Mexican Consulate in Houston: Residency Visa Requirements and Process

The Consulate General of Mexico in Houston serves people who live in its consular district in Texas. Its visa section handles visitor, temporary resident, and permanent resident visas for foreigners.

If you are not a US citizen, you must show legal status in the US. The consulate's requirement sheets list examples: a US entry stamp, ESTA, a work permit (EAD), an approved I-797, advance parole (I-512), an I-20, or a DS-2019.

The consulate's visa page makes two useful points:

• The temporary resident visa allows a foreigner to work in Mexico as long as the salary is paid from abroad.
• If you have a job offer in Mexico and will be paid there, the employer must first get authorization from the National Migration Institute (INM). See job offer visa.

The Houston consulate books visa appointments only through MiConsulado (online at citas.sre.gob.mx, or by phone or WhatsApp at +1 424 309 0009). The service is free. Select the visa procedure you need and the Houston consulate.

• You must attend in person. The consulate calls physical presence an absolute requirement.
• Plan your time. If you travel to Houston only for the visa, the consulate suggests planning a stay of at least 1 to 3 business days. Processing can take 1 to 10 business days.
• Book only when your documents are complete.

The Houston consulate's requirement sheets list:

• The visa application form (downloadable from its website).
• A valid passport, original, with a copy of the page with your details and signature.
• One recent color photo with a white background, face visible, no glasses, 39 x 31 mm.
• Proof of legal status in the US, if you are not a US citizen.
• Bank proof, in one of two formats: statements certified by your bank (signed or stamped) for each month, or a hand-signed letter from the bank with your full name as in your passport and the month-end balance for each month, plus copies of the statements.
• Employment proof: a hand-signed employer letter with your full name, start date, position, and salary, plus pay stubs or certified statements showing the deposits.
• Pension proof: an original letter from Social Security or your pension provider, plus certified statements showing the deposits.
• Birth and marriage certificates from countries other than the US and Mexico must be apostilled or legalized, and documents in other languages need an official translation.

Mexico's visa guidelines, in force since August 9, 2025, set the financial tests in days of UMA. With the 2026 UMA of 117.31 pesos a day:

The Houston consulate's 2025 temporary residency sheet converted the tests to about US$4,342.08 a month in income, or about US$73,188.95 in savings, plus about US$1,405.02 per dependent. That sheet used 11,400 UMA days for the savings test, while the published guidelines say 11,460. The consulate's visa page also says amounts can vary with the exchange rate each month and invites applicants to email the visa department for exact figures.

Because the UMA rose on February 1, 2026, expect higher 2026 dollar figures. Check the current sheet and use the solvency calculator. The 2026 solvency thresholds page explains how the peso amounts are calculated.

The visa fee is set by Mexico's Federal Duties Law and charged in US dollars. Several US consulates (San Diego, New York, Chicago) list it as US$56 in 2026. Confirm the Houston consulate's current amount and payment methods before your appointment.

A residency visa is valid for one entry within 180 days. When you arrive, tell the immigration officer you are entering with a residency visa. Then, within 30 calendar days, apply at the National Migration Institute (INM) for your resident card. See the canje.

For the full process by visa type, see temporary residency, financial solvency, and permanent residency for retirees. To compare booking methods and published figures across cities, see Mexican consulates.

Before you go, check the Houston consulate's visa page for the current requirement sheet for your visa type, the dollar figures, and the photo and statement rules. If you are unsure about the exact amount, the consulate invites applicants to write to its visa department.

If you have a prior refusal, criminal record, or past overstay in Mexico, talk to a licensed Mexican immigration lawyer first.