Time Scales for Obtaining Mexico Residency Visas and Cards

When you’re applying for residency in Mexico, you will need to allow for application and processing times of your visa and/or residency card.

This article describes the typical time scales you ought to take into account when you intend to apply for a Mexico residency permit starting at a Mexican consulate abroad, as well as for residency-related procedures from within Mexico.

Typical time scales at the Mexican consulate

Residency applications from outside of Mexico must begin with an appointment at a Mexican consulate.

Consulate appointments: It can take between a couple of weeks and several weeks (and in some places, months) to secure an appointment for residency applications at a Mexican consulate. Lead times vary by location.

Procedures for consulate appointments: The procedures for booking appointments at Mexican consulates abroad varies by location: some consulates use an online booking system, others require an email request to be sent, and others have walk-in dates.  Our associate can assist you with appointment scheduling in accordance with the policy and process in place at the consulate you apply at but they cannot ‘fast-track’ or get preferential treatment for any applicants.

Consulate visa time scales: Once you attend your interview at the consulate and file your paperwork, the consulate usually issues the visa sticker within 10 working days after your appointment date, if your application is successful.

Time scales at Mexico immigration offices

The electronic appointment system for bookings at immigration offices in Mexico is currently offline.  Therefore, applicants need to go to the local immigration office in person to request an appointment date or get a service token to undertake their procedure. (Procedures vary by location.)

Visa-to-residency-card exchange: It typically takes 2-3 weeks to complete the visa-to-card exchange process (“canje“) in Mexico. Some offices might issue the card on the same day as the appointment, but we recommend you allow up to 3 weeks wait as part of your schedule planning.  Read more details about visa-to-card exchange time scales.

Other procedures: Time scales for other procedures, e.g. residency card renewals, vary by office location: 2-3 weeks appears to be typical at the moment; and as with visa-to-card exchanges, some offices might issue cards or complete the procedures on the same day as your appointment.

Leaving Mexico during the process

If you need to leave Mexico while you are waiting for your residency card(s) to be (re)issued, you can apply for an exit/re-entry permit after you have submitted your paperwork for the procedure.

Note that you cannot apply for this exit/re-entry permit before you have filed your paperwork at the local immigration office and been issued with a file reference number (“pieza“).

Learn more about Mexico visas and residency

Mexperience publishes extensive information about visas and immigration to Mexico, including:

• Our free eBook Mexico Immigration Guide that encapsulates detailed information about applying for visas and residency permits.
• Learn about exchanging your residency visa for a residency card
• Discover the principal routes for obtaining legal residency in Mexico
• Read our latest articles about residency and visas in Mexico