘ on highways.

Autopista (and its related term, ‘cuota’) are words reserved to describe tolled interstate highways in Mexico—some of which run alongside, or nearby, carreteras federales. You might see these signed as ‘Cuota‘ on highways.

The toll fee is called peaje although tolled highways in Mexico are rarely if ever referred to using that word.

Streets alongside ocean scenes

Seaside resorts, and the roads or highways connecting them, have their costeras, or coast roads.  These describe streets or roads which can vary in size and importance, but which invariably run along the seafront.  Inside coastal towns alongside some costeras you may find el malecón—a pedestrian boardwalk or esplanade facing the waterfront, some of which might also include a lane for pedal-bikers, and those using skates and skateboards.

Miscellaneous street terms in Mexico

Some other related terms you may encounter in journey parlance here include:

• lateral, which refers to a parallel side road that may be situated alongside any main urban road, or carretera, or autopista, and separated by a camellón—a central reservation or median strip;
• libramientos, which can sometimes be part of a carretera or autopista refer to ‘relief roads,’ built specifically to route passing traffic away from, or around, a town or city center;
• periférico refers to a ring road (or beltway) around a town, city, or place;
• in Mexico City, the stretches of tolled elevated beltway raised primarily above the capital’s original beltway (anillo periferico) is colloquially referred to as El Segundo Piso.  You need a ‘Tag’ on your vehicle’s dashboard or windshield to use the electronically controlled gates which give drivers access to the tolled level of roadway;
• for those traveling on foot: footpaths, nature trails, and ancient pathways are commonly described as senderos, whereas formal pedestrian walkways, or shopping streets closed to traffic, are referred to as a paseo peatonal; and
• paseo that means a walk or a drive, and pasear means to go for a walk, or a ride, or a drive. The word pasear is somewhat more versatile than what the average dictionary can accommodate: it can also mean go out with no particular purpose or plan, maybe hang out at the mall, grab a coffee, browse the stores, watch a movie, or just wander about. It’s also used as a term to mean going away, being away, or having been away on vacation—voy/estoy/estuve de paseo.

Some people cross the border by road into Mexico for short periods —to work, do business, or to shop— while others will travel further into the country, traveling beyond the 35 km ‘free zone’.

US/Canadian insurance and third parties

Regardless of whether you stay in the ‘free zone’ or travel further into the Mexican interior, any coverage your US or Canadian insurance policy provides will not cover you for injury or damages your drive might cause to third parties.

They don’t because by law, they can’t: foreign insurance policies hold no legal jurisdiction in Mexico.

As a result, a brisk trade exists in the provision of specialized insurance policies to cover drivers, their vehicles, passengers, and property while the vehicle is in Mexico.

Insurance policies in English, valid in Mexico

These insurance policies are crafted in association with Mexican insurance companies, so the policy is presented in English, offered to customers with vehicles registered in the USA or Canada, and sold by insurance brokers who are licensed north of the border—but the insurance policy is underwritten by a licensed Mexican insurer, and thus legally valid in Mexico.

Driving uninsured in Mexico can lead to problematic situations arising in the event of a mishap. If you become involved in a serious car accident, all the drivers present will be arrested pending investigations, even those not at fault.

A complex legal process will ensue: if you are not adequately insured, you will have to raise your own bail bond and if you are judged to be at fault, you will become personally liable to third parties, including payment for any damaged road infrastructure.

Having an adequate insurance policy in place will settle your third party liabilities, and better policies will also provide legal counsel and bail bond payment as part of the coverages.

Online quotations, instant coverage

The process of choosing an insurance policy for driving in Mexico that suits your needs is made simple and straightforward by online quotation systems which capture key information about your vehicle and requirements, and provide a live price quote.  Insurance cover can be arranged instantly online and, in the event you need to make a claim, you will be able to dial a toll-free number and talk with English-speaking staff.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers articles with insights to help you prepare for your road trip and drive confidently in Mexico.

• Importing a foreign car or other vehicle to Mexico
• Getting a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your vehicle
• Insuring your vehicle for driving in Mexico
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico

Place is personal, subjective, and important—and as you consider places to live in Mexico, Mexperience helps you to consider your choices and shortlist locations that may suit your lifestyle needs.

Discover locations to live, work or retire in Mexico

To help you discover and explore potential places to live here, Mexperience publishes a curated list of locations to consider for living, working or retirement in Mexico—organized by popularity and notoriety and classified by the location type.

