Immigration to Mexico

The Following Factors Speak For An Immigration To Mexico

• Good for Adventure
• Very good Heritage
• Best Ease of Settling In
• Very fast Feeling at Home
• Very Friendly People
• Very easy to Find Friends
• Low Cost of Living

Traveling information

There are currently no vaccination or COVID-19 testing requirements for entering Mexico; however the traveler must pass the health survey, upon arrival. The borders between the country United States and Mexico are reopened for fully vaccinated travelers only. Mexico’s borders with Guatemala and Belize may occur closed according to the situation. If it is necessary to travel this country then be prepare for an extended stay or to experience some disruptions to travel due to the Covid-19 or crime situation.

Covid-19 risk may get higher here at any time and authorities will impose some measures to manage the outbreak, this will affect your free moving ability in and out of this country. Getting a travel insurance which has sufficient cover policy is important. If you are planning to travel Mexico you must reconsider your need to travel the state Zacatecas due to the increasing level of crime such as terrorism, kidnapping, extortion, etc. This means if possible, postpone your travel if it is non-essential or choose a low risk destination. 

For more travel advice please visit: smartraveller.gov.au or dfa.ie

How to immigrate to Mexico –

Immigration Regulations

To move to Mexico you need immigrant permits. There are two kinds of immigration permits:

Non-Immigrant Permits: These are for the people who are willing to visit this country for a specific purpose and the leave.
Immigrant Permits: These are for the expats who want a long term permanent residence in Mexico.

You also need visa to enter Mexico. You can apply for the visa by yourself or you may hire a person who advises and undertakes the appointment scheduling, form filling and paperwork on your behalf.  If you want to visit for a short term period, as a tourist or on a business trip, a volunteer, undertaking a medical procedure, etc, then you can use Mexico’s visitor Permit also called as FMM (Visitante). This is a multiple immigration form to get the permission to stay in this country for less than 180 days. You may get this form on your flight, electronically by National Institute of Migration (INM) website or at the point of entry at your destination airport.

If you are a U.S. citizen or have a U.S. passport then show the passport or the passport card, U.S. Resident Alien Card (Green Card) or U.S. visa to the authority. Children and teenagers below 18 years must also travel with valid passport. They should show the signed and notarized letter in Spanish certifying permission from at least one parent, while traveling alone or accompanied by a non-parent person or the guardian like grandparent, school group, etc.

Temporary Residence Visa:

This visa can be obtained for four year duration. After the duration, you can extend visa annually. Also you can apply for permanent residency. Travelers with temporary visa can leave or re-enter this country numerous times and also can apply for work permit. If you are not coming for job in Mexico then you need to show the statement, mentioning your financial self Sufficiency or regular income. 

Requirements for Temporary Resident Visa: 

• If you are a close family member of a temporary or permanent resident visa holder or citizen of Mexico.
• Proof of investment or savings, showing an monthly income over a year period.
• Proof of employment.
• A monthly net income for a period of 6 months.
• Bank statements and a signed letter from the U.S. Social Security Administration attesting to your monthly social security payment if you are retired, etc,.

Permanent Resident Visa: This allows the holders to stay permanently and does not require renewal and gives the right to work. You can apply after completing four years as a temporary resident if you meet financial requirements.

Requirements for Permanent Resident Visa: 

• You can apply after two years as a temporary resident if you are a close family member of a temporary or a permanent resident visa holder.
• If you are married to a Mexican Citizen.
• If you have a Mexican child, your visa will be upgraded from tourist visa to permanent visa.

For more information please visit:  expatsinmexico.com or mexperience.com

People of Mexico

Citizens of the Mexico are called Mexicans. Mexicans are also considered as Latina. Mexicans have different ancestors, Europeans, Spanish, Indians, Africans, Indigenous and German as a result there is diversity in their culture. These people are generally polite, courteous and charming. Even in casual meet, they address each other with love and respect. To greet a person, shaking hands, a squeeze of arm and a hug is common. Families are closely knitted and at difficult times they stand with each other.  There are different ethnic groups in Mexico such as Mestizo Mexican, White Mexican, Indigenous Mexican, Arab Mexican, Jewish Mexicans, Afro Mexicans, Asian Mexicans, German Mexicans. Skin color ranges here from white to black and most people are of mixed race. A person of Indian or Spanish descent is called Mestizo. Most of Mexican people are mestizos. Nahua is the largest indigenous group in Mexico. These people live in towns and villages, in central Mexico and speak Nahuat or Nahuatl language. 

