Hey all. Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find it if it had. I am coming to Mexico in April 2027 to transition my temporary residency to permanent (yay!) and am just looking into the travel arrangements now. And the most cost effective option I found was a cruise. The INM office I go to is the one on Progreso Beach and Carnival docks there from 9-3 so I should have plenty of time to get this done. That office is always super fast and efficient!

I've never been on a cruise before so I have no idea if they stamp your passport the same way they do at the airport. I do know that its important to not have them stamp me in as a tourist or I'll have to start my residency from scratch. Has anyone attempted this via cruise before? If its not a good idea, that's fine. I have no problem flying into Merida again. Thanks!

My parents (from Toronto) who are both over 70 years old want to plan a 3-4 week trip to Yucatan in Mexico this winter. They will spend 2 weeks in Merida and also want a week on the beach ideally at a rental instead of a hotel so they have a kitchen where they can cook at home. What are the best beach areas in Yucatan and where would you suggest a pair of seniors who are looking for quiet beach find a vacation rental option? Thanks!

I recently received my temporary residency visa and I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone on this subreddit who has answered questions and documented their process. I am hoping to pay it forward and hopefully someone finds this information helpful. I did not use any facilitators at any point of the process, and instead used the information posted on this subreddit, the official Mexican government websites, and a little bit of googling.

Locations: Consulate in San Diego and INM building in Tijuana

Step 1: Consulate Preparation & Appointment

I applied for a visa via economic solvency through employment. I read the requirements for my local consulate and made sure I had all the documents. I then scheduled an appointment online for the closest available date, and went to my appointment.

I arrived 10 minutes early and went inside. The person processing my application asked me some questions such as if I spoke Spanish, where I learned to speak Spanish, and why I wanted a visa to live in Mexico. I replied that I know a little Spanish, learned to speak it in school and continued to practice in Mexico and Latin America, and wanted to move to Mexico to live with my girlfriend. He then told me to pay the $56 fee, and I came back with the receipt. My Spanish is not super strong, but the agent knew English pretty well, so anything I didn't understand could be filled in with English. After looking through my documents, he said I was missing my remote work authorization letter and that I would need to come back. Damn, $56 down the drain.

I made another appointment and proceeded to ask my boss to write me a letter confirming that I was allowed to work remotely.

I arrived at my appointment and it was the same process as before, but note that if this happens you will have to arrive with all required documents (including paying the $56 again), so don't count on them keeping your documents from last time. After answering the same questions and about 45 minutes of waiting in total, I got called back to the window. I proceeded to get my picture taken, and then got my fingerprints scanned. The agent then printed out the sticker version of my visa, placed it in my passport, and said I needed to complete the CANJE process in Mexico.

Documents Needed:

• $56 in cash
• Completed visa application form
• Passport + copies of my passport that includes data page, last page, and all pages with stamps
• 6 months of paystubs (I brought 8 months - they only looked at the last 6 months)
• 6 months of bank statements (I brought 8 months - again only looked at 6. I also just used the page from the bank statement that showed beginning balance, deposits, and ending balance.)
• Signed letter from employer approving of me working from home and residing in Mexico.

Step 2: Making the Appointment & Entering Mexico

After getting my passport sticker, I went online to make an appointment with the INM office in Tijuana. First you will need to fill out the Formato para solicitar tramite migratorio de estancia so that you can receive a pieza number which you will use when making your appointment. When I first checked, I saw no appointments available. I kept checking throughout the day, and then the next day at around 11am I saw a bunch of appointments available. I reserved an appointment for a Friday early in the morning to give myself plenty of time.

I arrived at San Ysidro the day before my appointment, and crossed by foot. When I got to the customs agent, I presented my passport open on the page with the visa sticker. I then told him I have a visa and that I was there for the tramite de CANJE. He checked the CANJE checkbox on my FMM, stamped the FMM and the visa, and I was on my way. When I got home in Mexico, I then made a copy of the FMM and my visa sticker.