Our articles introduce you to key places where many foreign residents live now, emerging locations that are becoming increasingly popular with foreign residents, as well as those places that are less well known, or situated off-the-beaten path. We also publish a selection of detailed guides of places to live in Mexico:

Detailed living guides

For detailed guides to selected places to live and work or retire, connect to our section with Guides to Living Places in Mexico

This article describes the typical time scales you ought to take into account when you intend to apply for a Mexico residency permit starting at a Mexican consulate abroad, as well as for residency-related procedures from within Mexico.

Principal factors that influence time scales

There are four principal factors that will influence the time scales involved in your application for residency in Mexico: from the initial application to receipt of your residency card. These are:

Supporting documentation: How long it takes you to gather the documentation required to support your application. The documentation varies depending on your situation, and may include official certificates, bank statements, investment account balances, letters of reference, etc.

Consulate appointments: If your application involves an appointment at a Mexican consulate abroad, the second factor that influences time scales is the availability of consulate appointments for your residency interview.  Availability varies by consulate and by season.  Some (but not all) consulates accept out of area applications, so if your nearest consulate has limited appointment availability, and you’re willing to travel to a consulate outside your area, you might be able to get an appointment sooner.  Our immigration associate can advise about consulates and help with appointment-making as part of their first time applicant support service.

Your arrival date in Mexico: When you have a residency visa stamp placed in your passport by a Mexican consulate abroad, you must arrive in Mexico and exchange your visa for a card before the visa’s expiry date.  Visas are typically valid for six months from the date of issue, but check the visa you are issued to be sure.

Immigration office procedures: The fourth principal factor that determines the time scales to complete your residency application is appointment availability at immigration offices in Mexico, and then the amount of time the local immigration office you file at takes to process your filing.  Some processes are completed the same day as the appointment, but can take between a few working days and 3-4 weeks to process applications at immigration offices in Mexico.  Time scales vary by location and the current workloads at that office.

More details about consulate appointments and immigration office timescales are described below.

Typical time scales at the Mexican consulate

Residency applications from outside of Mexico must begin with an appointment at a Mexican consulate.

Consulate appointments: It can take between a week and several weeks (and in some places, months) to secure an appointment for residency applications at a Mexican consulate. Lead times vary widely by location.

Procedures for consulate appointments: The procedures for booking appointments at Mexican consulates abroad varies by location:

• some consulates use an online booking system;
• others require an email request to be sent by the applicant; and
• others have walk-in dates.

Our associate can assist you with appointment scheduling as part of their application support service and in accordance with the policy and process in place at the consulate you apply at. They cannot ‘fast-track’ or get preferential treatment for any applicants.

Consulate visa time scales: Once you attend your interview at the consulate and file your paperwork, the consulate usually issues the visa sticker within 10 working days after your appointment date, if your application is successful.

Time scales at Mexico immigration offices

Mexico’s immigration offices use an online booking system for most (but not all) procedures.  Online booking is available for the most common procedures including visa-to-card exchanges and residency card renewals.

Visa-to-residency-card exchange: Although some visa-to-residency-card exchanges are processed the same day as the appointment, it typically takes between 1-3 weeks to complete the visa-to-card exchange process (“canje“) in Mexico. Some offices process the exchange the same day as your appointment, and some offices might also issue the card on the same day too—but we recommend that you allow up to three weeks wait as part of your schedule planning.  Read more details about visa-to-card exchange time scales.

Other procedures: Time scales for other procedures, e.g. residency card renewals, vary by office location: 1-3 weeks appears to be typical at the moment; and as with visa-to-card exchanges, some offices might issue cards or complete the procedures on the same day as your appointment, but we recommend you build flexibility into your plans and scheduling as not all procedures are completed on the appointment date.

Leaving Mexico during the process

If you need to leave Mexico while you are waiting for your residency card(s) to be (re)issued, you can apply for an exit/re-entry permit after you have submitted your paperwork for the procedure.  There is an application form and a fee to pay for this permit.

Note that you cannot apply for this exit/re-entry permit before you have filed your paperwork at the local immigration office and been issued with a file reference number—known as a “Pieza.”  Also, you cannot apply for an exit/re-entry permit if your procedure is classified as a ‘regularization’ process.

Learn more about Mexico visas and residency

Mexperience publishes extensive information about visas and immigration to Mexico, including:

• Our free and regularly-updated Guide to Mexico Immigration Guide encapsulates detailed information about applying for visas and residency permits
• Learn about exchanging your residency visa for a residency card
• Discover the principal routes for obtaining legal residency in Mexico
• Read our latest articles about residency and visas in Mexico

Auto insurance coverage valid in Mexico

Some auto insurance policies might contain wording that leads you to believe that you are covered in Mexico, but this out-of-country cover, if any is included, is limited to damage to your own vehicle and certain things you may be carrying inside your car.

