Mexican Consulate in San Diego: Residency Visa Requirements and Process

The Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego, at 1549 India Street, serves San Diego County. Its requirement sheets note that documents issued outside its jurisdiction may be sent for verification through the consular network, and extra documents may be requested.

San Diego publishes separate sheets for each visa category, including temporary residency by economic solvency and by family unity. On the day of your appointment, the consulate reviews your file, conducts a consular interview in English or Spanish, and takes your biometrics.

The consulate advises against making travel plans or buying tickets before you have your visa.

The San Diego consulate says visa appointments can be made only through MiConsulado, and not by email or WhatsApp:

• Online at citas.sre.gob.mx (it recommends a laptop or desktop, not a phone), or by phone at 1-424-309-0009.
• MiConsulado is the only service authorized to schedule appointments at the San Diego consulate.
• Make sure the appointment is for the VISAS department. Appointments cannot be transferred between departments.
• Book only once you have all your documents, because the processing fee is charged before your documents are reviewed.

From the consulate's 2026 temporary residency (economic solvency) sheet:

1. The visa application form, completed.
2. Your valid passport book, original, plus copies of the data page, the last page, and every page with visas or stamps.
3. Original and copy of proof of legal status in the US, if you are not a US citizen.
4. One recent passport-size photo, face uncovered, facing forward, no glasses, white background, printed on photo paper. Older sheets remind applicants that this is not US passport size: 32 x 26 mm to 39 x 31 mm.
5. Proof of economic solvency (see below).
6. The processing fee.

Bank statements must be originals with the bank's official stamp or an official bank letter, monthly, and must show your full name and a street address (no P.O. box).

Employment income: a letter signed by your supervisor on company letterhead, stating your full name, position, and seniority; your monthly pay; and an explicit agreement for you to live in Mexico and work remotely. Attach a copy of the signer's photo ID; names and signatures must match.

Documents from countries other than the US or Mexico need an apostille or legalization and an official Spanish 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 San Diego consulate's 2026 economic solvency sheet lists:

• Savings: an average monthly balance of US$75,950 over the last 12 months; or
• Income: at least US$4,510 a month from employment or pension over the last 6 months.

Its 2026 family unity sheet lists US$1,460 per family member. These are the consulate's conversions of the UMA rule. Use the solvency calculator to check your margin. The 2026 solvency thresholds page explains how the peso amounts are calculated.

The 2026 sheets list a non-refundable processing fee of US$56, cash only. It is charged before your documents are reviewed and is separate from whether the visa is approved.

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.

San Diego updates its sheets during the year. Before your appointment, check the San Diego consulate's website for the latest sheet in your category. The consulate says its decision is final.

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