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Living in Mexico on foreign income or savings: temporary residence by economic solvency, permanent residence for retirees and the 2026 thresholds

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

Foreigners who do not need to work in Mexico, including remote workers paid from abroad and retirees, can obtain temporary residence by proving economic solvency, and retirees or pensioners with enough foreign income can go straight to permanent residence. Consulates apply thresholds in days of UMA: for temporary residence, month end balances of 11,400 UMA days over 12 months or net monthly income of 680 UMA days for six months; for retiree permanent residence, 45,850 UMA days in savings or 1,140 UMA days of monthly pension income, plus extra for each dependant. At the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31 the income tests are about MXN 79,771 and MXN 133,733 a month; solvency residence carries no work permit, and living in Mexico can make the person a Mexican tax resident.

USD conversions use MXN 18.6638 per US dollar, the US Federal Reserve H.10 noon buying rate in New York for 23 October 2026 (FRED series DEXMXUS), the latest observation available when this page was verified. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Month end savings or investment balance over 12 months for temporary residence by solvency (consular practice)	11400 UMA daysReglamento LMigra art. 138 section V; Houston consulate requirements v.2025.10.27, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Net monthly income over six months for temporary residence by solvency (consular practice)	680 UMA daysReglamento LMigra art. 138 section V; Houston consulate requirements v.2025.10.27, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Additional monthly income per dependant (consular practice)	220 UMA daysHouston consulate requirements v.2025.10.27, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Month end savings or investment balance over 12 months for retiree permanent residence (consular practice)	45850 UMA daysReglamento LMigra art. 139 section III; Houston consulate requirements 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Net monthly pension income over six months for retiree permanent residence (consular practice)	1140 UMA daysReglamento LMigra art. 139 section III; Houston consulate requirements 2025, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Permanent resident card, 2026 fee	13579 MXNLFD art. 8 section VII; RMF 2026 Annex 4, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. Temporary residence by economic solvency. A foreigner may obtain the temporary resident visa and condition by proving economic solvency to cover lodging and living costs during the stay; the amounts are set in the visa guidelines and applied by consulates. The Consulate General of Mexico in Houston (requirements version of 27 October 2025) asks for bank or investment balances at each month end of at least 11,400 days of UMA over the last 12 months, or employment or pension income, net of taxes, of at least 680 days of UMA in each of the last six months, plus 220 days of UMA a month per dependant (spouse, parents or children). This residence does not include permission to work in Mexico for a Mexican payer.
Cost to do it: At the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31: savings MXN 1,337,334 (USD 71,654); income MXN 79,770.80 a month (USD 4,274); dependant MXN 25,808.20 a month (USD 1,383). Card MXN 11,141 to MXN 25,058; consular fee USD 54 in Houston.
Example: A remote software developer employed and paid by a US company, earning USD 6,000 a month net (about MXN 111,983 at 18.6638), qualifies on the income route and applies for temporary residence for one year. / Income test about USD 4,274 a month; savings test about USD 71,654 at 18.6638; Houston quotes its own dollar figures.Reglamento de la Ley de Migración, DOF 28 September 2012 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 23 May 2014); Lineamientos Generales para la expedición de visas, DOF 25 July 2025; Consulate General of Mexico in Houston requirements, version 27 October 2025, Reglamento arts. 107 section I and 138 section V, 2012-09-28 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. Permanent residence for retirees and pensioners. The Migration Law grants permanent residence to retirees and pensioners who receive, from a foreign government, an international organization or private companies for services rendered abroad, an income that allows them to live in Mexico; the Regulation requires monthly income sufficient for their support. The Houston consulate (2025 sheet, retirement over 64 or pension) asks for month end bank or investment balances of 45,850 days of UMA over the last 12 months, or pension income of at least 1,140 days of UMA, net of taxes, in each of the last six months. A temporary resident who becomes a retiree or pensioner with sufficient foreign income may also change to permanent residence without waiting four years.
Cost to do it: At the 2026 UMA: savings MXN 5,378,663.50 (USD 288,187); pension MXN 133,733.40 a month (USD 7,165). Permanent resident card MXN 13,579 (USD 728) (LFD art. 8 section VII).
Example: A retired Canadian teacher with a net pension of CAD equivalent to MXN 140,000 a month for the last six months applies at the consulate for a permanent resident visa and, after entry, pays MXN 13,579 for the card. / Pension test about USD 7,165 a month at 18.6638.Ley de Migración, DOF 25 May 2011 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 15 January 2026); Reglamento de la Ley de Migración, DOF 28 September 2012 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 23 May 2014); Consulate General of Mexico in Houston requirements, 2025, Ley de Migración art. 54 section III; Reglamento arts. 109 section II, 139 section III and 141 section VI b), 2011-05-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Card terms, obligations and loss of status. Solvency residents receive temporary resident cards of one to four years, renewed within the 30 days before expiry, and after four years may change to permanent residence; the permanent resident card has indefinite validity for adults. Residents must report changes of address, civil status, nationality or place of work within 90 days, and INM cancels residence if the foreigner declares a definitive departure or gave false information. Permanent residents may obtain work permission implicitly and may introduce their household goods under the applicable customs rules.
Cost to do it: Late report fine 20 to 100 UMA, MXN 2,346.20 to MXN 11,731 (USD 126 to USD 629) (Ley de Migración art. 158).
Example: A retiree who moves from Puerto Vallarta to Oaxaca reports the new address to INM within 90 days to avoid a fine of up to MXN 11,731. / Fine about USD 126 to USD 629 at 18.6638.Ley de Migración, DOF 25 May 2011 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 15 January 2026); Reglamento de la Ley de Migración, DOF 28 September 2012 (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 23 May 2014), Ley de Migración arts. 54, 63 and 64; Reglamento arts. 156, 157 and 164, 2011-05-25 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Tax consequences of moving on foreign income. Individuals who establish their home in Mexico are Mexican tax residents; if they also have a home abroad, they are residents when their center of vital interests is in Mexico, for example when more than 50 percent of their income in the calendar year has a Mexican source or their main professional activity is in Mexico. Nationals of Mexico are presumed resident. Immigration status alone does not decide tax residence, and a resident is taxed on worldwide income, subject to any tax treaty.
Cost to do it: No migration fee; tax advice costs are market priced.
Example: A remote worker who rents a flat in Mexico City and keeps no home abroad becomes a Mexican tax resident even though all salary comes from a US employer. / Not applicable.Código Fiscal de la Federación (Chamber of Deputies consolidated text, last reform DOF 9 April 2026), CFF art. 9 section I, 2021-11-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Route	Test	UMA days	MXN 2026	USD
Temporary residence	Month end balance, each of last 12 months	11,400	1,337,334	about 71,654
Temporary residence	Net monthly income, each of last 6 months	680	79,770.80	about 4,274
Temporary residence	Extra per dependant, monthly	220	25,808.20	about 1,383
Permanent residence (retiree or pensioner)	Month end balance, each of last 12 months	45,850	5,378,663.50	about 288,187
Permanent residence (retiree or pensioner)	Net monthly pension, each of last 6 months	1,140	133,733.40	about 7,165