Step 3: CANJE at the INM office

I arrived 20 minutes before my appointment, and waited outside along with a small line of other people. I noticed that quite a few people came with facilitators which surprised me. Personally, I do not believe it is worth it, unless you absolutely do not want to stress or deal with paperwork.

Once they opened, they let us in and an agent called me over to the window. He took all of my documents, looked through them, and had me sign multiple papers. Like at the Consulate, agents at the TJ location speak enough English to help out a bit, but I wouldn't rely on only speaking English. Once he verified everything was correct, he then had me pay right there. Total cost was around ~$655. I signed multiple papers, and was told that I could wait around 1-2 hours to get my card, or come back later. I said I would wait, and was told to sit until I get called. The agent called me to the window a few more times to sign more papers, and finally directed me to sit outside the biometrics room. After waiting for around an hour or so, I got called in. They proceeded to ask me questions from the Formato Basico, and collected fingerprints and took pictures. After all that was said and done, he printed a form, asked me to confirm all the information on it was correct, sign it, and then he printed my card. All in all, I was there for around 2.5 hours total, and left with my temporary visa card in hand.

Documents Needed:

• Passport (original) + copies (data page, visa page, pages with stamps)
• FMM marked with CANJE + copy
• CFE electricity bill
• Formato para solicitar tramite migratorio de estancia
• Confirmaction de cita en linea (Appointment confirmation, not needed if doing walk-up)

I did not need the formato basico printed out as they asked me the questions during biometrics, however if your Spanish is weak it might be a good idea to take a look at what they will ask you to make the process smoother. During the process, I prepared but did not need to use a passport size photo of myself. All photos were taken both at the consulate and the INM office.

Hello, I have my permanent residency visa sticker. I was approved here in the states via family unit through my 8 year old child. Once I go into Playa do I need to bring him to the canje appointment to exchange my sticker for the card? Do I get the card the same day? What docs are required? Thank you in advance!

I am 47 years old and tired of the rate race. I am looking to move to Mexico in 2028. I am looking at Guanajuato city or Querétaro and have a monthly passive income of $6300 USD.

My GF is a Mexican citizen and a licensed therapist and I have casually suggested that maybe she could practice in Mexico on all
of the gringos who need mental health care (could be naive on my part).

But… can we afford these cities? Could a english/spanish speaking mental heath practice work especially catered to expats?

Appreciate any feedback you may have.

Cheers

My daughter took her university degrees in the United States and Europe, but now lives in Mexico where she has an opportunity to teach at a university. First she needs to get her degrees validated and she is having trouble determining the steps she needs to go through. Online attempts have been a dead end and we are told that she needs to go personally to Mexico City for the validation. Can someone explain where she needs to go and what is involved?

I work from home a lot.

I'll use AC pretty much only from 7PM-5AM roughly.

In the day I can have windows open. Fan on. But lately it's just too hot lol.

My AC bill is usually 2000MXN+ a month. So I'd probably double it if I was to be running it in the day. I like to keep my costs lower for long term.

Any solutions?

I'm a dual citizen and tried to open a bank account with BBVA. However, they said because I didn't have a maternal last name, I'd have to buy auto insurance for a year that I don't need to open an account with them. Has anyone had success with other banks, such as Banco Azteca or BanCoppel?

I'm looking to hear from other retired or disabled veterans who made the decision to move to Mexico and live primarily off VA disability and military retirement, especially anyone who made the move with school-age children.

A little background: I'm in my mid 40s, retired from the Army after 20 years, and currently receive 100% VA disability along with my military retirement. My current job/contract is ending, and while I'm actively looking for another job, my wife and I have started seriously considering moving to Mexico if the right employment opportunity doesn't come along.

Mexico isn't really unfamiliar territory for us. My wife and I both grew up in the area outside León, Guanajuato, and we still have quite a bit of family around León and San Francisco del Rincón. We would most likely settle somewhere in that area, so we'd have a family/support network already there rather than starting completely from scratch.

Financially, between my VA disability and military retirement, we'd have a steady income coming from the U.S. regardless of whether I worked in Mexico. I would probably look into starting a small business just to have some extra income and not get bored.

