Get help to plan your approach when you apply for residency in Mexico, and practical tele-assistance as you make your own way through procedures related to applying for legal residency in Mexico.

First-time residency applications in Mexico

Our associates can help you when you are planning to apply for residency in Mexico for the first time. (They can also help if you had residency before, allowed it to lapse, and want to re-apply for residency now.)

Mexperience offers detailed information about applying for residency, including the principal routes to residency and their qualification criteria.

How the Tele-Assistance facilitation service works

The tele-assistance facilitation service offered by our associates saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants seeking residency in Mexico. You can use tele-assistance regardless of what location you plan to move to (or are currently situated) in Mexico.

The service facilitates your application at every stage of the process:

• An initial consultation by phone/videocall/email/chat to understand your situation and plan a workable approach for your residency application.
• Confirmation of the required procedures for a first-time residency application.
• Review of your supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Customized checklist of documents you’ll need to carry and present at each stage of the process.
• Assistance to identify a suitable Mexican consulate abroad, including help to book an appointment, and support to prepare for your residency interview at a Mexican consulate.
• After the consulate places a visa stamp in your passport, our associates continue their support when you arrive in Mexico to exchange your visa for a residency card.
• Our associate will co-ordinate your intended arrival date in Mexico and book an appointment for you at the immigration office in Mexico using the INM’s online appointment system.
• They’ll correctly complete the application forms and letters (in Spanish) that you’ll need when you arrive at the immigration office in Mexico to exchange your visa for a residency card.
• Our associate will provide detailed instructions/guidance about where to go and what to do at the Mexican consulate abroad and/or at immigration office in Mexico on your appointment date.

Get support through every stage of the application

The table below describes the support offered at each stage of the application process.

First Time Application Tele-Assistance Fees

Our associate’s first time application tele-assistance support package offers facilitation that is transparent and affordable, with fixed-fee pricing and no hidden charges.  All consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.

Accompanied Option: The First Time Application service plan is also available as an Accompanied Assistance option at selected cities in Mexico.  Accompaniment is not available at Mexican consulates abroad.  See this page for details and fees.

Make a service request for Residency Assistance

To hire our associate to assist you with the facilitation of your first time residency application, please complete the request form below.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to the associate who will assist you.
• The immigration assistance associate will respond to you directly and request payment for their service. When you’ve paid, they’ll schedule-in your initial consultation and the service will begin.

Consequences of driving uninsured in Mexico

If you become involved in a car accident in Mexico and you are not insured:

• you will become personally responsible for any damage to the third party’s vehicle (or vehicles, if it is determined that your actions were the cause of an incident involving several vehicles);
• the authorities will pursue you personally for costs related to the repair of the public highway; this includes things like road surface, barriers, signs, and lamp post repairs—and can get expensive;
• if someone is hurt or killed, all drivers will be arrested; if you are deemed to be responsible, third parties will pursue liability damages against you;
• the authorities may charge you with driving without third party insurance that is compulsory in Mexico.

What to look for in an auto insurance policy

Regardless of who you buy your auto insurance coverage from, you should check that your auto insurance policy includes these essential elements:

Financially sound insurance underwriter

Make sure that the insurance company underwriting your policy is financially sound. Policies from lesser-rated insurance companies might cost less, but that lower premium translates into a de facto higher-risk for the policy holders. Don’t just shop around for the cheapest policy—consider who’s insuring you to avoid surprises in the event that you need to make a claim.

Licensed broker

As all insurance policies are sold through brokers, ensure that the broker you engage with is licensed and that they provide full transparency of the policies they offer. You should be able to check the detailed terms and conditions of any policy before you are asked to buy.

Broker’s presence and infrastructure

Ensure that the broker you use is well established in the market.

‘Good infrastructure’ means that the broker has excellent customer services facilities, makes effective use of technology so that you can purchase your policy efficiently.

The policy ought to offer help and support services when you are in Mexico, in addition to the insurance coverage, to include local access numbers where you can call to make a claim, ask questions and report issues, and be able to talk to someone in English, especially if you don’t speak much (or any) Spanish.

Liability coverages, legal assistance, and bail bond

Ensure that any policy you purchase includes coverage for these three essential elements:

• Third party liability: the policy must cover third party liability, including your personal liability to any third parties.
• Legal assistance: good policies offer comprehensive legal assistance that will support you in the event of a serious accident or third-party claim.
• Bail bond: your coverage ought to include a ‘bail bond’ element that will cover payment of your bail bond if you become involved in a serious accident and are detained while the incident is investigated, and liability is assessed. If this process is protracted, the bail bond may get you released pending inquiries.

Local support when you need it most

In the event of an accident or incident and subsequent claim, the level of local support your broker’s insurer has in place in Mexico will make all the difference to you.

