Although Mexico does not offer a digital nomad visa or a visa expressly for remote work, Digital Nomads do have a few choices for navigating Mexico’s immigration system.
For those remote workers who choose to do so, there are two feasible options:
- Regular tourist visa
- Mexico’s Temporary resident visa
Mexico Tourist Visa
The tourist visa is intended for visitors who will be in Mexico for less than 180 days. Most countries’ nationals do not need a visa to enter Mexico.
To apply for a visa, you will need:
A valid passport with a validity period of at least six months- A certificate of employment (letter from your company outlining your position and monthly wage) or a letter from a school establishing your status as a student; evidence of income for freelancers or entrepreneurs
- Bank account statements for the previous three months
- A completed application form
- A photograph
If you do need a tourist visa before traveling to Mexico, you must apply for a visa at a Mexican consulate in your home country. The procedure is easy to follow. You make an appointment with the consulate and present all required papers and information.
Mexico temporary resident visa: better than a digital nomad visa
This option is for persons who intend to stay in Mexico or Mexico City for more than 180 days and up to four years.
The Temporary Resident Visa in Mexico will allow digital nomads to stay for at least a year, with the option of renewing for up to four years. It will also allow them to create a local bank account, rent or buy cars, and travel freely in and out of Mexico. After four years of staying in Mexico on a temporary resident visa, you can apply for a permanent residence visa, allowing you to stay in the country indefinitely.
To apply for temporary residency, you must provide proof that you can cover your living expenses in Mexico, such as bank statements demonstrating a monthly income of USD 650 or more over the last 6 months, or a bank statement demonstrating a minimum average balance of USD 12,000 over the last 12 months.
A certificate confirming a regular, monthly income of roughly $1,600 USD for the last 6 months, or a bank account with an average balance of around $27,000 USD in the last 12 months, for independent entrepreneurs/freelancers.
Documents Required for Mexico’s Digital Nomad Visa Application
From here on out we will call the temporary resident visa the Mexico Digital Nomad Visa, just because it is the next best option for digital nomads.
Make sure you have all of the prerequisites available before heading to the Mexican embassy to apply for the Mexico digital nomad visa. The following documents must be submitted with the Mexican digital nomad visa application:
- Valid passport – You must submit your passport while applying for the digital nomad visa. It must be valid for at least six months from the date of application.
- Visa application form – You must obtain the visa application form from the website of the Mexican consulate in your country. The application form must be printed on both sides. The one side is in English, and the other is in Spanish. Before submitting the form to the embassy, ensure that it is entirely filled out.
- Passport-sized photographs taken recently – You must supply passport-sized photos taken recently. The measurements should be 3.9 cm x 3.1 cm.
- Proof of medical insurance – You must have health insurance to cover your stay in Mexico as a digital nomad. As a result, you must include a certificate of insurance with your application.
- Proof of income – one of the most crucial requirements for a Mexico digital nomad visa is proof that you make at least $2,600 per month.
- Criminal background check – You must provide proof of a clean criminal record, which you can receive from the police agency in your country.
- Payment Confirmation – You must provide a receipt as proof that you paid the visa processing fee.
- Additional documentation for dependents – If you are bringing dependents, you must present documents proving your relationships, such as a birth certificate for your children or a marriage certificate for your spouse.
Applying for a Digital Nomad Visa in Mexico
When you have completed all of the prerequisites, it is time to apply for the temporary residence visa. The steps are as follows:
- Make an appointment – Make an appointment with the Mexican embassy or consulate in your area. It may take several weeks to get an appointment for your visa application, depending on your location and the time of year. You may look out the location of the nearest Mexican embassy in your area online. They generally have a webpage where you may book an appointment online.
- Gather the requirements – ensure that you have all of the needs listed above. These materials should be written in either English or Spanish. Please bring original copies of these documents to your appointment.
- Fill out the application form – print the application form and completely fill it out. The application form can be found on the website of the Mexican embassy or consulate. After completing the form, double-check your entries to ensure they are correct.
- Go to the embassy on your appointment day – Make sure you show up to the embassy for the visa interview on your appointment date for the Mexico temporary residence visa. Depending on the embassy or consulate, you may receive your visa the same day or within a few weeks.
- Enter Mexico with your visa – Once you’ve received your Mexico digital nomad visa, it’s time to travel to Mexico and enter the country with it. You will have six months in Mexico to enter and receive a temporary residency permit.
- Pay the fee – You must pay between $150 and $350 before visiting the National Migration Institute in Mexico to obtain your temporary residency visa.
- Go to the National Migration Institute – You have thirty days to get your temporary residency visa from the National Migration Institute. There is no need to set an appointment for this, but you must fill out an application form online. Bring the documents you filed with your visa application, as well as two more pictures.
- Schedule another appointment to obtain your temporary residency card – in most situations, the residency card will be issued promptly. However, you may be required to wait for several days or weeks, particularly if the immigration officer seeks further documentation from you.