Our biggest concern isn't really us, it's our three kids.

My wife is especially hesitant because of their future. She's worried that moving them from the U.S. to Mexico could limit their educational and career opportunities once they get older. That's probably the biggest thing keeping us from feeling completely comfortable with the idea.

I'd really like to hear from veterans, military retirees, or families who have actually done something similar.

A few things I'm particularly curious about:

• If you're living in Mexico primarily on VA disability and/or military retirement, how has it worked out financially?
• How do you handle VA healthcare, prescriptions, annual appointments, etc. while living in Mexico?
• Did you keep a U.S. address, bank accounts, phone number, etc.? Anything you wish you had set up before leaving?
• For those with children, what did you do about schools; public, private, bilingual/international?
• If your children were raised or finished school in Mexico, how did that affect their college and career opportunities later?
• Has anyone kept the option open for their kids to attend college in the U.S. after graduating from high school in Mexico?
• What were the biggest expenses or problems you didn't anticipate before moving?
• And probably the biggest question: knowing what you know now, would you do it again?

I'm not really looking at this as "retiring to Mexico at 44 and never working again." It's more about whether having guaranteed retirement/disability income gives us an opportunity to build a good life near our extended family without constantly worrying about finding another job in the U.S.

At the same time, I don't want to improve our quality of life now at the expense of our kids' opportunities 10–15 years from now.

Thanks for any experiences or advice you can share.

The plan is to spend winter months (or maybe more) overseas. Panama and Mexico are both strong candidates (I'm also looking into SEA and Europe). I'm wondering what were some of the deciding factors that made you choose Mexico over Panama? It would be great to hear from anyone that has spent time in both countries.

Hello!
Just moved here for my exchange and Ive been wondering where the hell to do groceries - firstly like condiments (not meat or veggies) because everything I see is 40-50MX which is around 2-3 euros and as a Brazilian living in the Netherlands that sounds like A LOT so I was wondering where I could get cheaper things. I heard about Bodega Aurrera and Chedraui but dont know if that’s right. I also just arrived and am staying around Condesa for now but I’m open to going further for groceries. If ajyone has any tips I’m begging!

Moving from Texas to Querétaro — private school + neighborhood recommendations?

Hi everyone! We’re a family from Texas seriously considering moving to Querétaro within the next year, and I’d love some advice from families who have made a similar move.
We have 3 kids and one of our biggest priorities is finding the right school before choosing where to live.

🏫 What we’re looking for in a school
Bilingual Spanish/English — our kids currently speak very little Spanish, so we need a school that can support kids coming from the U.S.
Reasonably priced. With 3 kids in private school, we need something good but not insanely expensive.
Strong academics
Safe and welcoming environment
Ideally a school that is used to international/U.S. students
We want the kids to be able to transition back into a U.S. school if we ever move back.
I keep seeing IB mentioned, but I honestly don’t know much about it. Is it important if our kids may eventually attend college in the U.S.?
Is there anything specific we should look for in terms of accreditation, transcripts, credits, etc.?

🏡 Once we find the school, we want to choose our neighborhood around it.
Our ideal neighborhood would be:
safe/security is a major priority
Gated/private community with controlled access
Family-oriented
Clean and well-maintained
Nice homes, but we don’t need something ultra-luxury
Parks/green spaces and somewhere for kids to ride bikes/play
Other families with children
Close to school
Grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, etc. nearby
Preferably newer construction
Good value for the money
We’re okay being outside the city center if the area is safer and more family-friendly

If you made it this far thank you!!
If you have kids in private school, which schools would you recommend and what do they realistically cost? And which neighborhoods would you recommend living in based on those schools?
Also, if you moved from the U.S., I’d love to hear what you wish you had known before choosing a school/neighborhood.

Qué onda, pues yo vengo a traerles una duda y si me podrian ayudar a resolverla, mi padre hace unos 22-23 años intentó cruzar ilegalmente a usa y lo capturaron y tomaron huellas, pero dijo un nombre falso, en casos así qué tipo de trámite se necesita hacer y cuanto tiempo tardaria aproximadamente ese tramite?

