Immigration & Visas

Legal Residency in Mexico: Residency-Related Fees for 2024

Learn about the 2024 fees when you apply for residency-related permits or a change in the status of your legal residency in Mexico

Mexico Visa Stamp in Passport

If you intend to apply for legal residency in Mexico or need to engage in some administrative process regarding your existing legal residency permit, you will need to pay some fees to facilitate the procedures.

This is the schedule of residency-related immigration fees for 2024

Mexican consular fees

When you apply for a visa at a Mexican consulate abroad, the consulate will make a consular charge of $53 US dollars (or local currency equivalent if you are not in the USA) for the visa processing service.

Residente Temporal card fees

When you arrive in Mexico with your residency visa, you need to exchange this within 30 days for a residency card.

The fees for exchanging a Residente Temporal visa (sticker) for a Residente Temporal card, OR renewing an existing Residente Temporal card for additional year(s) are:

  • Residente Temporal 1 year: $5,328 Mexican pesos
  • Residente Temporal 2 years: $7,984 Mexican pesos
  • Residente Temporal 3 years: $10,112 Mexican pesos
  • Residente Temporal 4 years: $11,985 Mexican pesos

Note: Your first Residente Temporal permit is always issued for only one year*. Renewals after the first year may grant an additional 1, 2, or 3 years of temporary residency – fees as above.

*Spouse of a Mexican national: If you are are applying as a spouse of a Mexican national you are granted two years of temporary residency, after two years you can apply for permanent residency.)

Residente Temporal Estudiante card fees

People applying for a Residente Temporal Estudiante (temporary resident permit as a student in Mexico) are charged the consulate fee (see above) but there are no charges to exchange the visa (sticker) for a card, and there are no charges to renew the card for additional year(s). However, note that temporary residency as a student carries additional restrictions which other temporary residents do not have.

Residente Permanente card fee

The fee for exchanging a Residente Permanente visa (sticker) for a Residente Permanente card is $6,495 Mexican pesos.  This is also part of the fee when you convert a temporary residency card to a permanent residency card, see next section.

Fee for converting Residente Temporal to Residente Permanente

If after 4 consecutive years living in Mexico under the auspice of Residente Temporal or Residente Temporal Estudiante you apply to convert your temporary residency status to a permanent residency in Mexico, you will need to pay a ‘change of status fee’ of $1,702 Mexican pesos in addition to the fee for the Residente Permanente card, see previous section.

Exit/Re-entry permit fees

If you need to leave Mexico while a residency-related procedure is in-train, you will need to apply and pay for an Exit/Re-entry permit, as you will not be in possession of your residency documents while the procedure is administered. The fee for an Exit/Re-entry permit is $545 Mexican pesos.

Important! Note that if you are in the throes of a ‘regularization’ procedure (e.g., expired, or lost residency card—see below), you cannot get this permit and you must remain in Mexico until the regularization procedure is complete.

Residency card replacement fee

If your Temporary or Permanent residency card becomes damaged or lost, you will need to apply for a new card and pay a replacement fee.  This is currently $1,640 Mexican pesos.

Residency card replacement procedures depend on whether you lost your card in Mexico or abroad, and you will need to enter a specific procedure to get it replaced.  Consider using our Immigration Assistance Service to help you.

Residency status ‘Regularization’ fee

If you need to enter a ‘Regularization’ procedure (for example, if your residency card has expired) then you will need to pay a ‘Regularization’ fee of $1,702 Mexican pesos in addition to any other fees/fines, that can range from 20 to 100 days of UMA.

‘Regularization’ procedures tend to be complex so consider using our Immigration Assistance Service to help you.

Work permission fee on Residente Temporal card

If you apply for work permissions on a Residente Temporal card, a fee of $3,835 Mexican pesos will be levied in addition to any other fees (e.g., visa sticker exchange fee, ‘Regularization’ fee).

Note: If you hold a Residente Permanente card you don’t need to pay this fee, but you must inform the immigration office about any changes to your work arrangements.

Fees for Change of Status in Mexico

If your situation allows you to exchange a Visitor Permit (FMM) for a residency permit in Mexico, you need to pay pay a ‘change of status’ fee of $1,702 Mexican pesos in addition the corresponding resident card fee listed above.

Situations where a FMM can be exchanged for a residency visa in-country include:

  • Application for residency under Family Unit rules.
  • Change from Residente Temporal Estudiante to Residente Temporal or Residente Permanente.
  • Applying for residency in Mexico on Humanitarian grounds.

Get assistance with your residency application or renewal

If you need personal assistance to help you prepare your application, including consultancy about the best route to apply through, completing the application forms, writing the covering letters in Spanish, exchanging visas fore residency cards, dealing with renewal procedures, or advice with troubleshooting or regularization procedures, consider using our Mexico Immigration Assistance service.