By Yucatan Expatriate Services

If you plan to stay in Mexico for a long time or you want to own property here, or move your household goods here, you will need to apply for a Non Immigrant (FM3) visa or a Immigrant visa (FM2), the following are descriptions of each type of visa and their terms.

FM3 Non Immigrant

These types of non-immigrants are allowed to stay up to one year before applying for permission again, and can be given FM3 visas:

• Student: A foreigner intending to start, finish or improve their studies in official and incorporated educational institutes. Entitled to yearly renewals and to leave the country for up to 120 days, but only allowed to reside in Mexico during the duration of their studies.
• Person of independent means (Rentista): Foreigner living on resources from abroad. The visa is granted to a foreigner who chooses to live at least part-time in Mexico, using income from abroad to survive. For this permit, the applicant must prove either monthly income of $1000 USD per month or a bank account with $12,000 USD in total deposits.
• Minister: foreigner exercising the ministry of any religion or conducting social and philanthropic assistance.
• Political asylum: Authorized by Interior Ministry for as long as they deem necessary in order to protect the foreigners’ life or freedom from persecution in their country of origin.
• Refugee: Authorized to protect foreigners’ life, safety, or freedom when such has been threatened by generalized violence, foreign aggression, internal conflicts, massive violation of human rights or other circumstances.
• Distinguished visitors: Permit provided as courtesy to reside in the country for up to 6 months in special or exceptional cases.
• Reporter: Granted to a correspondent for a media company.
• Worker: Granted as a work permit to an employee as a consequence of his work for a specific company that requested the work permit. The company is responsible for the actions of the worker while he or she is in Mexico.
• Family: This FM3 is granted to the son, daughter, parents or wife of a person that has an FM3, either as a worker, a rentista or any other migratory person.

The FM3 must be renewed each year for a period of 5 years. At the end of the fifth year, the immigrant can apply for a new FM3 or for an FM2.

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FM2 Immigrant

This immigration status designation is given to foreigners residing in Mexico for an indefinite period. This type of visa does not allow the visa holder to be out of the country more than 18 months in five years.

These types of non-immigrants are allowed to stay up to one year before applying for permission again, and can be given FM2 visas:

• Person of independent means (Rentista): Foreigner living on resources from abroad. The visa is granted to a foreigner who chooses to live at least part-time in Mexico, using income from abroad to survive. For this permit, the applicant must prove either monthly income of $1000 USD per month or a bank account with $12,000 USD in total deposits.
• Investor: Granted in order to invest their capital in the industry, commerce and services, in accordance with the national laws, as long as the investment contributes to the economic and social development of the country during the time of residence of the foreigner. In order to maintain this visa, the investor will have to maintain the minimum amount of investment mentioned in the visa.
• Professional: Granted to exercise a profession. If the professional needs a degree or title in order to exercise his profession, the professional must comply with the established rules in Article 5 of the Constitution.
• Trusted Position: Granted to foreigner in position of directing a company, as sole administrator or other position of absolute trust in companies or institutions established in the country, with the provision that the government does not consider that the position has been duplicated and that the position in question deserves the admission of the foreigner  into the country.
• Scientist: Granted to conduct or realize scientific investigations, to share scientific knowledge, to prepare investigators or to carry out educational work, when these activities are realized in the interests of national development according to the Secretary.
• Technician: Granted to conduct investigations applicable in the production field or to carry out some technical or specialized duties that cannot be rendered by another resident of the country, in the opinion of the Secretary.
• Family: This FM2 is granted to the son, daughter, parents or wife of a person that has an FM2, either as a worker, a rentista or any other migratory stature.
• Artist or Sports Figure – Granted to execute sports, art or similar activity, as long as those activities are a benefit to the country.
• Assimilated – Granted to allow any honest activity in the case of foreigners who have been assimilated in some way, or who have had or have a Mexican spouse or Mexican sons and who are not included in the previous descriptions, according to the terms established by the regulation.

FM2 Immigrant status can be renewed five times. Each renewal is valid for one year. After the fifth year the applicant may do one of the following:

• They may apply for a permanent immigrant status (inmigrado) which will allow them to reside in the country for an indefinite period, with no visa required.
• They may apply for a new FM2 called permanencia de FM2. This is a relatively new version of the FM2 that is granted for an additional 4 years. In the 4^th year, six months before the end date of this FM2 visa, the visaholder must request Mexican residence as Inmigrado. If this is not requested, they can no longer stay in the country legally.
• They may apply for Mexican citizenship.

For more information on visas, terms, costs and documentation required, we recommend purchasing the YES Immigration Guide at www.yucatanexpatriateservices.com or call YES at +52-999-927-2437 for more information.