The most important aspect of an auto insurance policy when you’re driving in Mexico is third-party liability, because claims for damages by third parties can be substantial.

Third party liability abroad needs a special policy

By law, US and Canadian insurers can’t provide third party liability and this coverage must be underwritten by a Mexican insurance company and be specially formed to be legally valid under Mexican law.

Third party liability covers any losses your actions might cause to others. These most commonly include (but are not limited to):

• damage to another person’s vehicle, or their property;
• injuries to another person in an accident; and
• damage to public property (e.g. road structures).

How much liability insurance is needed in Mexico?

While no one expects to be involved in an accident —and far less a serious one— when arranging coverage, it’s worth considering the worst-case scenario: that you accidentally cause serious injury or death of another person as a result of a vehicle accident.

Here in Mexico you can be made financially responsible to the other party (or their kin) if you unintentionally cause the death of another motorist, and reputable insurance brokers suggest that you have no less than US$300,000 in liability insurance and they will usually recommend US$500,000.

Get a policy covers more than just accidents

There are other factors besides financial liability to consider when you are arranging your auto insurance when you drive in Mexico.  The three most important aspects to consider when choosing a policy are:

Legal representation

If you’re involved in a serious road accident in Mexico, it’s common for those involved to be detained until the situation is assessed, fault is determined, and financial responsibility is assigned.

Due to this process, the legal representation which better policies offer will provide you with:

• local assistance to help you deal with the complex paperwork and procedures (in Spanish, and liaise with you in English);
• a fund to post a bail-bond and get you released as soon as practicable; and
• a legal team to negotiate on your behalf if fault and responsibility is assigned to you.

Medical coverage

If you or any of your vehicle’s occupants are injured in an accident, medical payments might or might not be covered. Medical coverage on auto policies vary and you’ll need to compare the choices to ensure you have an adequate amount of coverage, per person and in total.

Assistance for accidents and vehicle breakdowns

When an accident happens, what really matters is the practical support provided by an insurance policy.

If your vehicle breaks-down, or in the event of a minor accident which leaves your car damaged but readily repairable, a roadside travel assistance plan offered by the insurer can be an enormous benefit to you.

Roadside assistance can be purchased as part of an auto insurance policy and offers very practical help in what can be stressful and confusing circumstances.

• In the event of a breakdown or minor accident which leaves you stuck, help with things like gas delivery, a flat tire, a locksmith, or a tow truck to a nearby garage for essential repairs can be a phone call away.
• In the event of an accident, assistance can provide practical support and liaison with key personnel to help you recover more quickly and get back on your road trip as soon as practicable.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers articles with insights to help you prepare for your road trip and drive confidently in Mexico.

• Insuring your vehicle for driving in Mexico
• Importing a foreign car or other vehicle to Mexico
• Getting a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your vehicle
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico

Detailed guides and helpful connections that enable you to plan and realize your relocation to Mexico

Mexperience provides in-depth insights and local knowledge with extensive articles, guides, and cross-references and connections to help you discover more of Mexico, consider your lifestyle options, define your intentions, make a plan, and help you to avoid making material mistakes with your Mexico lifestyle plans.

Our guides are written by people who know Mexico intimately, are continually revised and updated—and are free to access.

Mexperience helps you through every step of the journey

Our detailed guides and insights offer you complete information throughout every step of your journey:

• Discovering the benefits and opportunities Mexico offers to live and work or retire.
• Detailed insights that help you to consider whether Mexico is right for you and your partner—and family if relevant.
• When you’ve determined that Mexico is right for you, we offer lots of practical advice to help you plan your lifestyle in Mexico.
• Mexperience also helps you to plan your move, settle-in to Mexico, cultivate your social and community networks and helps you learn how adapt to the country and its culture.
• When you’re settled here, our up to date articles and monthly newsletter help you to cultivate a fruitful home life in Mexico.
• Our homestead articles offer practical advice to help you manage your home in Mexico and its dwelling spaces.
• Our insights and local knowledge also help if you’re living in Mexico now but want to revisit your intentions and need guidance to help you settle, adapt, and reform your plans.

Take the next step: start here

Mexperience offers extensive insights, local knowledge, and connections to help you plan and realize a relocation to Mexico, whether you’re single, a couple, or a family.