• The broker and their insurance company should provide easy access to local support services in Mexico so that in the event of a claim, you are able to call for help with the least amount of effort.
• They ought to offer support attended by an English-speaking service agent who will be able to manage your call efficiently and dispatch the help and support you need.
• The local support ought to coordinate all your needs including accident reporting, legal support, breakdown, and medical assistance (if you purchased these).

Breakdown and medical coverages

The better brokers will offer a comprehensive range of additional support services, which are optional, but are worth considering when you are driving in Mexico.  The two most important are:

Breakdown coverage

If your vehicle breaks down while you’re driving in Mexico, roadside recovery will provide you with the essential support you need to get your car repaired and mitigate risks of becoming stranded.

Roadside assistance may include things like delivery of emergency fuel, towing services, dealing with flat or damaged tires, locksmith support, jumpstart assistance, and provision of lodging and a rental car while you wait for your vehicle to be repaired, and repatriation to your home country in the event of a write-off.

Medical assistance on your road trip

A policy that provides medical coverage will provide round-the-clock medical assistance on your road trips, including in the event of a serious accident, land and air medical evacuation and coverages to support you and your travel companions, for example with accommodations and transport while you convalesce.

Making an auto insurance claim in Mexico

Your policy documentation should be clear about the procedure you need to undertake in the event of an accident or incident, and any subsequent claims.

Here is a summary of the most important points, which are relevant to terms on most Mexican auto insurance policies:

You must make the claim in Mexico

Some people wait until they get back to the US or Canada before making a claim, especially if it’s for something minor, for example, for bodywork or a hit-and-run incident in a parking lot. Insurance policies require you to make a claim while you are in Mexico and most will not process your claim if you wait until you return home, except in the most exceptional circumstances.

Calling the insurance helpline

The first call you make if you become involved in an accident should be to the insurance company’s helpline. In addition to registering your claim, they will be able to dispatch an insurance assessor to the scene of the accident, as well as plan for lawyers or other services to be put in place for you, in the event of a more serious accident.

They may also arrange for breakdown and medical services to attend the scene if you purchased these additional coverages, and they are required.

Paperwork and reimbursement

You may be asked to produce a police report as well as other relevant documentation as part of the claim procedure. In some cases, for example, for immediate repairs to get your vehicle back on the road, you may need to pay these out-of-pocket and get reimbursed when you return home.

Keep all receipts. Your insurance policy will be specific about what to do in these circumstances. In all cases, remember that you should lodge your claim in Mexico—don’t wait until you get back home.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers guides and articles to help you prepare and drive confidently in Mexico

• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Dealing with minor and major road accidents
• Guide to driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico
• Get a quote for Mexico auto insurance

All Temporary residency cards —and Permanent residency cards issued to minors (aged under 18 years)— have expiry dates. To keep your residency card current, you will need to apply for residency renewal within the 30-day window before the card’s expiry date.

Qualifying for renewal of a residency card

Qualification for renewal of your residency depends on the terms of your current residency card. Learn more about Mexico residency card renewals.

Four Year Rule: If you’ve held a Temporary residency card for 4 consecutive years —or two years if married to a Mexican national— our associate can assist you to exchange your temporary residency card for a Permanent residency card: read this page for details about that service.

Expired residency card: If you allowed your residency to expire, you might be able to renew in Mexico without having to start over at a Mexican consulate abroad, depending on your current situation.  Read this article for details about that service.

Renewing your existing Mexico residency card

Our associates can help you when you need to renew a Temporary residency card (Residente Temporal) and/or renew a Permanent residency card (Residente Permanente) issued to minors.

• Residency card renewals must be filed by the card holder at an immigration office in Mexico; they cannot be renewed at Mexican consulates abroad and/or by proxies.
• The renewal must be filed in the 30-day window before the expiry date printed on the card. Requests cannot be filed sooner.
• If the card has expired you might be able to file for renewal in Mexico—see this page for more details.

How the Tele-Assistance facilitation service works

The tele-assistance support service offered by our associates saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants applying to have their residency cards renewed. You can use tele-assistance regardless of what location you plan to move to (or are currently situated) in Mexico.

The service facilitates your application when you renew your existing residency card:

• An initial consultation by phone/videocall/email/chat to understand your situation and plan a workable approach for your residency renewal.
• Confirmation of the required procedures for the renewal of your existing residency card.
• Review of your supporting documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Our associate will co-ordinate dates to file for your residency card renewal in time and book an appointment for you at the immigration office in Mexico using the INM’s online appointment system.
• Correct completion of the application forms and accompanying covering letter (in Spanish) that you’ll need to submit when you file for renewal of your Temporary Residency card in Mexico.
• Customized checklist of documents you’ll need to carry and present when you attend the immigration office in Mexico.
• Detailed instructions/guidance about where to go and what to do when you arrive at the immigration office to file for the exchange.

