For foreigners with a high level of income, substantial savings, real estate, or a share in a company, Mexico offers one of the most convenient ways to obtain residency — through economic solvency.
The process works as follows: the applicant applies at a Mexican consulate, obtains a resident visa, enters the country, and then exchanges that visa for a resident card, which grants the legal right to live in Mexico. In essence, this is similar to what is commonly called a “rentista visa” in other countries, although Mexican law uses different terminology.
Main Grounds for Proving Economic Solvency
You may qualify for residency by meeting one of the following criteria:
• salary, pension, or dividends;
• balance in a bank account;
• ownership of real estate in Mexico;
• ownership of shares in a public company in Mexico.
Special Case: Freelancers
If you work as a freelancer but have a documented source of income, you may also qualify for residency in Mexico. However, in this case it is especially important to prepare the documentation for the consulate very carefully.
Residency for Family Members
The economic solvency assessment applies only to one spouse — the main applicant. The remaining family members obtain their visa and residency in Mexico based on family relationship with the main applicant:
• the second spouse — based on a marriage certificate;
• minor children — based on a birth certificate;
• parents of the spouse — where applicable and supported by the corresponding documents.
Therefore, if one family member meets the requirements of the program, the entire family may obtain residency in Mexico, including, in certain cases, even grandparents.
How We Can Help
We can organize the process of obtaining residency in Mexico through economic solvency at every stage, including:
• advising on the list of required documents, where to obtain them, and how to prepare them correctly;
• completing the visa application form;
• booking the appointment for submission at the consulate;
• preparing the documents for exchanging the resident visa for a resident card (canje);
• booking the appointment with the Mexican immigration office;
• assisting with the proper payment of government fees;
• accompanying you to the immigration office for document submission and collection of the resident card.
The applicant chooses the consulate independently; however, in practice it is recommended to apply at the consulate in the country of your citizenship or in the country where your income is generated.
Current Requirements for 2026
How Much You Need to Earn or Have in Your Account
Below are the minimum financial requirements for obtaining residency in Mexico through economic solvency for 2026.
These requirements apply when reviewing applications from foreigners seeking temporary or permanent residency in Mexico on one of the following grounds:
• income,
• savings,
• ownership of real estate,
• ownership of shares in a Mexican public company.
How the Requirements Are Calculated
Economic solvency requirements are calculated values determined by a simple formula.
1. Basic Criteria
The basis is the criteria established in the official document:
Lineamientos Generales para la expedición de visas que emiten las secretarías de Gobernación y de Relaciones Exteriores,
version dated 25.07.2025.
In this document, the indicators are expressed in UMA units — a government-established calculation unit used in Mexico to determine fines, fees, benefits, and other administrative and social obligations.
2. UMA Value
The value of the UMA unit is published annually on the website of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico (INEGI).
For 2026, the value is:
1 UMA = 117.31 MXN
(Mexican pesos).
3. Converting UMA into Pesos
By multiplying the number of UMA units by the value of one UMA, the minimum financial threshold for obtaining residency in Mexico through economic solvency is calculated.
The base criterion is determined in Mexican pesos.
4. Conversion into Foreign Currency
After that, the amount may be converted into any foreign currency.
Many Mexican consulates publish the financial requirements for residency in pesos and U.S. dollars on their websites, but much less frequently in the local currency of the country where the application is submitted.
For example, the Mexican Consulate in Moscow provides the minimum requirements in rubles upon request.
At the same time, consulates set the exchange rate independently and usually do not tie it to current market fluctuations. Therefore, if your actual income or savings, when converted using a rounded-down exchange rate, consistently exceed the established minimum, you may qualify for residency in Mexico.
Important Note Regarding the USD Exchange Rate
For convenience, the tables below include a conversion from Mexican pesos into U.S. dollars using the assumed rate:
1 US$ = 18 MXN
However, this rate may change, and it is impossible to know in advance what it will be at the beginning, middle, or end of 2026. Therefore, the figures in the USD column should be used only for a rough preliminary estimate of your chances, and for accurate information you should always request the current criteria directly from the specific consulate.
Temporary Residency
Criteria MXN USD
By income: minimum income for each of the last 6 months (680 UMA) 79,770 4,432
By savings: minimum bank account balance for each of the last 12 months (11,460 UMA) 1,344,373 74,687
By ownership of real estate in Mexico: property value (91,710 UMA) 10,758,500 597,694
By ownership of shares in a Mexican public company: share value (45,850 UMA) 5,378,663 298,815
Permanent Residency
Only for:
• official pensioners; or
• persons over 65 years old.
Criteria MXN USD
By income: minimum pension for each of the last 6 months (1,140 UMA) 133,733 7,430
By savings: minimum bank account balance for each of the last 12 months (45,850 UMA) 5,378,663 298,815
Important Clarification About the Required Time Periods
Special attention should be paid to the wording:
“for each of the last 6/12 months”
This wording must be understood literally.
• “Each” means each month individually, not an average amount over the period.
• “Last” means the last 6 or 12 months ending with the month preceding the current one.
In other words, if a new month has started, the documents confirming income or account balance that are submitted to the consulate for the visa application should be updated.
