Investing and Doing Business in Mexico: Residency Options (2026)

Mexico has no golden visa program with a fixed price. Instead, investors use one of four routes:

1. Financial solvency. Most retirees, remote workers, and investors qualify for temporary residency by showing income or savings, not by investing. For 2026, that means more than 680 UMA days a month in income (about 79,771 pesos) for 6 months, or an average balance of 11,460 UMA days (about 1,344,373 pesos) for 12 months.
2. Investment or property thresholds. The 2025 visa guidelines set investment-based thresholds in UMA days. For permanent residency, they list property worth 91,710 UMA days or an investment in a Mexican company of 45,850 UMA days.
3. Your own company. Foreigners can own most kinds of Mexican companies. Once the company is registered with the National Migration Institute (INM) as an employer, it can offer you a job and sponsor temporary residency with permission to work.
4. The points system. Mexico's rules include a points system for permanent residency that considers investment, among other factors.

Consulates interpret these rules differently. Always get the current checklist from the consulate where you will apply.

All figures below use the 2026 UMA of 117.31 pesos a day. Consulates convert pesos into local currency at their own exchange rate.

Use the solvency calculator for the income and savings tests, and read 2026 solvency thresholds.

Foreigners can buy property in Mexico, but the rules depend on location:

• In the restricted zone (within 50 km of the coast or 100 km of a border), foreigners hold residential property through a bank trust called a fideicomiso, or through a Mexican company for non-residential use. See buying property with a fideicomiso.
• Elsewhere, foreigners can usually own property directly.
• Ejido land is communal farmland with special rules; buying it carries serious risks. See ejido land.

Owning property does not give you residency unless its value meets your consulate's threshold, and you still apply for a visa like anyone else. Budget for closing costs, notary fees, acquisition taxes, yearly property tax (predial), and annual trust fees if you use a fideicomiso.

Most business activities are open to foreign ownership, although some sectors (such as certain energy, media, and transport activities) have limits. To run your own company and live in Mexico:

1. Set up the company with a Mexican notary and register it with the tax authority (SAT).
2. Register the company with INM as an employer.
3. Have the company file a job offer for you, then apply for your visa at a consulate.
4. After arriving, complete the canje, get your RFC tax ID, and open a bank account.

Get advice from a Mexican accountant and a licensed immigration lawyer. Company and immigration rules interact, and mistakes can delay your residency. See also taxes for residents.

• UMA, not minimum wage. Since the 2025 visa guidelines took effect on August 9, 2025, every threshold is set in UMA days. Older websites that quote thresholds in "days of minimum wage" are describing the repealed 2014 rules, so their numbers are out of date.
• Higher peso amounts. The 2026 UMA (117.31 pesos, from February 1, 2026) raised every threshold by about 3.7%. The next update is expected on February 1, 2027.

Follow the Mexico Status Now page for updates.

• Use a notary for property. In Mexico, a public notary (notario público) is a senior lawyer appointed by the state who formalizes property sales. Check title, liens, and zoning before you pay.
• Avoid cash deals and unregistered developers. Presales in resort areas carry risk; confirm permits and escrow arrangements.
• Separate immigration from investment advice. A seller or developer promising residency is not a neutral source. Confirm the rules with the consulate.
• Watch for scams that promise guaranteed residency. See scam protection.

Compare investor routes in the USA and Canada.