Solvency thresholds applied by consulates, converted at the 2026 UMA of MXN 117.31 (Houston consulate sheets 2025; USD at 18.6638; consulates publish their own dollar estimates).

Worked example

A remote worker for a UK company earning GBP net equivalent to MXN 95,000 a month moves to Mexico with a spouse who does not work.
Income test for the couple: 680 plus 220 UMA days, MXN 105,579 a month (about USD 5,657 at 18.6638); the worker's MXN 95,000 falls short, so they use the savings route instead, showing month end balances above MXN 1,337,334 for 12 months plus funds for the spouse, or the spouse applies separately.
Each pays MXN 11,141 for a one year card (about USD 597). Neither may work for a Mexican payer without a work permit.
Living in Mexico without a home abroad, the worker becomes a Mexican tax resident under CFF art. 9, so salary from the UK employer becomes taxable in Mexico, subject to any applicable tax treaty.

Step by step

1. Choose the route: temporary residence by solvency, or permanent residence if retired or pensioned with enough foreign income.
2. Gather 12 months of bank statements or six months of income or pension evidence, certified as the consulate requires.
3. Check the consulate's current sheet, since multiples and dollar estimates differ by consulate.
4. Apply at the consulate, enter within 180 days and file for the card within 30 days.
5. Take tax advice on residence under CFF art. 9 before moving, and on any treaty with the country of income.

Common traps

Treating solvency residence as a work permit. It covers living costs only; paid work for a Mexican payer needs a work permit (Ley de Migración art. 52 section VII).
Using gross income. Consulates ask for income net of taxes (Houston sheets).
Assuming one consulate's figures apply everywhere. Consulates publish different multiples and dollar conversions; use the sheet of the consulate where you apply.
Forgetting tax residence. A home in Mexico can make the person a Mexican tax resident taxed on worldwide income (CFF art. 9).
Applying from inside Mexico as a visitor. Visitors cannot change to residence from within Mexico except in family and humanitarian cases (Ley de Migración art. 53).

Sources

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