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You’ve probably heard by now that people from all over the world are moving to Mexico. A good measure of this is how applications for residency in Mexico went up 400% from 2020-2022.
People are no longer just coming for vacation to Mexico. Many people are thinking about their plan B, and living in Mexico seems like the most advantageous country.
And there are many reasons for that. Maybe you are tired of the cold winters that seem to get longer and longer each year.
Or you could feel the pressure to keep up with the high cost of living in your home country. Property taxes increase yearly, your grocery bill is more expensive each week, and your income isn’t increasing at the same rate. The idea of retirement is getting further and further out of reach for so many people.
But then there are also many of you who want to move to Mexico because you want to live abroad.
You might have a sense of adventure and want to know what living in a foreign country would be like. It’s easy to fall in love with the people, the weather, the food, and the beautiful landscapes of Mexico.
I mean, the list is virtually endless.
But you may not know that having Mexican Residency also has some benefits.
Some of these include
- the ability to travel freely
- be eligible for some government programs
- access to the affordable public healthcare
- having the ability to work
- being able to open a bank account
- and even buying and registering a vehicle in Mexico.
- access to invest in Mexico CDs
Let me share some of these with you in detail below.
Learn How to Move to Mexico and Have a Better Life for Less! Check out our Complete Mexico Relocation Guide.
Residents Can Come and Go As They’d Like
The most obvious one to you may be that you can come and go as you please. Stay as long as you like in Mexico. No more limitations on the length of visit on your tourist FMM. The length of time you want to stay is up to you and is no longer at the discretion of an immigration agent.
Another big benefit of residency in Mexico is that you don’t need to live in Mexico. You may not be considering moving to Mexico for a few more years. Or this may be your plan B in case of a political downfall in your home country. So you might not have a “date” as to when you plan to live in Mexico.
But that’s ok. In Mexican immigration law, there is no requirement for you to live in Mexico for a minimum amount of time to remain a resident. So it helps you secure your future ahead of time.
Additional Reading: Our Tops Blogs Covering Residency Visas in Mexico
Eligibility For The Affordable Public Healthcare
There are two types of public healthcare systems in Mexico. One is IMSS- the social security healthcare system designated for employees in Mexico and their family members.
But as a resident of Mexico, you can voluntarily sign up for IMSS and get affordable healthcare. The yearly premiums are incredibly affordable, with rates starting at MXN $6,850 (about $350 USD a year) and up to $16,450 MXN a year (about $830 USD a year).
Now, why should this matter to you?
Unlike private healthcare in Mexico, IMSS allows people over 70 to get coverage in their network of hospitals.
Most private health insurance companies in Mexico tend to cap their policies for new members at age 65. So, if you move to Mexico at age 70 and are planning to get a new policy, getting one through a private company might be near impossible. But the IMSS is an option for you.
However, you have to be a resident to be eligible. Tourists cannot apply for IMSS.
Retiree Discounts (INAPAM)
Did you know that Mexico has its own seniors discount program? This one is known as INAPAM.
Not only can you get access to various discounts on things like airfare, bus tickets, movie theaters, and more. But you can also get as much as 50% off your property taxes (predial) in Mexico if you live in one of the states offering the discount.
The program is 100% free and is available to nationals and residents 60 years of age and older.
An INAPAM Card is good throughout the entire country, but the requirements can vary from state to state. To help you out, we have a directory of recommended contacts in our COMPLETE Mexico Relocation Guide that can help you apply for your INAPAM card.
FREE MOVING TO MEXICO CHEAT SHEET
Discounts For Locals Only
The culture and natural wonders of Mexico are amazing. It’s no secret that Mexico attracts millions of tourists each year. Mexico is incredibly diverse! For example, you can easily be in a completely different landscape on a very short road trip from your home. A place with a different language, different native tribes, different cuisine, totally different customs, and everything in between.
Mexico is full of federal parks, ancient temples, pyramids, and ruins that usually charge an entry fee.
But you can take advantage of your Mexican residency to get discounted entry fees because you’re a local. You will usually have to show your residency card or a local driver’s license from that state to get discounts. And in most states, only residents and nationals can get a driver’s license. So it pays back to be a resident of Mexico.
Examples of Savings
You can save hundreds of dollars as a resident if you love visiting museums or archeological sites. Here are some examples of the savings you can expect.
- At the Ek Balam Ruins, tourists pay $26 USD. But locals pay $9 USD
- At Chichen Itza, the regular price is $495 MXN. But locals only pay $270 MXN
- For tourists, the Holbox Ferry price is $11.50 USD. Locals are only $9 USD
- The Anthropology museum in Mexico City is free on Sundays only for residents and nationals. Tourists pay $85 MXN.
Every state and city has its attractions. And that list is too long to post it here. But I wanted to show you some examples of the savings of being a resident.
How To Get These Discounts
Always show your residency or INAPAM card before buying tickets to a local attraction. That way, if there is a discount, you can take advantage of it before purchasing. Once you pay, you can not go back and ask for a discount.
To determine whether you are eligible for a Local or National discount, the back side of the residency card will always be reviewed for the place of issue. All residency cards will say subdelegacion federal and the city of issue.
I can’t list all the discounts you’ll get because there are just too many!
But you can count on saving a few hundred dollars a year by using your Mexican residency to your advantage. For many living in Mexico not only means living a better life and being able to travel and do the things you like to do- all on a limited budget and paying less than the tourists do.
Is The Mexico Relocation Guide Worth It?
The COMPLETE Mexico Relocation Guide is packed with the most important information for your move to Mexico.