Get support throughout the residency card renewal procedure

The table below describes the support offered through the residency card renewal process.

Residency Card Renewal Tele-Assistance Fees

Our associate’s residency card renewal tele-assistance package offers facilitation that is transparent and affordable, with fixed-fee pricing and no hidden charges.  All consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.

Accompanied Option: The Residency Card Renewal service plan is also available as an Accompanied Assistance option at selected cities in Mexico.  See this page for details and fees.

Make a service request for residency card renewal assistance

To hire our associate to assist you with the facilitation of your existing residency card renewal, please complete the request form below.

What happens next?

• After you complete the form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to the associate who will assist you.
• The immigration assistance associate will respond to you directly and request payment for their service. When you’ve paid, they’ll schedule-in your initial consultation and the service will begin.

It’s therefore prudent to research locations in Mexico that you are likely to feel comfortable living in year-round —or during the times of the year that you intend to spend in Mexico— as you shortlist potential places to live, work, or retire here.

Mexico is a vast land, and offers ample choices regarding climate types which are determined by a combination of the location’s latitude, elevation in relation to sea-level, as well as other regional topographical influences.

This article introduces you to Mexico’s principal climate zones and also shares tips and insights about how to adapt to Mexico’s seasons and climate.

Highland areas

Higher altitude areas, most notably the picturesque colonial cities that many foreign residents enjoy living in here, offer year-round temperate climates, although some can experience hot spells in the spring and summer months.

Some regions at high elevations can get cold or freeze overnight, especially in the late fall, winter, and early spring seasons.  Mornings and evenings in these areas tend to be cool or cold; temperatures can collapse dramatically after sundown during the winter months. Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves can serve to take the edge off the cold.

Coastal plains

Coastal areas near sea-level tend to be hot and humid —sometimes uncomfortably so without air conditioning or a good airflow and ventilation— between April and October each year.

The low-lying coastal plains usually offer pleasantly warm climates between November and March, which is why so many retirees who overwinter in Mexico choose to live by the ocean.

The most pleasant (comfortably warm) weeks along the coasts are usually between mid-November and mid-February of the following year; by late February temperatures begin to rise substantially along the coastal plains.

Seasonal changes

Mexico has a rainy season and a dry season, and each one offers advantages and disadvantages.

Rain season storms, when they come, tend to be sharp, fierce, and happen in the late afternoon or overnight, leaving the air cooled and mornings fragrant and refreshed.

The Yucatán peninsula, parts of the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific, as well as Baja California can be susceptible to hurricanes, that occur mostly between July and October.

Adapting to Mexico’s seasons and weather

Regardless of where you live in Mexico, it will take some time to adapt to the local climate, weather and seasons as they change throughout the year. This section describes key aspects of Mexico’s climate and environment and connects you to extensive insights for further reading here on Mexperience.

Mexico’s climate and topography

Mexico is a vast land with varying climates by location, and those climates are influenced by a location’s latitude and the regional topography. If you choose to live in the mountain highlands you’ll experience temperate year-climates (some places can get quite cool or cold in the winter months); if you choose to live along the coastal plains, winters will usually be pleasantly warm, and summers hot and humid.

Learning to live at higher elevations

If you’re shortlisting any colonial cities, or places to live in the highlands (including Mexico City and Guadalajara) we recommend that you consider how you will cope living at elevation; most people can adjust easily to living in thinner air, but you ought to keep this in mind if you’re moving from a low-elevation area to living a mile or more up on a mountain.

Coping with the heat and humidity

If you’re shortlisting coastal towns and cities and areas along the coastal plains, including the Yucatán region of Mexico, consider how you may cope in climates with high heat and high humidity.

November through to early April can be gloriously warm and comfortable in low-lying areas; however, spring and summer can be swelteringly hot, and humid.

Mexico through the seasons

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s weather and climates by region and location throughout the four seasons.

Mexico’s privileged location in relation to the equator, the length of daytime and darkness have a good equilibrium and the quality of the light in Mexico is extraordinary, too.

Mexico’s rainy and dry seasons

Mexico’s rainy season begins in May or June each year and gives way to the dry season in October or November. Regions affected by this cycle experience dramatic changes to the landscape; both the wet and dry seasons offer charms, and challenges.

Windstorms and the hurricane season

Windstorms in Mexico can be mystical and affect all regions regardless of topography and elevation.

The hurricane season tends to affect coastal areas the most, although strong hurricanes can drive heavy rains inland, too, causing local flooding and hazardous driving conditions on mountainous roads.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual travel guides here on Mexperience for climate by location.
• You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

Auto insurance coverage valid in Mexico

Some auto insurance policies might contain wording that leads you to believe that you are covered in Mexico, but this out-of-country cover, if any is included, is limited to damage to your own vehicle and certain things you may be carrying inside your car.