Job offers in Mexico

Mexico is one of the tourist’s attractions in the world. It is the most visited country for tourism and jobs. There are many jobs available in the tourism industry. English in high demand, so you can get jobs accordingly. English teachers require a university degree and ac certificate from TEFL or TESOL. If you have skills in other profession, there are also many opportunities in other fields as well. Jobs in Mexico will also help you to expand your network and develop your skills. 

Expats who wants to work in Mexico must get a visa. Foreigner working in the Mexican companies should get a residency visa with the permission to work. Also anyone working for a foreign company for less than six months can get a visitor’s visa with the permission for work in this country. Jobs in demand are Teaching English, Resort Manager or other staff, advertising, marketing, Accounting, Software engineer, Environmental Scientists, architect, marketing manager, Web designing, Security officer, logistics, transportation, distribution, manufacturing and production industry, etc.

Some popular Job posting sites for Mexico are: 

• OCCMundial 
• Bumeran 
• Empleate Mexico 
• Snaphunt 
• Jora 
• Indeed Mexico

Unemployment rate

In April 2024, the unemployment rate of Mexico was 2.6% as predicted. It is lower than 2.8% unemployment rate from the same period in 2023. The unemployment rate in the Mexico was 3.0% in the month of March 2022. The rate has decreased from 4.7% in the year 2021 to 3.7 percent in January 2022. The jobless rate refers to the share of working force that is unemployed but is available for work and seeking for it. The rate is so low because of the absence of a system of unemployment benefits, like many other countries. This was the lowest unemployment rate since the pandemic has started in the year 2020 as the employed population increased and the number of unemployed decreased. At the same time the number of economically active population has risen. On a seasonal basis, the unemployment rate eased to 3.5% in the month of February 2022. 

For more information on the current unemployment rate in Mexico, please visit: tradingeconomics.com

Economy of Mexico

Mexico’s economy is the fifteenth largest in the world in GDP terms and twelfth largest by PPP, while leading exporter in the Latin America. This economy is developing market economy, which depends on investment, production and distribution to the consumers. Food, beverages, chemicals, tobacco, steel and iron, petroleum, vehicles, clothing, consumer durables and tourism are the main industries contributing the economy. This nation is also a big exporter of silver, coffee, oil, oil products, cotton and fruits. This economy has had unprecedented macro economy stability, which has reduced the inflation and rates, but the medium term growth area has become weak which results the growth since the last two decades has been very less. This is one of the reasons why, the poverty rate and inequality is on its peak in this country. Some other reasons are a slow functioning credit market, policies creating incentives for informality, ineffective market regulation and competition at the international market. 

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Renting and buying of real estates for foreigners

Renting: 

If you are planning to buy a property in this country then it is advisable to rent first as to find a place according to your need might take time. Renting an apartment or a house is cheaper in Mexico than many other countries in North America and Europe, such as United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Germany. The most expensive city in this county is the capital of itself, the Mexico City. The amount of rent may vary from city to city as it depends on the neighborhood, subways, market, size of the property, main city. Prices in the major cities are comparatively higher than the rural areas. Major cities like Monterrey, Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, Guadalajara, Queretaro, etc are also expensive. Some of the cheaper cities are Tlaxcala, Zacatecas, Guanajuato and Tepic, etc.

