Mexico is an exotic country with a rich culture, warm climate, and clear ocean. Immigration to Mexico is quite attractive, primarily due to the low cost of living and affordable real estate that foreign citizens can acquire without restrictions. Mexican citizenship provides visa-free travel to many countries around the world. Also, the service sector, medicine, and the education system in Mexico are quite developed.
Positive aspects of immigration to Mexico
Previously, Mexico was not very popular among immigrants, but recently more and more citizens are interested in moving to live in Mexico. The reason for this are:
- developed infrastructure of the Mexican state;
- large cash injections into the country;
- tourist attraction;
- many promising construction projects;
- the ability to purchase real estate at an affordable price;
- visa-free travel to 139 countries, including South Africa, EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada.
Besides, Mexico attracts foreigners with a quick, simple, and inexpensive procedure for moving to the country and the possibility of obtaining here, first, a temporary residence permit, then a permanent residence permit, and eventually citizenship.
Methods of immigration to Mexico
Today, there are several options for how to immigrate to Mexico
- formal marriage with a Mexican citizen;
- through childbirth in the country;
- investing money in the Mexican economy;
- starting your own business;
- through employment with a Mexican company;
- through family reunification.
Immigration to Mexico through marriage
Formal marriage with a Mexican citizen is the easiest and most reliable immigration option.
Having entered into a marriage in Mexico, after 35 days you can apply for a residence permit, which in a year will need to be extended only once, after which you can apply for citizenship. After the newlyweds have lived together for three years, the seriousness of their intentions regarding the creation of a family will be proven, and the government will be ready to issue a Mexican passport to a foreigner.
Obtaining Mexican citizenship through childbirth
Mexico is one of the few countries that guarantees children born on its territory the citizenship of this country. Most interesting is that the birth of a child in Mexico can make citizens of the country and his/her parents. Therefore, giving birth in Mexico for citizenship is a fairly popular way to move to this country.
Once a baby is born, parents should:
- issue a birth certificate;
- get a social identification number for a newborn;
- issue citizenship for a baby;
- issue a foreign passport of the country from which parents came to Mexico, at the Consulate in Mexico City (optional);
- apply for a permanent residence permit for parents and baby’s siblings, if any (the procedure takes about 30 days);
- undergo fingerprinting;
- get a permanent resident card;
- after 2 years, apply for a Mexican passport.
Immigration to Mexico by investment
The Mexican authorities concluded that the renewal of foreign funds into the country’s economy is making it easier to obtain a residence permit, and then citizenship.
If a person who wants to move to the Mexican state has an amount of $ 107,000, the procedure for obtaining a residence permit will take only 2 months. An immigrant can open a company immediately upon arrival in the country. At the same time, a condition is set: investments should be directed to industry or services.
Business in Mexico as a way of immigration
Many countries are ready to accept the citizenship of entrepreneurs who intend to invest in opening a company in a foreign state, thereby contributing to the development of the economy and meeting the needs of the local population. Mexico is one of these countries, but unlike other countries, the opening of a company here is quick and easy.
To prove that your company is not fictitious, you will have to hire at least 5 Mexicans. At the same time, the salaries of foreign workers should not be paid from the company’s income.
Employment in Mexico as a way of immigration
After obtaining a Mexican work visa, you can move to Mexico permanently as an employee. For it, you need:
- have an official invitation from a local enterprise;
- receive an official letter from the employer explaining the need to hire a foreigner (for drawing up a visa form FM-3No Inmigrante when applying for a long-term nonimmigrant visa or FM-2 Inmigrante when obtaining an immigration entry document required to enter Mexico for employment);
- issue a work permit in the country;
- conclude a contract with an employer.
Getting higher education to immigrate to Mexico
Entering a Mexican university is the most popular way of immigration among young people. Having chosen this option, you will need:
- to confirm the level of knowledge of the Spanish language sufficient for education;
- pass entrance exams to an educational institution;
- wait for confirmation that a student is enrolled in the first year;
- pay for the first semester (or several, depending on the university);
- documentary confirmation of admission upon receipt of a student visa;
- apply for the residence permit for the entire period of study.
Family reunification as a way to move to Mexico
This option is only suitable for those foreigners who have direct relatives in Mexico. It can be:
- parents;
- sons or daughters;
- brothers or sisters;
- uncles, aunts;
- nephews.
If a relative who has been invited to move to Mexico can vouch for you financially, namely, take responsibility for providing a visiting family member with a livelihood in case he/she has problems with money, then you can immigrate to Mexico to distant relatives too. Proof of this possibility will be a certificate of income, which must be higher than the current minimum subsistence level in Mexico. The source of cash receipts must be stable. An alternative to this requirement is to have equity of at least $ 300,000.