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Bringing capital into Mexico: contributions, the contributed capital account and foreign investment reporting

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Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Stable

Sending equity into a Mexican company needs no exchange permit under the rules on this page; funds wired from abroad through a bank must be paid out in the currency sent. What matters is the paperwork: a Mexican company with foreign shareholders must register in the National Foreign Investment Registry (RNIE) within 40 business days and then report capital contributions, retained earnings and loans with its foreign group every quarter above a threshold the Commission sets, plus an annual renewal in April or May. Every peso of paid in capital should also be booked in the contributed capital account (CUCA), because that account decides how much of a later capital return comes back tax free.

USD conversions use MXN 18.5026 per US dollar, the US Federal Reserve H.10 noon buying rate in New York for 16 October 2026 (FRED series DEXMXUS), the latest observation available when this page was verified. Legal and tax conversions in Mexico use the Banxico FIX published in the DOF, which differs slightly. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Funds wired from abroad through a bank are paid out in the currency transferred	Yes Ley Monetaria art. 8, third paragraph, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Deadline to register foreign investment in the national registry	40 business daysLIE art. 32, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Quarterly report of capital flows and group loans, due after quarter end (above a Commission threshold)	10 business daysRLIE art. 38, section II, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Annual renewal window of the foreign investment registration	April (names A to J) or May (names K to Z) RLIE art. 43, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Fine for omitted, late or incorrect registry filings	30 to 100 UMALIE art. 38, section IV; deindexation decree DOF 27 January 2016, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
UMA daily value (unit for fines and thresholds)	117.31 MXNINEGI publication DOF 9 January 2026, in force 1 February 2026, as of 2026-02-01 · in force