Begin your journey

Our Mexico Living & Lifestyles guide connects you to in-depth articles and information about living in Mexico. It’s continually updated, helping you to make considered choices and useful connections.

Help with lifestyle planning

Our regularly-updated section about Lifestyle Planning in Mexico shares insights to help you make informed decisions about your lifestyle choices in Mexico.

Calculate your living costs

Our detailed guide to the cost of living in Mexico helps you calculate a personalized budget based on your life stage and lifestyle choices.

Consider places to live in Mexico

We publish guides to help you consider places to live in Mexico, whether you come to live, work or retire.

Obtain your Mexico residency permit

Our detailed guide to applying for residency in Mexico shows you every step needed to qualify and apply for legal residency in Mexico

Real estate and property rental in Mexico

We publish a detailed guide to real estate in Mexico that shares practical insights when you’re buying, owning, renting, and selling property here.  We recommend you rent a house first before you buy, unless you’re familiar with the area you’re moving to.

Learn how to keep in touch when you’re in Mexico

Our comprehensive guides describe how you can keep in touch when you’re in Mexico.  Our local insights include learning about Mexico cell phone plans, how to dial phones, connecting to internet services including satellite services, and also learn about post and couriers… and the cost of utilities and communications.

Cultivate your home life

When you’ve made the move and you’re living here, our regularly updated articles about cultivating a fruitful home life in Mexico will give you insights, inspiration, and ideas to make the most of your everyday lifestyle.

Manage your money & finances in Mexico

We publish detailed, updated, information about managing your finances in Mexico, including bank accounts, money exchange, and money transfers.

Homestead care and management

Whether you’re renting a home or have purchased a property here, our regularly updated guides help you manage your home and dwelling spaces in Mexico, with tips and local knowledge to keep them well maintained and secure for you and your family.

Learning and improving your Spanish

We encourage you to learn Spanish to help you make the most of your experiences in Mexico.  We connect you to language courses, and our in-depth PinPoint Spanish series helps you to learn about the nuances of language usage in Mexico.

Driving, road trips and running a car in Mexico

Our guides and articles about driving and taking road trips in Mexico help you to prepare your longer road trips as well as dealing with everyday driving matters.

Free Monthly Mexico Newsletter

Sign-up to our free monthly newsletter about Mexico that is filled with inspiration, meaningful knowledge, helpful connections, and tips for better living, lifestyle, and leisure in Mexico.

Discover even more of Mexico

Our Discover Mexico section provides a constantly updated stream of articles and guides that share knowledge and keep you updated about opportunities in Mexico.

This article contains a list of the most frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) regarding matters related to applications for residency based on ‘economic solvency.’

These FAQs are organized into three sections.

General questions about ‘economic solvency’

Here are frequently-asked general questions regarding applications for legal residency in Mexico based on ‘economic solvency.’

How do I apply for residency in Mexico using my income or savings to qualify?

Most applications for residency must begin at a Mexican consulate abroad, unless your situation is one of the few (mostly ‘Family Unit’ applications) that can apply for residency within Mexico.

Do the accounts need to be in my name?

Yes. When you use Income or Savings/Investments, the account account statements you present must be in the name of the applicant.  If you are applying using your Mexican house value, the property’s Title Deed must be in the name of applicant.

What are the income requirements for temporary and permanent residency?

This article describes the latest requirements for income or savings/investment levels required to qualify for residency in Mexico.

• Temporary residency (Residente Temporal, RT) carries a lower threshold of income or savings/investments to qualify;
• Permanent residency (Residente Permanente, RP) carries higher income or savings/investments thresholds; and
• consulates require applicants to be ‘retired’ to apply for RP even when the applicant has the economic means to qualify.

Can I use a mix of income and savings/investment to qualify?

No. You must qualify using your proven monthly income for a full six months preceding your application date (some consulates ask for 12 months); or demonstrate a minimum savings/investment balance for a full 12 months preceding your application date.  You cannot mix income and savings/investment balances.

Can my spouse and I combine our incomes to qualify?

No. The principal applicant needs to show sufficient income in their own name.

Are the amounts required to qualify ‘per person’?

The income or savings/investment amounts quoted to qualify for residency are ‘per person’; however, spouses and common-law partners and minor children (under 18 years of age) can apply as dependents of the main applicant by adding 100x the Daily Minimum Wage to the total needed for each dependent. (See also: next question about joint accounts.)

