UPDATE: This temporary program came to an end as of May 15, 2025
The regularization program has become very popular as the income requirement to apply for Mexican residency increased substantially in 2024. It is an incentive of the government to encourage foreigners who were used to living in Mexico on a 180-day tourist permit to become legal residents. It applies in some offices in Mexico, and each office has its own guidelines. Always check with a facilitator in the same city where you wish to apply for residency. What are the cons and pros of this program?
Cons:
- Because it is a 4-year resident card in one process, along with a fine and a processing fee in one payment, the cost could mean an important amount of money to spend in one process.
- One of the main requirements for this program is to have an expired tourist permit, which could mean you need to stay as long as 181 days in Mexico to be able to apply.
- You need more processing time to get your residency card. So, people on a strict timeframe are not recommended to apply this way.
Pros:
- On the other hand, you can save some money in the long term as you would not need to renew until 4 years, compared to other residency cards that you need to renew after one year of first issue.
- Some borders are more flexible to ask for a short FMM instead of waiting for the 180 days, but you are subject to the officer’s discretion when it comes to your FMM length, meaning that you may or may not be granted a short stay FMM. Your facilitator will have updated information for you to choose the best border to cross and what to say at the moment you enter Mexico.
- Your facilitator could give you the information needed to direct you to the correct border, guide you as to what to say to the officer when you cross the border to increase the chances of successfully obtaining a short FMM and starting your residency process as soon as possible, significantly reducing your processing time.
Overall, this program is another option for people who are already living in the country as tourists or for people who, for any other reason, have enough income but cannot prove it at the consulate because the money is in a corporation or under a name that does not match the passport. This is not a program to avoid the income requirements. One must note that to be able to live in Mexico, you need to prove that you have enough money to support yourself in the country.