Canadians can choose to relocate to Mexico for a number of reasons that may have to do with reuniting with family, seeking employment or investment opportunities as well as simply retiring in a warmer climate.
All Canadian nationals who wish to enter Mexico required a valid passport to do so, however, they do not need a visa for trips shorter than 180 days. Other types of visas are in place for those who wish to immigrate to Mexico from Canada and in this article, our lawyers briefly outline the most common ones.
Booking an appointment for application is required with the Embassy of Mexico in Ottawa or a Mexican consulate closer to the applicant’s home. He strongly advise those who wish to immigrate to Mexico from Canada to prepare in advance for the process and refrain from booking the trip before they have had their visa approved.
Our team of lawyers in Mexico who specializes in immigration can give you complete details on the process and can help guide you during the application procedure by giving you details on what to expect and how to prepare the needed documents.
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Visas for Canadians who immigrate to Mexico
Below, our lawyers in Mexico outline the types of visas that are useful for immigration purposes:
- Temporary resident visa: for those who wish to enter the country and stay for more than 180 days but less than 4 years;
- Permanent resident visa: as the name suggests, the visa for permanent residency in the country when the applicant can prove his family ties or for retirees or pensioners;
- Study temporary visa: for Canadians who wish to remain in Mexico for more than 180 days to attend courses or studies
- Others: visas for those interested in adoption proceedings; our lawyers can provide more details to those who wish to immigrate to Mexico from Canada.
The visa is issued following an interview with a positive outcome. The requirements are set in place by the Mexican Government, according to the local immigration laws and the accepted applicants are expected to apply for a residence card that allows them to lawfully live in Mexico (this is done within 30 days of arrival). Note that you can enter Mexico as a tourist before applying for residency, or you can do both. Unlike other visas, you will not need to leave Mexico for a consulate interview in the latter case, and the applicant’s spouse will not need to provide proof of financial stability. Please contact our lawyers if you want to learn more about residence permits in Mexico.
Conditions for obtaining the permanent resident visa
The permanent resident visa is the visa type applied for by those who wish to make their move permanent, those who wish to immigrate to Mexico from Canada. The application is submitted in person, at the Consular Office in their region.
The following documents are required:
- – the visa application form;
- – a valid passport/identity document;
- – photograph;
- – proof of fee payment.
There are several categories for application, as listed below:
- – retired individuals;
- – individuals with family ties: to a Mexican citizen, to a foreigner who holds a permanent resident visa; to a foreigner who is a permanent resident.
Retired Canadians will need to provide proof of sufficient financial means, for example an average monthly balance of $181,338.00 Canadian dollars (the equivalent in Mexican Peso) during the last twelve months, or an amount greater than $4,533.00 Canadian dollars in the last six months.
The documents submitted to prove the family ties will depend on the type of family unit for which the applicant submits the visa application (birth certificate, marriage certificate or a document that proves the common-law union). For some categories of applications, the Canadian requesting the visa will need to prove sufficient income to support one or more family members, as applicable, during the stay in Mexico.
Besides assisting you with relocation to Mexico from Canada, our lawyers can also help you with other matters. For instance; if you are interested in acquiring citizenship in Mexico, the services of our lawyers are at your disposal. You will have the same rights and privileges as your fellow citizens as a naturalized Mexican. These include the right to vote and the right to own property. Contact our immigration attorneys to learn more about the process.
Canadians in Mexico
Canada has an extensive consular network in Mexico, all owing to the fact that many Canadians choose to visit Mexico, especially to relocate during the harsh Canadian winter months. Some facts and figures, as highlighted by the Canadian Embassy, are the following:
- Good representation: Canada has 10 consular points of service, starting with the Embassy of Canada in Mexico City, followed by two consulates in Monterrey and Guadalajara and 7 consular agencies in Acapulco and Tijuana, among others;
- Travel: more than 1.7 million Canadians visited Mexico in 2019, many of them scheduling their travel during the winter months – for some, this is an annual habit;
- Immigration: more than 50,000 Canadians live in Mexico – a testimony to the fact that the country is not only a preferred holiday destination for Canadians.
If you would like to know more about living in Mexico and the conditions to move here, please reach out to our law office in Mexico.Our immigration team can help answer any questions in English and will assist you both during the pre-arrival and post-arrival stages. You should have general taxation knowledge before you immigrate to Mexico. The calendar year serves as the tax year in Mexico, and tax returns must be filed by April 30 of the following year. The calendar year in Mexico operates as the fiscal year for people. Annual tax returns must be filed by the 30th of April, the following year, but no later than that. Employed citizens and nonresidents both have their income taxes withheld at the source (i.e. from the employer).