For example: if you are applying as a couple with one dependent minor child:

• the principal applicant needs to meet the income or savings/investment criteria (principal applicant) plus
• an additional 100x Minimum Daily Wage (currently equivalent to about US$1,400) of monthly income or total savings/investment balance for each dependent; thus
• in this example, you would need to demonstrate an additional ~US$2,800 of monthly income or total savings/investment balances.

Can my spouse and I show an account(s) in joint names even though only one of us is applying for residency at this time?

If you are married and have your account(s) in joint names, but only one spouse intends to apply for residency at this time, the account(s) in joint names will be accepted but the account must show double the economic solvency requirements (income or savings) instead of the usual amount for a couple applying together—that is the economic solvency requirement plus an additional 100 days of Minimum Wage; see the previous question about this.

If you apply together as a couple using the joint account, you do not need to show double the economic solvency values and can show the amount for one person plus the lower amount for the dependent applicant, as described in the previous question.

See also: Guide to applying for residency in Mexico as a couple

Do I need to show the full account statements or just the summary balances?

Precise requirements vary by consulate, but we recommend you are prepared to show the consulate (or immigration office in Mexico) the full and detailed account statements across the entire period required: either six or 12 months preceding the date of your application.

This will mitigate the chances of your application being rejected. Some consulates might accept abridged accounts, but in our experience most consulates and all immigration offices in Mexico will not accept abridged accounts, i.e., only balances/summaries—they want to see detailed statements.

Do I need original statements or will internet print-outs be accepted?

Mexican consulates ask to see original documents issued by the bank or investment firm or trust.

They will usually accept internet print-outs provided that the print-outs are stamped by a branch of the bank, or are accompanied by an original letter from the bank or investment firm confirming you are the account holder.

Some consulates also ask for a letter from the bank/investment fund confirming that the person named on the account is the sole account holder, if you’re applying as a couple and the account is not presented in joint names.

In all cases the name(s) on the account statement(s) must match precisely with the applicant’s name(s).

What if the accounts are based in another country?

If any of the income or savings/investment accounts that you intend to present as evidence are not in accounts based in the country where you make the application, you must get the full and detailed account statements notarized and apostilled.

For example, if you are applying at the Mexican consulate in France but your savings/investment accounts are based in the USA, you’ll have to get these documents notarized and apostilled.

The accounts might also need to be translated.  If you are applying at a Mexican consulate abroad, the accounts will need to be translated if they are not in a language which that consulate accepts. Consulates accept documents in Spanish and usually the official language(s) of the country they are situated in—check with the consulate you intend to apply at if you’re unsure.  If you’re applying at an immigration office in Mexico the accounts must be translated into Spanish by a certified translator.

Do I need to show economic solvency when I renew my temporary residency card?

Under the current rules, you do not need to re-provide proof of your economic solvency when you are applying for renewal of temporary residency*, but if you’re applying for renewal based on a local job offer, you will also need to present a letter on headed paper from the company or organization that employs you that states the ongoing nature of your employment, length of contract, and the remuneration arrangements—signed by a competent officer of the company.

*Immigration offices in Mexico might exercise their right to request additional information and ask applicants for recent bank statements to re-prove economic solvency when they apply for renewal of temporary residency.  It’s very rare that they do this, but if the INM asks for this in your case it will apply (the lower) UMA values to the calculation.

Questions about income requirements

Here are frequently-asked questions regarding the income required to qualify for legal residency in Mexico.

How much income do I need to qualify for residency in Mexico?

Find details about the income levels required for temporary and permanent residency.  You must demonstrate a net income that meets or exceeds the required threshold consistently on account each month for at least the last six months prior to the application date; some consulates ask to see the last 12 months of income prior to the application date.

Does the income amount need to be met consistently each month, or will an average be accepted?

In our experience of liaising with Mexican consulates abroad and immigration offices in Mexico, the minimum monthly income threshold must be met consistently every month, across the entire six (or 12) month period.  If your income during any month(s) across the six (or 12) month period is below the minimum threshold, your application may be rejected.

What sources of income qualify for residency applications?

Any sources of legally-obtained income will qualify; however, we have seen that some consulates will only accept pension-based income or ‘pay-stubs.’  You must demonstrate a regular monthly income flow over the required period that meets or exceeds the income threshold required. Cryptocurrency accounts are not accepted.

Can income from multiple sources be added together to qualify?

Yes, you can present monthly income from multiple sources and add these together to qualify. For example, income from earning or investments, house rental income (if the consulate you apply will accept rental income, not all do), pension income, can be added together to qualify, if necessary.