Heya! Like so many people here, I've spent so, so, SO much time researching moving companies big and small. I've narrowed it down to just a few, but finding real reviews from people who have used these companies is difficult.

If you've used the following companies to move to Mexico, would you let me know how your experience was?

• Luis Martinez / M&G Relocation
• Best Mexico Movers

Things that would be helpful to know:

• Where did you move from and to (approximately)
• Did you think the price was reasonable?
• Were there hidden costs?
• Did your items arrive on time?
• Was anything damaged? Missing?
• Were there any unforseen issues? IE: Customs issues, etc.

If you're here to comment "just sell everything," please don't. You misunderstood the assignment. 🙃

Thanks in advance!

Ugh damn auto correct ^^

My partner and I trying to decide where to complete our canje process. We are based in Los Angeles and could easily drive down to Tijuana, Rosarito, etc., and if the wait times were shorter, that might be worth it even though we'd have to pay for lodging, but the plan is to move to CDMX eventually, and have friends we could stay with, but hearing wait times are getting longer.

Anyone have any intel? We'd prefer to take no more than 2 weeks off.

Hi all,

Last month I entered the restricted zone and opened my Temporary Import Permit with 25 days left on my 30 day visa. My plan was to cross from La Paz to Mazatlan and later “canjear” my temporary residency near my place of residence (cdmx)

I have since obtained my temporary resident card.

From what I understand, your TIP expiry date follows your legal status (which now expires in 11 months), but it makes me uneasy not having something to show if I were to get stopped by the police.

Therefore I have gone to aduanas (de pasajeros) twice in CDMX and they have no idea what I’m talking about when I try to present them with the information on extending the expiry date. I came prepared with documents and the Anexo 3 form as outlined on several posts here on this subreddit. I have spent hours trying to explain the process to Aduanas (in Spanish), and they agree in theory that the expiry follows my residency card but they were unable to offer any kind of written confirmation.

I plan to go to aduanas de carga today (cdmx) to see if they can help. I only have two days left on my initial Banjercito expiry date so fingers crossed.

My biggest concern is that even though my initial TIP was associated with a TR visa entry, the agent said that it was tourism. I’m curious if others who have gone through this before were also initially classified as tourists?

From what I understand, technically my expiry date follows my legal status, but if the TIP was incorrectly marked as tourism, will this still hold?

Hello! I will be moving to CDMX in the coming weeks. I got a corporate job and will be moving from Texas to Mexico City for at least 2 years.

My question is specific to purchasing a car in Mexico so I am able to drive to work and do basic things, while I settle and learn the local dynamics.

I want to request advice on these two options:

1. Purchase a “beater” car via Kavak or BBVA marketplace cash, so I can have local mobility on day 1. This, of course, means that the cash I pay will not be available to me after that. So any new car I purchase would have to be financed.

2. Bite the bullet and get a more expensive car that lasts me for 4+ years to not just drive around the city, but also to drive to other cities on the weekend and do outdoors. This means financing part of the car and giving an initial hefty down payment.

Assumptions based on my particular circumstances: I will not have a problem getting financing in Mexico.

How feasible are any of these two options, since importing my current car from Texas is not a viable third option?

Here on a temp residency via family unity currently, I have absolutely zero credit history in the country. Do I have any options for borrowing?

I’m going to SMA in a few weeks to attend a Spanish school. I’m in my mid 50s and going to retire in 4 years so I’d like to check out retirement options.
I speak Spanish very well - if that matters. What are a few places to go to get a sense of what retirees do there. I like yoga, I’ve been in recovery for 24 years and attend meetings for that , and I like to exercise. I basically want to get a sense of what my life would be like in. SMA. I know 10 days or so will only give me a glimpse but I’d like to find out as much as I can. Thanks

Hi friends, i am considering applying for MX residency. I have my appointment tomorrow. Assuming, things go well, for the 2nd round which has to happen in MX, how long does it take to get the temp/permanent residency on your passport and how long should of a trip be planned?