Guides to moving to Mexico

Start with the order of the steps, then read about the residency option that fits you.

• Moving to Mexico from the US: the steps in orderWhat to do, in what order, from the first consulate appointment to your first tax return abroad.
• Mexico residency for Americans: requirements and how to get itThe types of residency, what each requires, and the steps from the consulate to your resident card.
• Mexico temporary resident visa: requirements and stepsThe usual first step for living in Mexico: who qualifies, what it takes and how the two-part application works.
• Mexico permanent residency: who qualifies and how to applyThe routes to a resident card that never expires, and the trade-offs against temporary residency.
• Mexico digital nomad visa: what remote workers use insteadMexico has no visa by that name. Remote workers use visitor status for short stays or temporary residency for long ones.
• Best places to live in Mexico for AmericansSeven cities and regions compared on climate, cost, healthcare, safety and community.
• Cost of living in Mexico for AmericansTypical monthly budgets, rent by city, and what costs more than people expect.
• Retiring in Mexico: residency, healthcare and where people settleResidency on a pension, healthcare without Medicare, receiving Social Security, and where retirees live.
• Buying property in Mexico as an AmericanAmericans can own property in Mexico. How the bank trust works, the steps in a purchase and what to check first.