The rule

1. Funds wired from abroad keep their currency. Payments in foreign currency that originate in transfers of funds from abroad made through Banco de México or a bank must be fulfilled by delivering the currency transferred. A foreign parent that wires dollars to its Mexican subsidiary through a bank therefore receives a dollar credit, which the subsidiary can hold in a dollar account (open to companies domiciled in Mexico) or convert at a rate it negotiates with its bank. The general rule that dollar debts payable in Mexico may be settled in pesos at the FIX, and the bar on contracting out of it, are covered on the FX overview page.
Cost to do it: No regulatory fee. Bank wire fees and the FX spread on any conversion apply; ask the receiving bank for its tariff.
Example: A US parent wires USD 1,000,000 as a capital contribution. The subsidiary's bank credits USD 1,000,000 to its dollar account; if converted at 18.5026 it would receive MXN 18,502,600 before the bank's spread. / USD 1,000,000 in; MXN 18,502,600 at 18.5026.Ley Monetaria de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, DOF 27 July 1931 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, latest reforms DOF 19 January 2026), Art. 8, third paragraph; art. 9, 1986-01-08 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. Capital increases follow the company law, and a variable capital company can move faster. Every company may increase or reduce its capital following the requirements of the LGSM for its type. In a company with variable capital (the 'de C.V.' suffix) the variable part can be increased by further contributions or new partners, and reduced by partial or total withdrawal of contributions, with no formalities beyond those in the variable capital chapter; the bylaws must set the conditions for increases and decreases. A fixed capital increase or decrease, by contrast, means amending the bylaws.
Cost to do it: No federal duty for the increase itself under the rules on this page. A fixed capital change needs a shareholders' meeting and, in practice, notarization and registration; notary and registry fees vary by state.
Example: A subsidiary formed as an S.A. de C.V. with MXN 50,000 fixed capital receives MXN 18,502,600 and books it as variable capital by shareholders' resolution, without amending the bylaws. / About USD 1,000,000 contributed as variable capital.Ley General de Sociedades Mercantiles (LGSM), DOF 4 August 1934 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 20 October 2023), Arts. 9, 213 and 216, 1934-08-04 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Book every contribution in the contributed capital account (CUCA). Mexican companies keep a contributed capital account that is increased by capital contributions and net share subscription premiums paid by shareholders and decreased by capital reductions. Capitalized profits and dividends reinvested in a capital increase within 30 days of distribution do not count as contributed capital. Contributions are added when paid and the balance is restated for inflation at year end and whenever a contribution or reduction is paid. When capital is later returned, the refund per share above the CUCA balance per share is treated as distributed profit, so an accurate CUCA is what lets capital go back tax free.
Cost to do it: No fee. The cost is keeping the account and its inflation restatement, usually inside the annual tax compliance work.
Example: The contribution of MXN 18,502,600 is added to CUCA on the day it is paid. If it were instead a reinvested dividend paid back in within 30 days, it would not be added. / USD 1,000,000 added to CUCA.Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta (LISR), DOF 11 December 2013 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 1 April 2024), Art. 78, paragraphs on the cuenta de capital de aportación, 2013-12-11 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Register foreign investment in the RNIE within 40 business days. Mexican companies with foreign investment (including through a trust), foreign individuals and foreign companies that habitually trade in Mexico, and trusts that give rights to foreign investors must register in the National Foreign Investment Registry. The deadline is 40 business days from incorporation or from the date the foreign investment comes in, from formalizing the foreign company's documents, or from creating the trust. The registry is not public. Any change to the registered data must be notified, and notaries must ask for proof of registration in corporate acts (formation, amendments, mergers, spin offs, dissolution, liquidation) and report omissions to the registry within ten business days.
Cost to do it: The Federal Duties Law (LFD) art. 72 lists duties for Foreign Investment Commission resolutions and Ministry of Economy authorizations but none for RNIE registration itself. Professional fees for preparing filings are separate.
Example: A foreign parent subscribes new shares in an existing Mexican company with no prior foreign investors on 3 March. The company has 40 business days from that date to register in the RNIE. / Not a cash cost; a deadline.Ley de Inversión Extranjera (LIE), DOF 27 December 1993 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 27 May 2024), Arts. 31, 32, 33 and 34, 1993-12-27 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Report contributions, retained earnings and group loans every quarter. Registered companies must report, within ten business days after each calendar quarter, the value of: new contributions and reserves or their withdrawal that do not affect share capital; retention of the last year's profits and use of accumulated retained profits; and loans payable to or receivable from foreign subsidiaries, the foreign parent, foreign shareholders and foreign group companies, including bonds, notes, deposits, trade credit and other accounts with a maturity over one month. The report names the shareholders, creditors and debtors involved. It is due only when the quarter's total flows exceed an amount the Foreign Investment Commission sets by general resolution in the DOF. Changes to registered data (such as foreign ownership or domicile) are updated quarterly in the same ten business day window when the investment exceeds the Commission's threshold.
Cost to do it: No duty for the filing under LFD art. 72. A late, missing, incomplete or wrong filing can be fined 30 to 100 UMA: MXN 3,519.30 to MXN 11,731 in 2026 (about USD 190 to USD 634), see the fines rule below.
Example: The US parent's USD 1,000,000 contribution arrives on 20 May. If the quarter's flows exceed the Commission's threshold, the subsidiary reports it within ten business days after 30 June. / A USD 1,000,000 inflow triggers a quarterly report if above the Commission threshold.Reglamento de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera y del Registro Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras, DOF 8 September 1998 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 17 August 2016), Art. 38, sections I and II (reformed DOF 31 October 2014), 2014-10-31 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. Renew the registration every year in April or May. Companies and foreign traders registered in the RNIE renew their certificate each year by filing the economic and financial questionnaire with corporate, accounting, financial, employment and production data for the prior fiscal year. Names beginning with A to J file in April and names beginning with K to Z file in May; filing early counts as filed on the first business day of the assigned month. The questionnaire must also be filed for each missed year on a late registration (limited to the last five fiscal years). Registered parties that stop having foreign investment must request cancellation within 40 business days.
Cost to do it: No duty under LFD art. 72. Missing the renewal falls under the 30 to 100 UMA fine band.
Example: Grupo Kappa Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (a name starting with K) files its 2026 renewal with 2025 figures during May 2026. / No cash cost beyond preparation.Reglamento de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera y del Registro Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras, DOF 8 September 1998 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 17 August 2016); Ley de Inversión Extranjera (LIE), DOF 27 December 1993 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 27 May 2024), Regulation arts. 38, section III, 40 and 43; LIE art. 35, 2014-10-31 official text · verified 2026-10-26