The most important aspect of an auto insurance policy when you’re driving in Mexico is third-party liability, because claims for damages by third parties can be substantial.

Third party liability abroad needs a special policy

By law, US and Canadian insurers can’t provide third party liability and this coverage must be underwritten by a Mexican insurance company and be specially formed to be legally valid under Mexican law.

Third party liability covers any losses your actions might cause to others. These most commonly include (but are not limited to):

• damage to another person’s vehicle, or their property;
• injuries to another person in an accident; and
• damage to public property (e.g. road structures).

How much liability insurance is needed in Mexico?

While no one expects to be involved in an accident —and far less a serious one— when arranging coverage, it’s worth considering the worst-case scenario: that you accidentally cause serious injury or death of another person as a result of a vehicle accident.

Here in Mexico you can be made financially responsible to the other party (or their kin) if you unintentionally cause the death of another motorist, and reputable insurance brokers suggest that you have no less than US$300,000 in liability insurance and they will usually recommend US$500,000.

Get a policy covers more than just accidents

There are other factors besides financial liability to consider when you are arranging your auto insurance when you drive in Mexico.  The three most important aspects to consider when choosing a policy are:

Legal representation

If you’re involved in a serious road accident in Mexico, it’s common for those involved to be detained until the situation is assessed, fault is determined, and financial responsibility is assigned.

Due to this process, the legal representation which better policies offer will provide you with:

• local assistance to help you deal with the complex paperwork and procedures (in Spanish, and liaise with you in English);
• a fund to post a bail-bond and get you released as soon as practicable; and
• a legal team to negotiate on your behalf if fault and responsibility is assigned to you.

Medical coverage

If you or any of your vehicle’s occupants are injured in an accident, medical payments might or might not be covered. Medical coverage on auto policies vary and you’ll need to compare the choices to ensure you have an adequate amount of coverage, per person and in total.

Assistance for accidents and vehicle breakdowns

When an accident happens, what really matters is the practical support provided by an insurance policy.

If your vehicle breaks-down, or in the event of a minor accident which leaves your car damaged but readily repairable, a roadside travel assistance plan offered by the insurer can be an enormous benefit to you.

Roadside assistance can be purchased as part of an auto insurance policy and offers very practical help in what can be stressful and confusing circumstances.

• In the event of a breakdown or minor accident which leaves you stuck, help with things like gas delivery, a flat tire, a locksmith, or a tow truck to a nearby garage for essential repairs can be a phone call away.
• In the event of an accident, assistance can provide practical support and liaison with key personnel to help you recover more quickly and get back on your road trip as soon as practicable.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers articles with insights to help you prepare for your road trip and drive confidently in Mexico.

• Insuring your vehicle for driving in Mexico
• Importing a foreign car or other vehicle to Mexico
• Getting a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your vehicle
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico

Detailed guides and helpful connections that enable you to plan and realize your relocation to Mexico

Mexperience provides in-depth insights and local knowledge with extensive articles, guides, and cross-references and connections to help you discover more of Mexico, consider your lifestyle options, define your intentions, make a plan, and help you to avoid making material mistakes with your Mexico lifestyle plans.

Our guides are written by people who know Mexico intimately, are continually revised and updated—and are free to access.

Mexperience helps you through every step of the journey

Our detailed guides and insights offer you complete information throughout every step of your journey:

• Discovering the benefits and opportunities Mexico offers to live and work or retire.
• Detailed insights that help you to consider whether Mexico is right for you and your partner—and family if relevant.
• When you’ve determined that Mexico is right for you, we offer lots of practical advice to help you plan your lifestyle in Mexico.
• Mexperience also helps you to plan your move, settle-in to Mexico, cultivate your social and community networks and helps you learn how adapt to the country and its culture.
• When you’re settled here, our up to date articles and monthly newsletter help you to cultivate a fruitful home life in Mexico.
• Our homestead articles offer practical advice to help you manage your home in Mexico and its dwelling spaces.
• Our insights and local knowledge also help if you’re living in Mexico now but want to revisit your intentions and need guidance to help you settle, adapt, and reform your plans.

Take the next step: start here

Mexperience offers extensive insights, local knowledge, and connections to help you plan and realize a relocation to Mexico, whether you’re single, a couple, or a family.

Begin your journey

Our Mexico Living & Lifestyles guide connects you to in-depth articles and information about living in Mexico. It’s continually updated, helping you to make considered choices and useful connections.

Help with lifestyle planning

Our regularly-updated section about Lifestyle Planning in Mexico shares insights to help you make informed decisions about your lifestyle choices in Mexico.

Calculate your living costs

Our detailed guide to the cost of living in Mexico helps you calculate a personalized budget based on your life stage and lifestyle choices.

