🇲🇽 Guide to Getting a Temporary Mexico Residency Card
How the Process Works
Step 1: Apply at a Mexican Consulate (USA)
You start by applying for a Temporary Residency Visa at a Mexican consulate in the United States.
✔️ If approved, the consulate places a visa in your passport
✔️ This visa is valid for up to 6 months
✔️ It allows you to enter Mexico to complete the process
Step 2: Get Your Temporary Resident Card (Canje)
After you arrive in Mexico, you must visit the INM immigration office closest to where you will live.
✔️ Your visa is exchanged for a Temporary Resident Card
✔️ This exchange is called canje
✔️ Your legal residency officially begins
Who Can Apply for Temporary Residency?
You may qualify through finances, family, work, or property ownership.
Financial Requirements
You can qualify by showing income or savings, such as:
✔️ Monthly income: about $5,250.00 USD
– Shown with 6 consecutive bank statements
✔️ Savings or investments: about $87,511.00 USD
– Minimim balance over 12 consecutive months
(Amounts vary by consulate and exchange rate.)
This option works well for retirees, remote workers, and employed individuals.
👨👩👧 Family-Based Eligibility
You may qualify if you have family ties in Mexico, including:
✔️ A Mexican spouse
✔️ Mexican children
✔️ A spouse or parent with Temporary or Permanent Residency
Employment-Based Eligibility
You may qualify if:
✔️ You have a job offer from a Mexican company
✔️ The employer is registered with Mexican immigration
Property Owners
Owning property in Mexico may also allow you to apply for Temporary Residency, depending on the property value and documentation.
Applying Through a Mexican Spouse or Resident Card Holder
Option 1: Apply at a Mexican Consulate (USA)
✔️ Available if you are married to a Mexican citizen or Temporary Resident
✔️ Usually grants 1 year of Temporary Residency
Option 2: Apply Directly in Mexico (INM Office)
✔️ Can be done inside Mexico
✔️ Often grants 2 years of Temporary Residency
✔️ No consulate visit required
📄 Required steps include:
✔️ Apostilled marriage certificate
✔️ Apostille issued by the Secretary of State where you married
✔️ Certified Spanish translation by a Mexican court-approved translator (Perito Traductor)
How Long Does It Take?
✔️ Consulate processing times vary
✔️ INM processing depends on the local office
✔️ Proper preparation helps avoid delays
Need Help With the Process?
Getting residency rules wrong can cause delays or denials.
📞 Jorge Gonzalez
Phone: 619-512-7537
Email: Jorge@MexicoGreenCard.com
👉 Get clear guidance before you apply.
Avoid mistakes. Save time. Do it right the first time.
TR MEXICO CARD SAMPLE