7. Fines are set in UMA, not pesos. LIE art. 38 sets fines in daily general minimum wages, but the 2016 constitutional deindexation decree provides that every mention of the minimum wage as a unit of account in federal law is to be read as the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA). The UMA daily value in force from 1 February 2026 is MXN 117.31. The bands are: 30 to 100 UMA for omitted, late, incomplete or incorrect RNIE registration, reports or notices; 1,000 to 5,000 UMA for investing without a required favorable resolution of the Foreign Investment Commission; 500 to 1,000 UMA for a foreign company trading habitually without authorization; 100 to 1,000 UMA for other breaches. The Ministry must hear the party first and weigh the gravity, economic capacity, delay and transaction value.
Cost to do it: 2026 amounts at MXN 117.31 per UMA: 30 to 100 UMA is MXN 3,519.30 to 11,731 (USD 190 to 634); 100 to 1,000 UMA is MXN 11,731 to 117,310 (USD 634 to 6,340); 1,000 to 5,000 UMA is MXN 117,310 to 586,550 (USD 6,340 to 31,701).
Example: A subsidiary that forgets two quarterly reports and its annual renewal faces up to three fines of MXN 3,519.30 to MXN 11,731 each. / Up to about USD 634 per missed filing at the top of the band.Ley de Inversión Extranjera (LIE), DOF 27 December 1993 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 27 May 2024); Decree on the deindexation of the minimum wage, DOF 27 January 2016, transitory article Third; UMA value published by INEGI in the DOF on 9 January 2026, as recited by IMSS agreement ACDO.AS2.HCT.270126/9.P.DIR, LIE art. 38, sections I, II, IV and VI; deindexation decree transitory Third, 2016-01-27 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Filing	When	Content	Rule
Registration	Within 40 business days of incorporation or of the foreign investment coming in	Company, legal representative, foreign investors and their stakes, capital, investment plan	LIE arts. 32 and 33
Quarterly flows report	Within 10 business days after each quarter, if flows exceed the Commission threshold	Contributions and reserves, retained earnings, loans with the foreign group over one month	RLIE art. 38, section II
Quarterly data update	Within 10 business days after the quarter of the change, if the investment exceeds the Commission threshold	Changes to registered data such as foreign ownership	RLIE art. 38, section I
Annual renewal	April (A to J) or May (K to Z)	Economic and financial questionnaire for the prior year	LIE art. 35; RLIE art. 43
Cancellation	Within 40 business days of no longer having foreign investment	Request to cancel	RLIE art. 40

Foreign investment registry duties for a Mexican company with foreign shareholders, verified 26 October 2026 against LIE and its regulation.

Worked example

A US manufacturer funds its new subsidiary in Querétaro, an S.A. de C.V., with USD 1,000,000 of variable capital wired on 20 May 2026. Because the money came from abroad through a bank, the subsidiary receives dollars (Ley Monetaria art. 8) into its company dollar account.
The shareholders approve the variable capital increase by resolution under the bylaws (LGSM arts. 213 and 216); no bylaw amendment is needed.
The tax team adds MXN 18,502,600 (USD 1,000,000 at 18.5026; the Banxico FIX of the day applies for tax purposes) to CUCA on the payment date (LISR art. 78).
Within ten business days after 30 June, the subsidiary files the RNIE quarterly report of the new contribution if the quarter's flows exceed the Commission's threshold (RLIE art. 38).
In May 2027 it files the annual RNIE renewal with 2026 data, since its name starts with a letter from K to Z (RLIE art. 43).

Step by step

1. Before wiring, confirm whether the money is equity (contribution to fixed or variable capital, or a share premium) or debt; each has different reporting and tax effects. For debt, see the foreign loans page.
2. Open a company dollar account if the subsidiary will keep dollars (Circular 3/2012 art. 46 allows it for companies domiciled in Mexico).
3. Approve the capital increase: by shareholders' resolution within the variable capital rules, or by amending the bylaws for fixed capital, and update the share registry.
4. Record the contribution in CUCA on the payment date and keep the bank evidence of the wire.
5. Register in the RNIE within 40 business days if this is the first foreign investment, or notify the change if already registered.
6. Diary the quarterly RNIE report (ten business days after each quarter end) and the April or May annual renewal.

Common traps

Treating a share premium or a contribution for future capital increases as informal funding. Unless it is documented and paid as a contribution, it may not enter CUCA, and a later return of it can be taxed as distributed profit (LISR art. 78).
Reinvesting a dividend within 30 days and expecting it to count as new capital. Reinvested dividends paid back in within 30 days of distribution are excluded from CUCA (LISR art. 78).
Forgetting the RNIE quarterly report on group loans. Intercompany loans and trade credit over one month with foreign group companies are reportable alongside equity flows (RLIE art. 38, section II).
Missing the renewal month. The month is set by the first letter of the company name, and a missed renewal is fined 30 to 100 UMA (RLIE art. 43; LIE art. 38, section IV).
Reading fines as minimum wages. Since the 2016 deindexation decree, references to the minimum wage as a unit of account mean the UMA (MXN 117.31 in 2026), which is far lower than the 2026 minimum wage.

Sources

Related: Mexico country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X · where Argentina is involved, see The Argentine Thread guide

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