Visa por Vínculo Familiar / Unidad Familiar (Family Unit Visa)
Income req
Varies
Duration
2 years, renewable
Tax
Tax residency triggers on permanent-home and center-of-vital-interests test, not on fam...
TL;DR
The Visa por Vínculo Familiar / Unidad Familiar (Family Unit Visa) gets you 2 years in Mexico, renewable. Filing to approval runs about 12 weeks. Tax residency triggers on permanent-home and center-of-vital-interests test, not on fam.... Vibrant, Affordable, Close to US.
What it's like
VibrantAffordableClose to USFood
Moving from
United States to Mexico: the money facts
Treaty coverage, double-tax exposure, and what setup actually costs, so you know the financial shape of the move before you commit.
Tax treaty
Yes
Totalization
No
Double-tax risk
Medium
Setup cost
$6,000 to $20,000
How you can legally move to Mexico
9 visa routes, live from the Nomad knowledge graph.
Visa por Vínculo Familiar / Unidad Familiar (Family Unit Visa)
2 years~12 wks processing$56 feeRenewableRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: Tax residency triggers on permanent-home and center-of-vital-interests test, not on family-link visa status itself. Most family-unit holders living full-time in Mexico do become SAT tax residents.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), Visa Application Form Mexico Consular, Passport Photo Mexico Visa, Marriage Certificate Apostilled Translated, Birth Certificate Mexican Child, Birth Certificate Adult Applicant, +4 more
1 year~3 wks processing$56 feeRenewableRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: Investment in Mexican entity may make holder a SAT tax resident if Mexican-source income exceeds 50% of total annual income or principal professional activities occur in Mexico. Worldwide income subject to ISR once tax resident. Mexican real estate generates predial (property tax) at 0.1-0.5% annually. Capital gains on sale of Mexican real estate by non-residents: 35% on net gain; residents may qualify for primary-residence exemption up to ~MXN 700,000.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), Visa Application Form Mexico Consular, Passport Photo Mexico Visa, Mexican Business Investment Proof, Mexican Real Estate Deed Escritura, Fideicomiso Bank Trust Document, +5 more
Residente Temporal Visa (Temporary Resident, TR / TRV)
1 year$4,400/mo~2 wks processing$56 feeRenewableRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: Holding the temporal card does not by itself trigger Mexican tax residency. SAT residency triggers when a permanent home is established in Mexico (casa habitación) or center of vital interests is in Mexico. Once tax resident: worldwide income taxed on ISR progressive scale (1.92% to 35%, top bracket starts at ~MXN 4.5M annual). Most temporal holders register for RFC (tax ID) but qualify as non-residents if they keep their home country tax home.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), Visa Application Form Mexico Consular, Passport Photo Mexico Visa, Bank Statements 6mo, Proof Of Income Or Pension, Proof Of Accommodation Mexico, +3 more
1 year~8 wks processingRenewableRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: Holders who establish a permanent home in Mexico become SAT tax residents on worldwide income. Refugee scholarship and humanitarian assistance income often exempt from ISR per Artículo 93 LISR. UNHCR cash assistance not taxable.
Documents: Passport Or Identity Document, COMAR Asylum Application Receipt, Crime Victim Designation Letter Ministerio Publico, Witness Designation Letter Court, Medical Report If Health Emergency, Mexico Consular Or INM Form
Naturalización (Mexican Citizenship by Naturalization)
999 months~52 wks processing$470 feeRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: Mexican citizenship does not by itself change tax residency (which depends on permanent home and center of life). Many naturalized Mexicans remain non-tax-residents if they live abroad. Mexican citizens face no special worldwide-income reporting obligation beyond what residency status creates.
Documents: Residente Temporal Or Permanente Card, Passport Current Naturalization Applicant, Birth Certificate Apostilled Translated, Mexican Residency History Movimientos Migratorios, CURP, Proof Of Spanish Proficiency, +5 more
Residente Permanente Visa (Permanent Resident, PR)
999 months$7,400/mo~2 wks processing$56 feeRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: PR holders who establish a permanent home and center of vital interests in Mexico become SAT tax residents on worldwide income (ISR 1.92% to 35% progressive). PR card itself does not automatically trigger tax residency; physical presence and home/center-of-life test still apply. Most PR holders living full-time in Mexico do become tax residents.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), Visa Application Form Mexico Consular, Passport Photo Mexico Visa, Bank Statements 12mo, Proof Of Income Or Pension, Proof Of Accommodation Mexico, +3 more
1 year~2 wks processing$56 feeRenewableRemote work okFamily ok
Tax: Student status alone does not trigger Mexican tax residency. SAT residency triggers on permanent home or center of vital interests test. Scholarship income from CONAHCYT and most Mexican government grants is exempt from ISR per Artículo 93 LISR. Foreign-source income remains subject to home-country tax.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), Visa Application Form Mexico Consular, Passport Photo Mexico Visa, Acceptance Letter SEP Recognized Institution, Proof Of Tuition Payment Or Scholarship, Bank Statements (3 months, certified), +3 more
Tax: Not a Mexican tax resident under FMM. SAT (Servicio de Administración Tributaria) treats tax residency as triggered by establishing a permanent home in Mexico or, secondarily, the center of vital interests. Tourist visits do not trigger Mexican tax residency. Foreign-source income earned by an FMM holder is not subject to Mexican income tax.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), FMM Form INM, Proof Of Onward Travel, Proof Of Accommodation Mexico, Proof Of Funds
Visa de Visitante con Permiso para Realizar Actividades Remuneradas (Visitor with Work Permission)
6 months~4 wks processing$56 feeRemote work ok
Tax: Visa holder earns Mexican-source income, which is taxable in Mexico from day one of work. Sponsoring employer must withhold ISR (Impuesto Sobre la Renta) and report to SAT. Non-residents pay ISR on Mexican-source income at a flat 15% to 30% depending on income level (Artículo 154 LISR), or progressive rates if SAT tax residency is triggered.
Documents: US Passport (6-Month Validity), Visa Application Form Mexico Consular, Passport Photo Mexico Visa, INM Job Offer Authorization NUT, Employer Letter Mexico, Mexico Consular Fee Receipt
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Deep dives by topic
The part of the move that is keeping you up at night, taken one piece at a time. Each one pulls the real Mexico specifics, live from the Nomad knowledge graph.
