My road to Mexican residency has left me with bumps and bruises, but is worth it.
I
moved to Mexico in 2020 to escape the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. After bouncing back and forth between Thailand and the U.S. for years, I decided to return to California when Thailand closed its borders. Living as a Black woman in America in 2020 meant living in constant fear. After three months back in the states, I moved to Mexico for my mental health and overall quality of life. I have not regretted that decision. Ten years as a digital nomad helped me recognize that Mexico is the first country I’ve genuinely wanted to call home.
My path to Mexican residency has taken several unexpected turns over the last five years. U.S. citizens can obtain residency in another country in various ways. In Mexico, the options include employment, investments, marriage, study, family reunification, or proving financial solvency. I was in a long-term relationship with a Mexican citizen, which was leading toward marriage. When I became pregnant with twins, I planned to apply for Mexican citizenship through family reunification. Having my babies in Mexico would have made them Mexican citizens and simplified my path to citizenship. Unfortunately, during my pregnancy, I was diagnosed with a rare condition that affects only pregnant women, and I lost my babies. My relationship also ended. Now that I’ve started to process my grief and trauma, I am navigating new paths to residency.
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A New Path to Residency
I continue to travel for work and leisure and am based in both Mexico and California. I returned to my apartment in Playa del Carmen in November and, upon arrival, received a Mexico Visitor Permit (FMM), which allows me to stay in the country for six months. After the most recent election, I decided to reevaluate my residency options. In January, I spoke with an immigration facilitator about applying for Mexico’s Temporary Residency Visa. That’s when I learned about the RNE (Registro Nacional de Extranjeros) program, which allows tourists with an expired visitor permit to apply for residency in Mexico without having to prove financial solvency.
My immigration facilitator informed me that if I had overstayed my Mexican travel visa in the last few years, I would be eligible to apply for the Temporary Residency Visa without showing proof of income. As a freelancer with inconsistent income, this sounded like the perfect opportunity to obtain dual citizenship quickly and easily. The only problem is that I am a rule follower and have never overstayed my visa. As an American, I’ve always received a six-month visitor permit upon arrival, and I’ve traveled before it expired.
At the time, applicants who met the following criteria were accepted into the RNE program: they had to be physically in Mexico with a visitor permit (FMM) that expired in or before 2023 or had visited Mexico at least once in or before 2023 with an expired permit. Since the latter applied to me, I was advised to stay in the country until May, overstay my current permit, and then, the day after it expired, meet with my immigration facilitator to apply for the Temporary Residency Visa in Playa.
That was my plan, so I canceled a trip to South Korea to make it happen. However, in March, Mexico changed the criteria for the RNE program. The updated criteria accepted applicants who had arrived in Mexico with a visitor permit before 2023 and had not left the country since, or were Temporary Residents with an expired card. The changes made it impossible for me to pursue the RNE route, and the program officially closed in early May. This left me with little time and few options besides a visa run—a short trip out of the country so that I can return with a fresh FMM visa and a new plan. While a round-trip flight to America is the most affordable option, I refuse to contribute to the current economy, so I’m planning a trip to Guatemala instead.
Applying for Temporary Residency
According to the Mexican Relocation Guide, which sources information directly from Mexican Consulates, to apply for Temporary Residency I will need to show financial statements with a monthly income of at least $4,081, along with an employment verification letter that outlines my start date, position title, salary, and pay stubs for the last six months. In addition to these financial documents, I will need to complete an application and attend a Consular Interview, which my immigration facilitator says I can schedule in Playa. However, this is generally done in the U.S. by making an appointment at the local Mexican consulate and paying the $54 fee.
If I choose to have my Consular Interview in Mexico instead of the U.S., the interview fee may change significantly, but so could my wait time. Applying for temporary residency while in Mexico could help expedite the process; however, once it begins, I won’t be able to leave the country until I have the visa. If I schedule my interview in the United States, I’ll be at the mercy of their online scheduler, which could mean months before my first interview. I’ll still need to come to Mexico for the second part of the interview process and remain in the country until my visa is approved.
If you’re wondering why I’m not applying for a Permanent Residency Visa instead, the Permanent Residency Visa would require me to show financial statements with a monthly income of at least $7,324 for the last 6 months, according to the government website. Since I’m not a student and don’t own any property in Mexico, my only option to become a permanent resident is to be a temporary resident for four years beforehand. In essence, this is the long game, because according to the Mexican Relocation Guide, once approved for the Temporary Residency Visa, I’ll receive a resident card which will cost $5,570 MXN (approx. $287) the first year. The renewal fee for year two is $8,347 MXN (approx. $430), and year three is $10,571 MXN (approx. $545). By the fourth year, I’ll be able to apply for permanent residency, and if approved, I’ll pay a one-time fee of $6,789 MXN (approx. $350).
The road has not been easy, but I’m dedicated to arriving at my final destination as a Mexican resident and dual citizen. I’ve had to overcome roadblocks and heartbreak along the way, and I can’t be certain that this new path will be a straight one. I know that I’m willing to take the chance and go on this adventure, and I’m hopeful that I’ll be a Mexican resident by the end of the year.
