Mexico Newsletter —
May 2023

Your monthly Mexico newsletter is filled with inspiration, meaningful knowledge, helpful connections, and tips for better living, lifestyle, and leisure in Mexico.

May highlights in Mexico

As we pass through the hottest and driest weeks of year during April and May, some brief rainstorms occasionally roll-in to bring temporary respite, although the heat evaporates most of the moisture and we await the return of Tlāloc to visit earnest refreshment and relief upon the parched landscape.  The rainy season usually returns across Mexico’s affected regions during the second half of May, or during June.

Labor Day on May 1st falls on a Monday this year, creating a type of long-weekend holiday. Cinco de Mayo on the fifth is not a national holiday, but Mother’s Day on May 10th is an unofficial day-off for working mothers.

If you’ve been thinking about a move to Mexico, there’s an online lifestyle discovery program starting on May 23rd—that offers detailed insights about living in Lake Chapala specifically, and Mexico generally.

Highlights in this month’s newsletter include an update about INAPAM qualification; articles with local knowledge about locations to live in Mexico; valuing and marketing your home for sale, and helpful insights to live well in-between the dry and wet seasons.

I hope that you enjoy this month’s newsletter and that your spring season is unfolding well. We wish you a pleasant and abundant month of May.

May, the seasonal bridge

May tends to be a hot and dry month across Mexico, although occasional regional rainstorms may help to temper the heat. In some years the rains arrive later, during June, causing these dry weeks to feel all the more brittle—and making the arrival of the rains feel that much more refreshing.

Lake Chapala lifestyle discovery program: Online

Learn about the prospects and opportunities offered by a new lifestyle lived and enjoyed on the shores of Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest lake, situated in the mountains about an hour’s drive from Guadalajara and a six-hour drive northwest of Mexico City.

Online this May! Join the next online program that will be presented on Zoom between May 23rd and June 22nd, 2023. It’s an ideal opportunity to join weekly meetings and get detailed insights about living in Lake Chapala specifically, and Mexico generally.

• Learn about the Online Program starting May 23, 2023
• Discover more about Lake Chapala in Mexico

Immigration and residency updates

Highlights, reminders and helpful resources about immigration and residency.

Permanent residency in Mexico

There’s been a marked increase in people contacting us seeking to apply for permanent residency in Mexico. It is possible to apply for Residente Permanente (RP) without first having Residente Temporal (RT); however:

• Virtually all Mexican consulates are now requiring applicants ‘to be retired’ to obtain RP right away—even if you have sufficient funds to to qualify under the terms of ‘economic solvency.’
• There exists a quirk in the rules when you apply for RP as a couple—the dependent spouse is offered RT only.
• If you don’t qualify for RP right away, you can apply for temporary residency and exchange that for RP after four consecutive years.

Further resources:

• Financial criteria for residency in 2023 and FAQs
• Principal routes to acquire legal residency in Mexico
• Latest articles about residency in Mexico
• Free eBook: Mexico Immigration Guide (Updated for 2023)

INAPAM senior discount card update

We have been receiving emails from readers to tell us that some INPAM offices are advising foreign residents that they cannot process their applications due to administrative technicalities, and offices in Quintana Roo are asking for a letter of naturalization—that you only get if you are granted Mexican citizenship.

We’ve updated our article about INAPAM with the latest information and will keep this updated as we learn more about INAPAM offices in other regions.

Choosing a place to live in Mexico

One of the most important decisions you’ll make when you relocate to Mexico is choosing where you’ll live. Our series of articles introduces you to potential places to shortlist organized by their popularity and notoriety.

Your leisure time in Mexico

Whether you’re visiting Mexico for a vacation or living here and seeking to discover more of the the country you’ve adopted as your home, a custom tour enables you to make the most of your leisure time and absorb the experience of the activity instead of grappling with the details and logistics.

Visits to Mexico’s Copper Canyon and walking tours of Mexico City are popular this time of year.

For those planning ahead to the fall season, consider arranging your tour to see the Monarch butterflies, that will begin to arrive in Mexico during November.

Real estate and property matters

We publish an enormous amount of insightful and practical knowledge about buying, owning, renting and selling property in Mexico.

Valuing and Marketing your home for sale in Mexico

When you own a home in Mexico, at some point you may want or need to sell your house. As a seller, the first thing you’ll need to do is determine what price to ask for your property, and then consider how you will market it for sale here.  We’ve published two articles to help you consider this in detail, along with some related articles about selling costs.

• How to value your house for sale in Mexico
• Marketing your house for sale
• Costs & taxes of selling property in Mexico
• Exchange rates and capital gains tax

Further resources for you:

• Read the latest articles about property and real estate in Mexico
• Learn about the value of working with realty agents
• Find realty agents in Mexico

Driving and road trips in Mexico

Driving your own vehicle across Mexico’s extensive and well-developed road network provides an ideal way for you to explore these diverse lands.

• Latest updates about Driving and Road Trips in Mexico
• Learn about being properly insured when you drive in Mexico to cover liabilities, breakdowns, and medical incidents while you’re on the road.

Spring into Spanish language studies

Learning or improving your Spanish will enhance your experiences in Mexico if you’re visiting—and especially if you’re living here.

• Our insightful PinPoint Spanish series helps you to get acquainted with the nuances of Mexican Spanish in everyday situations.
• Find Spanish languages courses to help you

Discover and experience more of Mexico

Mexperience helps you discover Mexico and experience the wide range of opportunities available here for lifestyle and leisure.

Mexico Lifestyle

Whether you’re considering a move to Mexico, in the throes of moving here, and even if you’re already here and considering ways to reformulate your current situations, our Mexico lifestyle planning articles and eBooks provide invaluable help and local knowledge:

• Lifestyle Planning articles and updates
• Mexico Home Life updates—practical insights for daily living
• Discover places to live in Mexico
• Latest updates and real estate and property in Mexico
• Browse the latest updates about Spanish language study

Mexico Leisure

Whether you’re visiting Mexico or living here, there’s an abundance of travel and leisure options for you to explore and experience.

• Browse the latest Travel & Leisure updates
• Guides: Colonial Cities, Beaches, Pyramids, Big Cities, Nature
• Discover custom travel tours of Mexico

Mexico Essentials

Articles and insights about essential things you need to know as you make your Mexico lifestyle and leisure plans

• Latest Mexico Essentials insights
• Guides to transport and getting around in Mexico
• Insurance coverages for your Mexico lifestyle