Consider places to live in Mexico

We publish guides to help you consider places to live in Mexico, whether you come to live, work or retire.

Obtain your Mexico residency permit

Our detailed guide to applying for residency in Mexico shows you every step needed to qualify and apply for legal residency in Mexico

Real estate and property rental in Mexico

We publish a detailed guide to real estate in Mexico that shares practical insights when you’re buying, owning, renting, and selling property here.  We recommend you rent a house first before you buy, unless you’re familiar with the area you’re moving to.

Learn how to keep in touch when you’re in Mexico

Our comprehensive guides describe how you can keep in touch when you’re in Mexico.  Our local insights include learning about Mexico cell phone plans, how to dial phones, connecting to internet services including satellite services, and also learn about post and couriers… and the cost of utilities and communications.

Cultivate your home life

When you’ve made the move and you’re living here, our regularly updated articles about cultivating a fruitful home life in Mexico will give you insights, inspiration, and ideas to make the most of your everyday lifestyle.

Manage your money & finances in Mexico

We publish detailed, updated, information about managing your finances in Mexico, including bank accounts, money exchange, and money transfers.

Homestead care and management

Whether you’re renting a home or have purchased a property here, our regularly updated guides help you manage your home and dwelling spaces in Mexico, with tips and local knowledge to keep them well maintained and secure for you and your family.

Learning and improving your Spanish

We encourage you to learn Spanish to help you make the most of your experiences in Mexico.  We connect you to language courses, and our in-depth PinPoint Spanish series helps you to learn about the nuances of language usage in Mexico.

Driving, road trips and running a car in Mexico

Our guides and articles about driving and taking road trips in Mexico help you to prepare your longer road trips as well as dealing with everyday driving matters.

Free Monthly Mexico Newsletter

Sign-up to our free monthly newsletter about Mexico that is filled with inspiration, meaningful knowledge, helpful connections, and tips for better living, lifestyle, and leisure in Mexico.

Discover even more of Mexico

Our Discover Mexico section provides a constantly updated stream of articles and guides that share knowledge and keep you updated about opportunities in Mexico.

All Temporary residency cards —and Permanent residency cards issued to minors (aged under 18 years)— have expiry dates. To keep your residency card current, you will need to apply for residency renewal within the 30-day window before the card’s expiry date.

If you have held a Temporary residency card for 4 consecutive years —or two years if married to a Mexican national— our associate can assist you to exchange that for a Permanent residency card.

Expired residency cards: Special rules exist for expired residency cards.

Tele Assistance or Accompanied Assistance

Our associates offer a choice of tele-assistance that enables you to attend the immigration office in Mexico yourself fully prepared with all the forms and other paperwork duly completed and ready to file, and they offer accompanied assistance at selected locations in Mexico if you want someone to prepare all the paperwork and accompany you to file at the immigration office.

Tele-Assistance can be offered nation-wide, wherever you are Mexico.

Accompanied Assistance is available at selected locations.

Time scales for renewing or exchanging your residency card

Some immigration offices process renewals/exchanges and issue the new card(s) on the same day you attend the immigration office in Mexico, and sometimes offices ask applicants to return, usually within 1-3 weeks after their filing date, to complete the process.

You can learn more about current time scales on this article.

Learn more and make a service request

Our immigration associates are experienced professionals who have helped thousands of people through immigration procedures over the years.

• Learn about tele-support services for immigration
• Learn about accompanied services for immigration
• Don’t have Mexico residency? Apply for Residency for the first time

Learn Spanish one-on-one in a relaxed online learning environment

Elisa Vidal is an independent qualified Spanish teacher based in Mexico.

She offers personalized, one-on-one online lessons in a relaxed and informal setting that puts you at ease to help you improve your language skills and increase your conversational abilities.

Choose the type of Spanish lesson you would like:

• Everyday Spanish conversation — increase your vocabulary, improve your language fluency, and learn about typical nuances and usage of Mexican Spanish in everyday situations.
• Beginner’s Spanish Lessons — start building your Spanish language skills with lessons that will get you started with conversation, understanding grammar, and building essential vocabulary.
• Intermediate Spanish Lessons — build on your existing Spanish language skills with lessons that will help improve your grammar, and build vocabulary and stronger sentence construction for writing and conversations.

Benefits of Elisa’s personalized lessons

Tailored lessons: Elisa offers lessons tailored to help you reach your Spanish language study goals, adapting the lessons to your personal needs.

Goal-oriented learning: Whether you want to improve general conversation, get a better handle on Spanish grammar, prepare for your new lifestyle in Mexico, or simply converse in Spanish with someone who can help you elevate your fluency level, Elisa will tailor the lessons to help you achieve your goals.

Cultural enrichment: Elisa’s language lessons will help you hone your Spanish language skills as you learn about Mexican traditions, expressions, everyday culture and the nuances of local language usage.