You can search for an accommodation online or hire a broker. This will save your time and energy. They will help you to find a reliable and comfortable accommodation. Agent’s fees and commission is paid by the landlord, so you need not to worry about it. Both the furnished and unfurnished flats are available. The term ‘unfurnished’ means you will not get any sitting or sleeping arrangement, fridge or the other things as you get in some other countries, this point should be taken care of. The process is to rent a property is easy but can be tricky at times. Some owners or the agencies can ask you for a deposit but others may require a credit check or someone to sign the lease other than you called a ‘Fiador’. One solution for this is to ask your employer to represent you, if they can.

Documents: 

• Passport
• Identity Card
• Documents issued by the Mexican Government
• FMM Form (For Foreigners)

Buying: 

Owning a property gives a sense of responsibility and happiness. Many think or buying a property in Mexico due to the attractive property prices. In the recent years it is seen that the sale is increasing compared to the neighboring countries like Canada and the United States. Here also, while buying a property, prices may vary due to various aspects. For instance, the property is in the city centre or is in outskirts, its size, near the coastline or in the middle of the country, etc. Apart from the house price you will also need to pay the agency fees, notary and lawyer’s fee, acquisition fee, registration fee and the title insurance. 

If you are a foreigner and willing to buy a property in Mexico then it is a good place for you as the government allows you to buy a property without any particular visa. Even a tourist visa is enough to buy a property. And then you can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa. For a Permanent Residence Visa you must apply after four years of getting the Temporary Resident Visa. And for the citizenship, apply when five years are over as a Permanent Resident. 

Documents: 

• Passport
• Identity Card
• Mortgage papers
• Promissory Agreement with the payment
• Purchase or Sale Agreement
• Title transfer papers
• Correspondence Taxes Slips

 For more information please visit: www.internations.org

Climate

The climate in Mexico is an arid to tropical climate with rainy and dry seasons along with slight temperature fluctuation. The average temperature all over the country throughout the year is between 10˚C to 33˚C. The tropic of cancer divides Mexico into two parts. One part is temperate while the other part is tropical. This is the reason why the northern part of the country has cool temperature during winters while southern region has constant temperatures year round. Mexico’s terrain is varied same as the weather. There are regional variations in Mexico’s weather. On the coastal areas some months are rainy and some are dry and mild all year round. There are two main seasons in this country rainy and the hurricane season. 

Rainy Season: This season starts from the month of May till the month of September or first week of October. 

Hurricane Season: This season starts from the month of June till the month of November. 

For more information please visit: www.tripsavvy.com

Languages

The national language of Mexico is Spanish. There is a little difference between the Spanish language spoken in the European countries and the Spanish spoken in this country. Approx 90% of the population of this nation speak in Spanish. Some Mexicans can speak both the language Spanish and English. English is not widely spoken; around 20% people can speak and understand this language and are fluent in it. However English language is very much used at the popular tourist destinations in Mexico and near the border of the United States of America.

Foreign languages spoken in this country are German, Italian, Arabic, Greek, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Russian. Other than these, 63 indigenous languages are also widely spoken in Mexico. One of them is the  Chatino language which is  spoken by some 45,000 people living in the south of Oaxaca state in Southern Mexico. The Chatino language belongs to the Zapotecan branch of the Oto-Manguean language family.  Sign languages used by the deaf people are Mexican sign language, Plains Sign Language, Yucatan Sign Language and American Sign Language. The government of Mexico uses Spanish in most official purposes, but its status is not of an official language. To greet someone you can say “HOLA” means ‘hello’ in Spanish and other words like “Buenos dias” ‘Good Morning’; Buenas Noches” ‘Good evening/Night’; “Como estas” ‘How are you’ will surely help you to start a conversation.  For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Traffic

To drive in this country you a driving license is must. Most of the big cities in Mexico suffer from traffic congestion but not as much as Mexico city. Driving here is tough but not impossible. Traffic rule for drinking and driving is not followed very strictly here, hence people drive on the roads after drinking so being alert while driving is important. There is a suggestion, if it is not necessary do not come on road after 10 pm to midnight. Driving here is rough, unlike Europe and America.

There is a lot of traffic and cars try to change the lane without indication. Roads are also a big gripe to the locals as well as the visitors. Since some roads are maintained but rest have potholes and can flatten your vehicle’s tire. Traffic jams are common in Mexico city and you can easily stuck in for an hour or two. If you don’t want to experience the jam then it’s a friendly advice to be more attentive while driving as not all the people follow the driving rules.

The rush hours are 7 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 8 pm as students and workers are on the road to reach their destination such as Office and School. You can roam in this country by metro or by Uber taxi. You can also hire a rental car in the city you are planning to stay in Mexico.

There are different speed limits imposed by the Mexican government from 10 km/h (6 mph) to 110 km/h (68 mph) depending on the area you are driving through. 

Documents: 

• Passport of green card
• Driving license
• Vehicle Registration Proof
• Temporary vehicle importation permit
• Tourist Card or Entry Permit (FMM)
• Mexico tourist auto insurance policy

For more information visit: tripsget.com

Currency

Mexican official currency is Mexican Peso ($, MXN, MX$, Mex$). The sign for the US Dollar and Mexican Peso is same as they have the common origin from Spanish dollar. The peso is divided into 100 centavos (¢). The currency is printed by the Bank of Mexico and the paper currency is in six denominations, which are $20, $50, $100, $200, $500, $1000 (rarely used) and coins as centavo in $1, $2, $5, $10. There are 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $20, $50 and $100 coins, which nowadays are rarely used but are still legal and are in circulation. Mexican Peso is the third most traded currency after US dollar and Canadian dollar and is the most traded currency from the Latin America.

Payment Transaction

Mexicans prefer to pay through cash, cards or online. Payments with Master Cards, Visa credit or debit card. People, who don’t use these options, use famous online cash payment options, such as OXXO or 7Eleven, etc. There are four main methods of payment transactions in the United Stated of America: 

• Oxxo: It is an offline cash payment voucher option.
• 7Eleven: Also an offline cash payment voucher option.
• Farmacias del Ahorro: It is an online cash payment voucher option in Mexico.
• Carnet: It is a domestic card network as well as the payment brand scheme which permits Mexican Banks to issue cards for obtaining transactions between its connected merchants.
• Famsa: An online cash payment voucher option.
• American Express: It is a credit or charge card that can be used for online payments. It is amongst the major credit card brands in the world.
• VISA: An online payment method used all over the world including Mexico.
• MasterCard: Also an online payment method used in Mexico and all other countries.
• Banamex: A local credit and debit card brand in Mexico.
• Cash: Cash is accepted all over the country. Shoppers and vendors who do not have a bank account or a digital wallet accept cash payments.         

For more information visit: www.about-payments.com

Cost of living in Mexico 

According to a survey the cost of living in the Mexico is more expensive than 75% of cities in the Latin America and in Mexico City its cheaper than 60% of cities in the World. Average living cost in Mexico depends upon your lifestyle, current situation, size of family etc. The average monthly expense for a single person is approximately Mex$26,500. The expenses with family of four persons will be $53,000. Food is cheap and public transport is reasonable. Monthly rent is higher in the main city than in rural areas.

Some products used in daily life are mentioned below, which will help you know the cost of living in Mexico. The cost may change and vary from city to city: 

For more information on the cost of living in Mexico, please visit: expatistan.com & internationalcitizens.com

Apartment Rent

Los Cabos is the most expensive place to rent a residential property, followed by Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico. Also the city of San Pedro Garza Garcia in the province Nuevo Leon has the expensive apartments. Fully furnished one bedroom apartment in the city centre will cost you approx $17,542 and same apartment, outside city will cost approx $8,500. A furnished studio apartment of 2 to 3 bedrooms in the city centre will cost you approx $24,670 and outside the city it will cost you approx $13,540. After visiting on the above given link you will get the ideas of the cost of monthly rent. You will find the apartments online or with the help of a local friend. Property showing websites also mentions prices below so that you can choose according to your need and comfort.

