Immigration - Requirements for People
Important Notice: We are often asked:“Do I have to give up my citizenship if I retire permanently in Mexico?” Of course not! You can become resident full time in Mexico and still maintain your citizenship from back home.

  • FM-T - Tourist Visa
  • FM-3 - Residency Visa (most common)
  • M-2 – and then Immigrado Visa

Although there are many other forms of Visas, these three are the most common. Clearly the FM-T is your Tourist Visa but you may be surprised to learn that some people who live in Mexico several months each year and have done so for 5 to 10 years still operate on a Tourist Visa. But is this wise? No, it doesn’t make sense to stay on an FM-T if you are planning on spending several months a year in Mexico. It is just too easy to get your FM3. Plus there are some real benefits to of having an FM-3 over an FM-T.
FM-T – Tourist Visa
This is a simple piece of paper you fill out and keep a copy (whether you are flying or driving into Mexico). (Note! You will be asked to surrender your tourist visa when you leave the country – do not throw it away). There is a small cost and it is good for up to six months. Often they will stamp it for a lesser period of time, especially if you are flying - to coincide with your departure date. However, coming into the Guadalajara airport in Jalisco, or when you drive through the Mexican border crossing, you can ask for it to be for the full 180 days.

The FM-3 and FM-2 are the more common Visas for people who live in Mexico, part or full time and there are different benefits attached to each, depending on your own situation.
FM-3 (Visitante Rentista Visa)
The FM-3 is designed for someone who wants to live in Mexico, at least part time. This you must make a formal application for and once approved you will receive a little green visa book, similar to your passport book. It is much easier to apply for within Mexico (see Different Rules for North of the Border below) and you can do so while being here on your tourist visa. There are qualifications and income requirements, and you will learn all about these during a “Focus on Mexico Program”.

Although you can obtain your FM-3 or FM-2 visas by yourself, if you don’t know the language or don’t have the patience, it may well be worth the cost to hire an expeditor to process the documentation for you, especially the first time.
FM-2 (Immigrante Rentista)
The FM-2 is designed for those who intend to reside permanently in Mexico. This you must also make a formal application for and once approved you will receive a little grey visa book, similar to your passport book. The criteria, qualifications, income requirements and restrictions are more strenuous to obtain an FM-2 and again, you will receive all the details during a “Focus on Mexico Program”. After five years of having your FM-2 you may become eligible to apply for Immigrado status. As an Immigrado, you may no longer drive your foreign plated vehicle in Mexico. On the other side however, there are numerous benefits to having Immigrado status, all of which you will learn on a Focus program.
Capital Gains Exempt

During a "Focus on Mexico Program" our Immigration Specialist will discuss in detail the various different types, the requirements for each as well as the limitations and costs involved. You’ll find out which Visa will exempt you from having to pay Capital Gains if you buy and then sell a house in Mexico.

You will also discover how you can attach working papers to any form of Visa.

Different Rules from North of the Border!

One of the most confusing things about Retiring to Mexico is the fact that the information on the rules, that you will receive from Mexican consulates in Canada and the United States, is entirely different from what the Immigration people will tell you once you are in Mexico. In fact, the rules may vary from one consulate to the next. They basically set their own rules!

I know this is hard to believe but it is absolutely true. For instance, compare the contradictions in these rules:
When applying through Consulate north of the border, these are the rules: When applying from within Mexicothese are the rules:
Applicant must be 55 years of age to be eligible

Certificate of non criminal records for applicant and spouse

Health Certificate issued by local physician (back home) attesting the general good health of the applicant		 You can move to Mexico on a FM-T (tourist visa) or FM-3 at any age

ONLY to get immigrado status (FM-2) the applicant needs to be 55 years of age to be eligible (if husband is 55 and wife 50, as a couple they can both get FM-2 status)

Certificate of non criminal records is NEVER asked for when applying from within Mexico.

Health Certificate - This is never asked for when applying from within Mexico
It is easy to understand why people don’t know who or
what to believe.
Participants in our Focus Programs tell us time and again that they could never have gathered all the ‘correct’ information nor had such a positive experience without attending our program.
“For anyone considering living in Mexico whether full or part time, the Focus on Mexico Program is an extremely worthwhile venture. We don’t know how long it would take an individual to put together all the information we were given, but we’re convinced it would take a great deal of time! All of the legal, cultural, medical and real estate information about Mexico one could ever need was presented to us by a team of highly skilled, experienced, practicing professionals.” Pat & Dave Barker, Grimsby, Ontario

“Just over eight years ago, I made a decision that changed my life forever, and not for one minute have I ever regretted that change. {Start legal and stay legal} Those were the first words I heard during the immigration seminar presented by Julie Vargas. My decision to move to Lake Chapala, Mexico, permanently involved a lot of changes, and my immigration status was obviously very important to me. In a country with different laws, customs and language, how do you know where to go, what to do and how to do it? Meeting Julie, who is bilingual, and hiring her as my facilitator for immigration caused me to heave a great sigh of relief. For a modest fee, she filled in all the forms, paid the necessary fees, and took me into the immigration offices in Guadalajara so I could live legally in Mexico. If you’ve ever tried driving in a city of eight million when you don’t know your way around or speak the language, you’ll understand when I say her fee was worth that trip alone. And she is just one of the invaluable contacts I made during the Focus program.”
 
Important Immigration information for living in Mexico.