Can I show income flows across more than one bank account?

Many consulates (not all) will allow you to present statements from two or more bank accounts to show the flows of your total monthly income, but those accounts must be in your name, and none of those accounts can be cryptocurrency accounts.

Questions about savings/investment requirements

Here are frequently-asked questions regarding the savings/investment balance required to qualify for legal residency in Mexico.

What savings/investment balance do I need to qualify for residency in Mexico?

Learn about the current savings levels required for temporary and permanent residency.  Savings/investment balances must be shown for a full 12 months prior to the application date.

Does the savings/investment balance need to be met consistently each month, or will an average be accepted?

In our experience of liaising with Mexican consulates abroad and immigration offices in Mexico, the minimum required savings/investment balance must be met or exceeded consistently every month, across the entire 12-month period.  If your savings/investments balance during any month(s) across the 12-month period is below the minimum threshold, your application may be rejected.

What types of accounts qualify as ‘savings/investment’ balance?

To demonstrate you meet or exceed the minimum required savings/investment balance, you can use one, some, or all of the following account types:

• cash savings in a bank account(s);
• balances in a 401k (tax-efficient) investment account(s) (or 401k-equivalent if you are not in the USA);
• investments/savings held in a trust fund account(s);
• US applicants: some consulates accept IRAs, others do not.

Can balances across multiple types of savings/investments be added together to qualify?

If you have savings and investments spread across multiple types of savings accounts, many consulates (not all) will allow you to present multiple balances from several different types of qualifying savings/investments accounts and add these together to reach or exceed the minimum balance required. For example, you could use part cash balances and part 401k balance.

Can I show savings/investment balances across more than one account?

If you don’t have the total savings/investment required accrued in one account, many (not all) consulates will allow you to present statements from two or more accounts to show the total balance of your savings/investments across those accounts, but all the accounts must be in your name and none of those accounts can be cryptocurrency accounts. For example, you could show balances on two or more cash savings accounts; a 401k account, and a trust fund.

Learn more about residency in Mexico

Mexperience publishes information and resources to help you learn about how to apply for and obtain legal residency in Mexico:

• Learn about the principal routes to obtaining legal residency
• If you don’t qualify under ‘economic solvency’ rules, other routes might be open to you
• Here are the latest financial criteria required to qualify for residency in Mexico
• Compare the difference between Temporary and Permanent residency
• Find the latest residency-related fees charged by Mexico’s government
• Our free Mexico Immigration Guide encapsulates essential information about visas and residency permits for Mexico.

The questions and answers published in this article are based on our experience of readers’ questions and our associate’s experience of liaising with Mexican consulates abroad and immigration offices in Mexico.  They are provided in good faith, without warranty. For personal assistance with your application, consider requesting our associate’s Mexico Immigration Assistance Service.

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Taking a Mexican-plated car to the US & Canada

Foreign residents living in Mexico with Permanent Residency cannot keep a foreign-plated car in Mexico outside one of the designated free zones.

If you hold Permanent Residency in Mexico and live outside one of the free zones, you might own a Mexican-plated vehicle, and you might want to drive it to the USA or Canada on short visits—usually up to six months.

Your Mexican insurance policy probably covers damage to your own vehicle and loss of any personal items inside of it when the car is outside of Mexico (check the policy); however, it will not cover third party liabilities in the USA and Canada in the event of an accident. A special top-up insurance policy is needed.

Short-term third-party liability insurance

Policies for Mexican-plated vehicles driving into the USA and Canada can be purchased on a short-term basis only—you select the number of days you intend to visit the US/Canada as part of the quotation process.

The insurance policy will:

• Cover you in the event of an accident in the USA or Canada and provide third party liability coverage up to the value of the coverage stated on the policy.
• Provide a limited amount of coverage for medical expenses—sufficient to cover very minor incidents, but insufficient for a serious situation, so a separate medical coverage policy is recommended.
• Provide roadside assistance in the event of a vehicle breakdown while you’re outside of Mexico, and legal assistance—as described in the policy.
• You can optionally purchase other defined coverages in addition to those listed above for an extra fee.

These policies are not intended to provide comprehensive coverage but instead top-up your Mexican insurance to cover you for damages in the event of an accident or other incident involving third parties while you’re driving in the USA or Canada.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers articles with insights to help you prepare for your road trip and drive confidently in Mexico.

• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Who can drive a foreign-plated vehicle in Mexico
• Insuring your vehicle for driving in Mexico
• Importing a foreign car or other vehicle to Mexico
• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico