Mexico City, Mexico

What residency documents or visas did I need if I will be in Mexico for a while?

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We asked expats what residency documents or visas they need when settling in Mexico. They wrote...

"Here it is: Lived in northern Virginia about 5 mins from Washington, DC, so I was able to use the office downtown DC near Georgetown. My appointment/process took about 15-20 mins before they smiled at me and said that I was going to live in Mexico. I submitted the required payroll statements, which showed them being directly deposited into my bank account. I was still working (I think this might have been an advantage...not sure) These statements listed my 401K, as well. I did not point that out to them and they didn't ask. I didn't need to use my pension info, nor did I bring it with me. I didn't apply for Social Security until 6 months after arrival, so it was not used as income. They didn't ask for bank statements and I didn't volunteer. In addition, there was no need in Puerto Vallarta for me to submit financials again... I only listed what my current sources of income were. Keep in mind that this was over 5 years ago and I did it all myself. I just took the time to read and digest online what I needed to do, period," said another expat in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

"We used our recommended attorney, which was a great move. We applied at the Mexican consulate in Seattle which took four hours ... We brought proof of income, passports and that was it. Our attorney had suggested that we apply for one permanent (for me) and one temporary visa for my wife... This allowed us to bring the car down under her name. It also sped the shipment of household goods using her temp visa. The cost of the attorney (minimal) was well worth the price.. He had the local connections that moved the paper along. When we arrived in Ajijic we immediately started the local paperwork for our visas. After being finger printed and filling out a couple of forms, we had our visas in 10 days," wrote a member who made the move to Lake Chapala, Mexico.

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Other Questions:

What residency documents or visas did I need if I will be in Mexico for a while?

If you live in Mexico, newcomers to Mexico would love to hear your answer to this question.

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About the Author

Joshua Wood Joshua Wood is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange and serves as Co-President of Expat Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange and Digital Nomad Exchange, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist.

Some of Joshua's articles include Pros and Cons of Living in Portugal, 10 Best Places to Live in Ireland and Pros and Cons of Living in Uruguay. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.

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