Buying A House In Mexico and Getting a Visa Through a Spouse, Parent or Employer

Obtaining a visa under family for a married couple, normally each must show the qualifying amounts of income, investments etc. If not possible, one option is for one person of the married couple to qualify as a Temporary Resident. If husband qualifies and wife does not, she enters as a tourist and when husband has his visa, she may start her visa process in Mexico. The spouse does not need financials as she is being sponsored by the other spouse. However, if name on wife's and husband's passports do not exactly match as per their names on the marriage certificate, one needs an affidavit from their Embassy or consulate in Mexico confirming the person named on the passport is the same person named on the marriage license. Example, Mary Elizabeth Smith is not the same as Mary E. Smith to INM. The marriage license will also need to be legalized or have an apostle in the state or province where issued and translated by a certified translator in Mexico. It is same process to sponsor children using birth certificates.

When the sponsor is a Permanent Resident, the sponsored spouse may apply as a Temporary Resident for one year. Sponsored spouse then renews for three more years. After four years that person may become a Permanent Resident. There is the need to apostille or legalize marriage certificate and to have the apostille and license translated by a certified translator in Mexico. When the sponsor is Permanent Resident parent, a sponsored child, not born in Mexico, age 18 and younger, may apply as a Permanent Resident. The child's birth certificate requires an apostle or to be legalized and both documents translated by a certified translator in Mexico. Child's name on passport and birth certificates must match to the letter.

An adult child may sponsor an adult parent. Parent applies for same visa classification as adult child. Again, document name matches are a must.

Visa application based on family allows for foreigners with a child born in Mexico to become a Permanent Resident (not a Temporary Resident) by applying in Mexico with no need to prove financials. Parent/s need a current FMM, child's Mexican birth certificate and government issued ID, parent's passport with exact same name as parent's name on the child's birth certificate.

Obtaining a visa through marriage to a Mexican national means no pre-approval at a Mexican consulate and no financials required. The process can be started in Mexico. Expat spouse must have a valid FMM tourist card. He/she will receive a 1 year Temporary Resident visa and in 12 months renew for one more year. After two years the person becomes a Permanent Resident. It is easier if married in Mexico or otherwise marriage license must be apostilled or legalized and both the license and the apostille must be translated by a certified translator in Mexico. Both names on marriage license and on passports must be identical. Prior to applying at Inmigracion in Mexico you must register your marriage at Registro Civil.

Sponsoring a Spouse from a Country Requiring a Visa to Enter Mexico applies to when one spouse is a Mexican citizen or Temporary Resident (TR) or Permanent Resident (PR ) and this person wants to sponsor their spouse to reside in Mexico when the spouse lives in a country requiring a travel visa to enter Mexico. For example, a citizen / TR / PR has a spouse who he / she needs to sponsor as a temporary resident living in a country requiring permission to visit Mexico such as Cuba, Thailand, China, etc. as per here: https://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/word/index.php/paises-requieren-visa-para-mexico/

The process starts at an Inmigracion office in Mexico. The Mexican citizen / TR / PR visa holder requires:

1. Original IFE or temporary or permanent resident visa and copy.

2. Original marriage license and that license to have an apostle or it is legalized (depending on country where married) and both are to be translated by a certified translator in Mexico.

3. Foreign spouse’s passport clear copy

4. A letter is then issued by local Inmigracion which allows spouse in a foreign country to schedule an appointment at a Mexican consulate or embassy in their country.

Next, at the Consulate / Embassy

1. Sponsored spouse makes an appointment.

2. Financials are not required as the spouse who is a TR / PR is sponsoring their spouse.

3. The sponsoring citizen / TR / PR is not required to be present at the consulate / embassy.

Once pre-approved the process is the same as any pre-approved visa holder. The one sponsored enters Mexico with a pre-approved TR stamp in his / her passport and obtains a FMM marked CANJE and within 30 days of having entered Mexico applies as a TR.

​Mexican employer job offer requires your employer to be registered in the immigration system. To remain valid, your employer must update their information with Immigration every April-May. Next, the company submits an application for your visa at that same immigration office. Once the visa is approved they will receive a notice through the immigration system. With that you must request an interview at any Mexican consulate abroad within 30 calendar days to get your pre-approved visa stamped in your passport. With your visa pre-approval, you enter Mexico to change your pre-approved visa for Permiso Para Trabajar Visa which allows you to work and live in Mexico.