It’s an easy-to-follow online course that details the steps for residency visas, how to secure an appointment at your local Mexican consulate, which Mexican Consulates require the least amount of monthly income, how to get affordable health insurance in Mexico, common scams to avoid and questions you should be asking for several different processes.
It has A LOT of important and up-to-date information. But because we know that navigating Mexican bureaucracy can be very difficult- especially if you don’t know Spanish. We also include a complete directory of recommended facilitators and contacts located throughout Mexico to get a process completed with the minimum amount of surprises or stress.
But don’t just take my word for it. Take a look at our reviews.
Hi Mariana, we are looking at retiring in Mexico next year.
We will spend our winter months in Mexico,we are not sure where yet.
We would love to come down for at least two to three weeks at the end of April or start of May,could you set up and Airbnb or Vrbo for us and show us long term rentals for winter months? If you don’t do this can you recommend someone?
We were thinking somewhere on or near ocean,perhaps in PV or Nuevo.
We are Canadian,thanking you in advance for any help.
Pamela
Hi Pamela!
Happy to help connect you with our list of recommended realtors that can help you find a short term rental.
In our COMPLETE Mexico relocation guide, we include the list of contacts we recommend working with by city and we also give you a lot of other resources if you wish to look for a place on your own.
I also have an excellent travel agent that can help you arrange travel and short term accommodations.
You get instant access to these contacts when you buy the Mexico relocation guide
mexicorelocationguide.com/guide
Hi Mariana ..I am planning to move to Morelia .senior I am. Do you have any suggestions for rental. Furnished studio..it does not have to be in the center
Can I use my Mexico PR to enter Canada and USA
No- you need a passport and if you’re not a citizen from USA you need a visa.
What I mean is that I have my home country passport with my Mexico PR can I go to Canada with it
Yes you can travel back home with a valid passport. Doesn’t matter if you have your residency sticker on it
Good evening madam
How are you?
These days I am surfing on internet the benefits of Mexican PR and I see it says being a PR holder we can travel to 159 countries visa free including Schengen zones also is this true no matter our home country passport is weak.
Good morning. I am going to apply for dual citizenship US/MX as soon as I am allowed. My wife and I moved to Bachiniva, Chihuahua. She is a dual citizen. I was told that, with a permanent resident card, I would be able to do many of the things that you listed. I cannot. The only thing that I have not sought is employment, as I am retired. Except for that, I can’t do anything that you have listed except travel- what is the value of my Residente Permanente?
Why cant you do any of the things I have listed?
What examples do you have of the things I have listed that you cannot do?
Mariana, This is not only a comment, but a question. I just want to confirm that My wife and I would be able to move to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and rent a residence while applying for a temporary visa with the Mexican Consulate in San Miguel de Allende. Presently, it is next to impossible to even make an appointment to apply for a temporary visa at a Mexican Consulate in San Francisco, Sacramental, or San Jose. I was able to submit an appointment application to the Fresno Mexican Consulate in early August, 2023. However, without any notification that the consulate received the application and it was being processed. I’m also wondering if I can start an application process with the Mexican Consulate in Fresno, California and complete the process with the consulate in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico? Thanks for your response. Robert D.
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately it seems most of the Mexican consulates in California are impossible to get an appointment with.
For this reason, I suggest you travel to another Mexican consulate that allows out of state applicants. Some of my recommendations are
McAllen TX
Raleigh NC
Las Vegas NV
Phoenix AZ
Orlando FL
if you need help with the appointment process at any one of those consulates or need help with the residency process in Mexico, I’d recommend hiring a reputable immigration facilitator. In our COMPLETE Mexico Relocation Guide we give you a list of our top recommendations across Mexico. see what’s included here mexicorelocationguide.com/guide/
Hi Mariana,
I am a retired widow (70) moving back to Mexico permanently. I have a Residente Permanente as I have spent many years going back and forth and own a small apartment there. I want to drive my 15-year old car with Texas plates back in order to take some household goods and seasonal clothes. What process do I need to follow for my car to make sure it is legal in Mexico. TIA for your help.
Hi Pamela, if you want to bring your foreign plated car you MUST nationalize it since you are a permanent resident.
To do so, you will need to work with a customs broker that deals with nationalizing american vehicles.
If you’d like our recommendations for customs brokers, we have a list in our complete Mexico Relocation Guide.
When you buy the guide, you get instant access to our directory of recommended contacts
see what’s included here https://mexicorelocationguide.com/guide/
What are the travel benefits with Mexico pr around world? I’m a Indian citizen, do I get the same travel benefits as Mexico citizen after getting Mexico PR?
As a permanent resident you get the same travel benefits that a Mexican national would within Mexico. However, once outside of Mexico you get whatever benefits your home country passport has since you are not a mexican citizen
You missed the flight tax to Mexico is waived for Mexicans. Usually around 50 bucks or so
Hello Ms.,
My father was born in Zacatecas, I have his birth certificate, I have my birth certificate, I was born in The USA, I married a gal from Oaxaca, I’ve been coming to Mexico City for about 18 years. The problem that I have been running into is that immigration doesn’t like it that the USA puts the last names mother, father, nad México puts father, mother. The only time that I have to go back to the USA is when I have an appointment with the VA. Hoe would gaining dual citizenship effect my SSDI and my Veterans disability?
Hi Cody!
Thank you for your service.
The dual citizenship process through Mexican parents is a bit more complex than it seems. Especially if names don’t match on birth certificates and passports.
For this reason, I suggest hiring one of our recommended immigration facilitators who has experience with cases such as yours.
if you’d like my recommended contacts, I give you instant access when you purchase our COMPLETE Mexico Relocation Guide mexicorelocationguide.com/guide/
Saludos
Mariana