Experience you can trust: Elisa is bi-lingual and a qualified Spanish language teacher with over eight years of teaching experience and has worked with learners of all ages and backgrounds.

Spanish lesson plans and prices

Pay per lesson or choose a monthly package. Choose the plan that best suits your language learning intentions.

*Monthly packages are based on 4-week lesson cycles.

Request your language lessons with Elisa

Complete the request form below and Elisa will contact you directly.

What happens next?

• After you complete the request form, Mexperience will send you an email that confirms your request and introduces you to Elisa.
• Elisa will respond to you directly to schedule free initial 30-minute consultation call on Zoom to introduce herself, talk about your language learning goals, and organize the lesson plan you choose.

However, Mexico is big, and as we described in our article about this being a land of three lands, different regions and varying topography create distinct climate zones—including those that can get quite cold during the fall and winter months.

How elevation influences local climates

Regions in Mexico that experience cool or cold climates, especially between the late fall and through the winter months, are those situated in the northern desert regions, as well as the areas across the country that are inland and situated at higher elevation.

Many of Mexico’s popular and picturesque inland towns and cities are situated at elevations over 4,000 feet above sea level, and more commonly are situated between 5,000 and 7,000 feet above sea level.

This elevated topography keeps air temperatures considerably cooler and less humid throughout the year even on latitudes where temperatures are very hot at lower levels, and along the coast.

During the spring and summer months, the elevation keeps the climate in these places feeling temperate, with warm days (sometimes hot in the late spring) and comfortably cool after sundown and overnight.

When the season turns from summer to fall, and then to winter, mountainous places at elevation can become quite cool, and some even quite cold after the sun sets.

In the Mexico’s northern desert regions, overnight temperatures can freeze and some areas like the Copper Canyon can also experience snow.

Temperate daytimes become cool or cold after sundown

One of the climatic features of colder months in Mexico’s highlands is that daylight temperatures tend rise steadily throughout the morning to become temperate and comfortable by the afternoon.

Seasonal cold fronts from the north can cause temperatures to plunge for a few days, and prevent daytime temperatures from reaching their typical highs, and this is especially noticeable in mountain enclaves at higher elevations.  Cold fronts tend to last only a few days at most, and then pass.

When the sun begins to set, temperatures begin to drop noticeably and you might have to trade daytime shorts for long pants and a pullover during the evenings.

Temperatures drop at sundown and then continue to fall steadily throughout the evening and overnight.  That chill will linger on to sunrise and through the early hours, making mornings feel crisp, or sharp.

Some days, it might take until late morning or early afternoon before daytime temperatures rise sufficiently to dispel the chill, especially if a cold front arrives, and/or if the day is heavily overcast.

Regions in Mexico affected by cool or colder weather

Areas in Mexico that are commonly affected by cooler or cold weather during the autumn and winter months include:

• Northern areas: the northern desert regions, including Monterrey and elevated areas on the Baja California peninsula; and
• Central highlands: the elevated mountainous regions that form the country’s central highlands: from Zacatecas, southward through Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Mexico City, and northern areas of Morelos; and
• Western highlands: the western inland elevated areas including the State of Mexico (especially around Toluca), the city of Guadalajara and Lake Chapala, and the highland forested lakeside areas in the state of Michoacán, including Morelia & Pátzcuaro; and
• Eastern highlands: the eastern elevated areas including Tlaxcala, Puebla, and inland areas of Veracruz (Orizaba, that also includes Mexico’s highest mountain); and
• Southern highlands: further south, inland areas of Oaxaca, and the elevated regions of Chiapas, especially in and around San Cristóbal de las Casas, can get quite cool in the winter.

Low-lying and coastal areas

Lower-lying areas (below ~2000 feet elevation) including the coastal plains and coasts situated at latitudes around or below the Tropic of Cancer tend to remain pleasantly warm during the autumn and winter (absent a cold front) which is why they’re so popular with ‘snowbirds’—part time residents who overwinter in Mexico.

Lower-lying areas situated at latitudes above the Tropic of Cancer can feel cooler or cold sometimes, especially if a cold front arrives.

Discover Mexico’s weather and climates

Mexperience helps you to discover Mexico’s diverse topography and climate as you make your lifestyle and leisure plans:

• Learn about how Mexico is a land of three lands
• Keeping your Mexican home warm in the cool & cold months
• Discover Mexico’s climate through the seasons
• The rain season begins in May/June and yields to the dry season in October/November
• Check individual location guides here on Mexperience for climate by location.
• You can get full details about the weather by region and season on our guide to climate in Mexico.
• Browse the latest articles about climate and weather in Mexico

Get help to plan your approach when you apply for residency in Mexico and practical facilitation assistance as you make your way through procedures related to applying for and managing your residency status in Mexico.