Taxes

There are three main types of taxes in this country, federal, state and municipal taxes. You can pay taxes here in every month or annually. Citizens and taxpayers have some rights and duties. The obligation to pay taxes is a way to contribute to public spending. Income Tax (ISR), Value Added Tax (VAT or IVA) and Special Tax on Production and services (IEPS) are the other taxes that should be paid by the Mexicans as well as expats. These taxes are managed by Service Tax Administration (SAT), it is the decentralized body of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit that is responsible for imposing tax. In Mexico, income tax rate starts from 1.92% to 35%. Expats who work in Mexico on a work visa or permit pay 15% to 30% income tax. Every resident of Mexico is subject to pay income tax on his worldwide income, despite of their nationality. Non residents and citizens of Mexico who prove their residence for tax reasons in a foreign country are taxed only on their Mexican source of income. 

For more information please visit: coelabogados.mx or taxsummaries.pwc.com

Health Insurance  

Health insurance in this country is provided by the public institutions managed by the government departments, private hospitals and clinics, and private physicians. Every citizen of this country comes under the healthcare and medicine according to the Mexican constitution. Their constitution gives the responsibility to state in providing national healthcare to the population. Public healthcare is accomplished by the elaborated segmented provisioning and delivery system. This segmentation allows private organizations and offices run by physicians to offer a variety of healthcare options to the people who can afford it and are willing to pay. Mexican health care system is called IMSS (Instituto mexicano de seguro social). Whether you are covered with the IMSS or the Seguro Popular, healthcare in Mexico is free and there is no co-payment.

For more information visit: www.expatassure.com or en.wikipedia.org

Important addresses   

Mexico City International Airport (OSL):
Av. Capitán Carlos León S/N,
Peñón de los Banos,
Venustiano Carranza,
15620 Ciudad de México,
Mexico
Ph: +52 55 2482 2400

Ciudad Juárez
International Airport:             
Carrtera Panamericana Km. 18.5 S/N,
Aeropuerto,
32698 Cd Juárez,
Chih.,
Mexico
Ph: +52 656 478 7000

Cancun International Airport :       
Cancun – Chetumal Km 22,
77565 Cancún, 
Q.R.,
Mexico
Ph: +52 55 5284 0400

Salto del Agua:                     
Metro/Subway Station
Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas Centro Histórico
Centro Cuauhtemoc,
06000 Ciudad de México,  
Mexico

Division del Norte:
Metro Station 
Narvarte Poniente,
Benito Juarez,
03100 Mexico City,
Mexico

Juárez Metro Station:  
Colonia Centro,
06050 Mexico City,
CDMX,
Mexico

ADO Bus Station:          
Calle Pino,
SM23, MZ56, Lt 1 y 2,
Centro, 23,
77500 Cancún, Q.R.
Mexico

Embassy of United States of America:    
Av. Paseo de la Reforma 305,
Cuauhtémoc,        
06500 Ciudad de México
Mexico
Ph: +52 55 5080 2000

Embassy of Malaysia:
Monte Libano 1015,
Lomas de Chapultepec VIII Secc,       
Miguel Hidalgo,
11000 Ciudad de México
Mexico
Ph: +52 55 5282 5166

Embassy of France: 
Campos Eliseos 339,
Polanco, Polanco V Secc, 
Miguel Hidalgo,
11560 Ciudad de México
Mexico
Ph: +52 55 9171 9700

Embassy of Czech Republic: 
Cuvier 22, Anzures,
Miguel Hidalgo,
11590 Ciudad de México, CDMX,
Mexico
Ph: +52 55 5531 2544

Summary

Mexico, a Latin American Country with scenic places, pleasant climate and a fun spot for adventurous people. This nation is culturally accessible and has a rich history, great food, many cultural attractions. People are friendly, fashionable, happy, modern and trendy. It provides good healthcare system to locals as well as foreigners. Cost of living in this country is relatively cheap than the countries in the North America. It is the most visited country for tourism and jobs. There are many jobs available in the tourism industry. English in high demand, so you can get jobs accordingly. This country is a good destination, but there are still some safety precautions people should take to lessen the risk such as crime, scams and corona virus. Many Places are safe and fun to visit, if you have a local friend or you know where they are and what areas to ignore.