CURP for Foreigners in Mexico: How Residents Get Their Population ID Number

The CURP is Mexico's population registry number. Every Mexican citizen has one, and most government offices, banks, schools and employers ask for it. It works a bit like a national ID number, but it is not a card by itself; it is a code that appears on other documents.

A CURP has 18 letters and numbers. It is built from your name, date of birth and sex, plus a code for the state where you were born. People born outside Mexico get the code NE (nacido en el extranjero, born abroad) in that position. The last characters are assigned by the registry to make the code unique.

The CURP is not your tax ID. Your tax ID is the RFC, which you get separately from the tax authority (SAT). See how to get an RFC.

The CURP follows your immigration record. That is why you get it only after the National Migration Institute (INM) grants you a status that allows you to live in Mexico. If you are still planning your move, start with temporary residency or permanent residency. People in the asylum process can read about refugee status in Mexico.

For most new residents, the CURP arrives automatically:

1. You get a residence visa at a Mexican consulate abroad, or you are approved for a status change inside Mexico.
2. You enter Mexico and complete the visa exchange (canje) at an INM office within 30 days of arrival.
3. INM issues your residence card (tarjeta de residente). Cards issued in recent years show the CURP on the front of the card.

If your card does not show a CURP, you likely still have one. Search for it on the official RENAPO lookup at gob.mx/curp using your full name as it appears in your INM record, your date of birth, sex and "born abroad". If you cannot find it, ask at the INM office that handles your file.

There is no fee for the CURP, and you do not need a lawyer or agent to get it. Be careful with websites that charge to "process" a CURP; the official lookup and printout are free.

Offices often ask for a printed constancia de CURP, a one-page certificate with your code and a QR code. To get it:

• Go to the official site gob.mx/curp.
• Search by your CURP code, or by your personal data.
• Download the PDF and print it, or keep it on your phone.

Check every letter of your name. Foreign names are often long, have several surnames, or use characters Spanish does not use. If the CURP does not match your passport and residence card, you may have trouble opening a bank account, registering with IMSS, or getting your RFC.

For foreigners, the CURP data comes from your immigration file, so corrections usually start with INM, not with a civil registry office.

• Spelling or date errors: ask INM to correct your record, then check that RENAPO shows the corrected data.
• Two CURP codes: this happens when a person was registered twice. Ask INM and RENAPO which one is valid, and use only that one.
• Status change: when you move from temporary to permanent residency, you normally keep the same CURP. Check your new card and the gob.mx/curp lookup to confirm.

A 2025 reform to Mexico's General Population Law created a CURP with a photo and biometric data (often called the CURP biométrica) as an official ID document. It applies to Mexicans and to foreigners with regular immigration status. Rollout began in 2026.

As of September 2026, public statements about whether and when the biometric version becomes mandatory have not been consistent. Your CURP code itself does not change. Before you book any appointment or pay anyone, check the current rules on the official RENAPO pages at gob.mx/curp.

• Tax registration: the SAT uses your CURP to create your RFC tax ID.
• Health coverage: IMSS enrollment asks for it. See IMSS for foreigners.
• Mobile phone lines: Mexico now requires every mobile line to be linked to the holder's identity. Residents usually use their CURP. See phone and internet.
• Schools: public schools ask for the child's CURP at enrollment, though schools should not refuse a child who does not have one yet. See schools in Mexico.
• Banks, notaries and employers: most will ask for it along with your residence card.