Mexico residency facilitation and assistance support service

The tele-assistance support service saves you time and helps avoid common mistakes made by applicants.

Whether you’re applying for residency for the first time, renewing an existing residency permit, or need assistance with other procedures related to managing your legal residency in Mexico—our associates can help.

Our associates offer service packages for the most common residency-related procedures, with clear and transparent fixed-fees. (Consulting and assistance fees exclude the government fees applicants must pay to apply for residency in Mexico.)

Mexico residency assistance plans and fees

Learn about the service packages that our immigration assistance associates offer, with clear and transparent fixed-fees for each one.

Click on the service name for a full description of the service and procedures, and to make a service request.  Our associate will contact you directly.

A customized tour makes your visit to the butterfly sanctuaries an effortless journey, enabling you and your companions to fully absorb the experience of this remarkable migration.

The butterflies arrive in November and leave in March

Our travel partner has been helping visitors to enjoy the Monarch Butterfly sanctuaries for over 15 years and their custom-made itineraries are underpinned by a depth of experience and close working relationships with local guides and travel specialists, as well as the local community leaders that run and caretake the protected butterfly sanctuaries.

The Monarch butterflies begin to arrive in Mexico during November and leave around mid-March.  Peak viewing season runs from mid-January to late February—this is when the butterflies are most active.  The oyamel forests are situated at elevation of up to 10,000 feet above sea level in the mountains west of Mexico City.  Ascent on horseback is available for those who may need assistance with the climb.

An outstanding customized tour to the butterfly sanctuaries

A customized tour arrangement can begin in Morelia (Airport: MLM) or Mexico City (Airport: MEX).  These carefully crafted tours provide a guide and transportation exclusively assigned to your party.

You will be met personally at the airport by your English-speaking guide and driver, and swiftly transported to your accommodations, so that you can settle-in and begin to get acclimatized the locality and altitude.

Every day of your tour, the guide and driver will meet you at your hotel to begin the day’s activities.  The guide will also accompany you for your overnight stay near the butterfly sanctuaries.

Custom tours are offered with varying durations from three-to-six nights’ stay, to flex with your available schedule and budget.  Tours can begin in Mexico City, or Morelia—as you prefer.  Shorter itineraries of three nights’ stay focus primarily on a visit to one butterfly sanctuary, whereas the longer 6-night+ tours enable you to visit two or three sanctuaries and take in additional tours in the locality.

Monarch butterfly tours starting in Mexico City

Monarch butterfly tours starting in Mexico City include:

• Overnight stay in the historic downtown area of Mexico City
• Visit to the fresh and vibrant forested lakeside area of Valle de Bravo
• A visit to one, two or three sanctuaries, depending on your time scale, with at least one overnight stay near one of the three sanctuaries
• Ascent to the sanctuaries on horseback is available by request, at an additional cost
• You can optionally start in Mexico City and end in Morelia, or vice-versa

Day tour options for extra days:

• Take a guided tour of the historic center of Mexico City and visit the outstanding Anthropological Museum;
• Visit the holy shrine of La Virgen de Guadalupe and take a private trip out to the spectacular Teotihuacán archeological site;
• Discover more of Mexico City with a visit to the bohemian Coyoacán art district and the floating gardens of Xochimilco

Tour prices starting in Mexico City

Prices for customized butterfly tour packages starting in Mexico City start from US$875 per person, depending on duration, and based on two people sharing a room. There are surcharges for single-occupancy rooms and solo travelers. Optional add-on day tours and tour customizations around Mexico City and Morelia can be quoted and arrange by request. Prices are subject to change. Please request a personalized quote from our travel partner by completing the request form below.

Monarch butterfly tours starting in Morelia

Monarch butterfly tours starting in Morelia include:

• Overnight stay in the historic city of Morelia
• Visit to two or three butterfly sanctuaries, depending on your time scale, with at least one overnight stay near one of the three sanctuaries
• Ascent to the sanctuaries on horseback is available by request, at an additional cost
• You can optionally start in Morelia and end in Mexico City, or vice-versa

Day tour options for extra days:

• Enjoy a tour of the fascinating and insightful folk-art villages around lake Patzcuaro;
• Visit the ancient and mysterious Purépecha archeological site of TzinTunTzan;
• Take a historic walking tour of the regal colonial city of Morelia;
• Watch as copper is formed into art and homewares and buy unique pieces of copperware in the village of Santa Clara del Cobre

Tour prices starting in Morelia

Prices for butterfly tour packages starting in Morelia start from US$1,045 per person, depending on duration, and based on two people sharing a room.

There are surcharges for single-occupancy rooms and solo travelers. Optional add-on day tours and tour customizations around Mexico City and Morelia can be quoted and arrange by request.

Prices illustrated are subject to change. Please request a personalized quote from our travel partner by completing the request form below.

