New Immigration Procedures

Starting May 1, new immigration procedures are being brought into effect in Mexico.

We outlined the key changes that will be introduced in a previous blog published last month, and these have now been integrated to our guides about Mexico Entry Requirements and Mexican Immigration.

In summary, procedures for tourists who carry a passport from a country on Mexico’s “no visa required” list are virtually unaffected by the new procedures.  Business visitors from these countries are now allowed to remain in Mexico for a maximum of 180 days (it used to be 30 days), and a number of procedural changes have been introduced to make the issuance and renewal of FM3 and FM2 visas simpler.

A question that people have been asking is whether a person may use the new FMM visitor’s permit to stay in Mexico for 180 days (6 months), leave the country and return soon after for another 180 days.  It’s unclear whether this is legal.  If you plan to be in Mexico for more than 180 days in a calendar year, you should apply for a FM3 or FM2 visa to assure your resident status complies properly with the rules as published.

In addition to visa requirements, you also need to check your residency and tax status if plan to stay in Mexico for more than 180 days a year.  Most countries (including Mexico) operate a rule that states if you are physically present in a country for more than 180 days in a calendar year you are deemed resident there and may be subject to local taxes on your income. You should seek professional advice from an immigration lawyer and tax accountant about matters relating to residency and tax in Mexico.