What your butterfly tour includes and excludes

Regardless of your tour’s start point or duration, your package always includes:

• being met personally with transfers to and from the airport;
• lodging at hotels that have been carefully chosen by our travel partner;
• a private driver and guide to the butterfly sanctuaries;
• entrance fees to the sanctuaries; and
• your morning breakfasts and in-tour transportation.

Tour package prices exclude

• your flights (or other transportation) to the start point in Mexico City or Morelia;
• meals other than your morning breakfast at the hotel(s);
• tips for the guide, driver, hotel and restaurant staff; and
• trip insurance.

Make a Monarch Butterflies tour request

Complete the request form below and receive a quote for a customized tour to visit the phenomenal Monarch butterflies in Mexico.

• You intend to retire in Mexico or are already retired and want to move here.
• You own a house, or intend to buy a house, in Mexico.
• You live in Mexico part of the year and don’t want the hassle and risk of using visitor permit for your regular stays here.
• You intend to make a significant change in your life and work style and move your life situations to Mexico.
• You move to Mexico primarily for work reasons, usually under the auspice of a formal work contract.

Qualifying for residency in Mexico

When you have made the decision to apply for legal residency in Mexico, you will need to consider which route you will use to apply.

• Our article about the principal routes for obtaining Mexican residency summarizes the main routes most people use.
• Most applications are made via the ‘economic solvency’ route—i.e., proving that you have sufficient funds to sustain yourself here.
• If you have specified types of family connections in Mexico (including marriage/common-law partnership to a Mexican national or a foreigner with legal residency in Mexico), you may apply for residency via the Family Unit rules.
• If your income or savings are insufficient due to the recent rises in those qualification criteria, there are some other routes that might be open to you.

Type of residency in Mexico

Mexico offers two main residency types: Temporary Residency (Residencia Temporal), and Permanent Residency (Residencia Permanente).

Permanent residency is obtainable without having temporary residency first, but the situations that allow this are very limited, and thus most applicants begin holding temporary residency first.  After four consecutive years of holding temporary residency, you may apply to exchange this for permanent residency.

• Learn about the difference between temporary and permanent residency.
• If you’re a couple applying for permanent residency together, read this.
• Note that temporary residency does not automatically come with permission to work in Mexico—this needs to be applied for and granted separately.

The residency application process

When you have determined how you will qualify, and what type of residency you will apply for, you can begin the application process.

• Most applications for residency must begin at a Mexican Consulate abroad.
• If your application through a Mexican Consulate abroad is successful, a residency visa sticker will be placed in your passport. This sticker must be exchanged for a residency card in Mexico before the visa’s expiry date—usually six months after its issue date.
• Family Unit applications and applications through special procedures can be made at an immigration office in Mexico.
• If your application is one of the few that can be made at an immigration office in Mexico, you will exchange your visitor permit (or other visa type you might have) for a residency card in-country.
• Learn more about the government fees for residency permits, and typical time scales for obtaining residency in Mexico.

Residency card renewals and exchanges to permanent residency

When you take possession of your residency card, you will gain certain legal rights and obligations as a resident in Mexico and you’ll need to manage your ongoing status, thus:

• In most cases, your first temporary residency card is issued for only one year*
• After the first year, you can apply to renew your temporary residency for a further 1, 2 or 3 years.
• After holding temporary residency for four consecutive years, you may apply to exchange this for permanent residency.
• If you don’t want permanent residency, you can allow the temporary residency card to expire and restart the process with one year of temporary residency.
• Permanent residency cards issued people aged 18 years and older never expire. Minors (aged under 18 years) need to renew their permanent residency cards periodically until reaching the age of 18.

*Spouse of a Mexican national or foreign resident: If you’re applying as a spouse of a Mexican national or an existing foreign resident see this article for details about time scales.)

Mexico residency card use and management

Your Mexico residency card serves as a form of official identification in Mexico, and may be accepted abroad as form of government-issued ID.

• You must present your residency card when you enter Mexico, and each time you leave the country.
• If have a temporary resident card, or if you’re the parent or guardian of a minor (aged under 18 years) with a permanent residency card, you’ll need to manage renewals to keep your legal residency status valid.
• You need to file notifications about certain changes in your personal circumstances at your local INM office.
• If you lose your residency card, or it becomes damaged beyond use, you’ll need to apply for a replacement.

For more details, read our article about managing your resident card and residency status in Mexico.

Learn more about residency in Mexico

Mexperience publishes information and resources to help you learn about how to apply for and obtain legal residency in Mexico:

• Learn about the principal routes to obtaining legal residency
• The difference between temporary and permanent residency permits
• Financial criteria for residency in Mexico
• Time limits on Mexico’s visitor and residency permits
• Rights and obligations when you have legal residency
• Renewing your residency permit
• Temporary residency: expiry and renewal