Indonesia vs Mexico

Score comparison table

DimensionIndonesiaMexico
Lucky Nomads World Index
6.35 / 106.56 / 10
SafetyShield Index
7.7 / 104.5 / 10
Affordability Index
8.0 / 107.7 / 10
Entry Ease Index
4.7 / 107.2 / 10
Tax Freedom Index
5.3 / 105.0 / 10
WiFi Index
7.1 / 107.3 / 10
Admin Ease Index
6.5 / 106.0 / 10
Healthcare Index
6.5 / 108.0 / 10
City Comfort Index
7.4 / 107.6 / 10
WeatherComfort Index
6.6 / 107.8 / 10
Banking Index
5.2 / 105.8 / 10
GeoStability Index
6.5 / 105.5 / 10
Justice & Order Index
5.1 / 104.2 / 10
Quality of Life Index
6.5 / 107.5 / 10
Open Society Index
4.6 / 106.3 / 10
Flight Index
4.6 / 104.8 / 10
Environmental Quality Index
6.4 / 107.2 / 10
English Index
4.4 / 105.1 / 10
Wealth Protection Index
7.7 / 107.9 / 10

Tax, economy, and demographics

DimensionIndonesiaMexico
Corporate income tax
22%High
30%Very high
Corporate tax basis
Residence-basedResidence-based
WorldwideWorldwide
Personal income tax (marginal)
35%Moderate
35%Moderate
Personal tax basis
WorldwideWorldwide
WorldwideWorldwide
Population
287.9 M×2.16
133.0 M
Area1,904,569 km²1,964,375 km²
Population density151 /km²68 /km²
CapitalJakartaMexico City
CurrencyIDR (Indonesian rupiah)MXN (Mexican peso)
Main airportCGK (Soekarno-Hatta International Airport)MEX (Mexico City International Airport)
Phone code+62+52
Internet TLD.id.mx

Visa access controls

Your access

Pick your nationality above to see how long you can stay in each country and whether you need a visa.

Passport power

Mobility strength of each country's passport, useful if you are weighing it as a future citizenship.

Indonesia passport

#64

Henley rank

70

Visa-free destinations

Mexico passport

#20

Henley rank

156

Visa-free destinations

  • Schengen visa-free

Verdict

For professionals who prioritize safetyshield index, Indonesia leads with 7.7 / 10 versus 4.5 / 10 for Mexico. On entry ease index, Mexico is at 7.2 / 10 compared with 4.7 / 10 for Indonesia.

Who should choose which country

Who should choose Indonesia

  • Professionals who prioritize affordability index (competitive cost of living)
  • Professionals who prioritize safetyshield index (solid safety baseline)
  • Professionals who prioritize wealth protection index (strong wealth protection index)

Who should choose Mexico

  • Professionals who prioritize healthcare index (strong healthcare access and quality)
  • Professionals who prioritize wealth protection index (strong wealth protection index)
  • Professionals who prioritize weathercomfort index (comfortable climate year-round)

Frequently asked questions

  • Indonesia

    Can foreign residents open bank accounts and deploy capital in Indonesia without friction?

    Banking is regulated by Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (OJK), Indonesia's Financial Services Authority established under Law No. 21 of 2011, which took over banking supervision from Bank Indonesia at the end of 2013 and whose mandate was later reinforced by the Financial Sector Development and Strengthening Law (P2SK Law No. 4 of 2023). Bank Indonesia (BI), the central bank, retains monetary policy, payment system oversight, macro-prudential supervision, and foreign exchange regulation. The market counts around 105 commercial banks as of mid-2025, with the four state-owned banks (Bank Negara Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Bank Mandiri, and Bank Tabungan Negara) playing a central role in retail and government-linked banking, and the private Bank Central Asia (BCA) ranking as the leading private bank. Account opening for holders of a limited stay permit (KITAS) is generally feasible and often completed within a few business days depending on the bank and branch, with banks commonly requesting a passport, a valid residence permit, residential address details, a Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak (NPWP) tax identification number, and an initial deposit that varies by bank and account type and frequently falls in the IDR 500,000 to 1,000,000 range. Source of funds checks are applied on a risk-based basis through customer due diligence rather than a single universal threshold, while cash transactions of at least IDR 500,000,000 in one business day must be reported to the financial intelligence unit Pusat Pelaporan dan Analisis Transaksi Keuangan (PPATK) under Law No. 8 of 2010. Indonesia became a full member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in October 2023 and is not listed on the FATF grey or black lists. Indonesia operates a Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act framework with the United States through an intergovernmental agreement, and separately participates in the Common Reporting Standard for automatic exchange of financial account information with partner jurisdictions including European Union member states, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Australia. Domestic financial transactions must be conducted in IDR under Bank Indonesia Regulation 17/3/PBI/2015 effective July 2015, with limited exceptions for activities such as export and import settlement and interbank foreign currency transactions. Foreign currency cash purchases against the rupiah without underlying transaction documents are capped at USD 50,000 per party per month since 1 April 2026 under Board of Governors Regulation (PADG No. 7 of 2026), a threshold scheduled to be lowered further to USD 25,000 from June 2026. Deposit insurance through Lembaga Penjamin Simpanan (LPS) covers eligible deposits up to IDR 2,000,000,000 per depositor per bank. Foreign nationals with a valid stay permit can own a landed residence under a Hak Pakai (Right to Use) title and an apartment unit under a strata title Hak Pakai certificate (Sertifikat Hak Pakai atas Satuan Rumah Susun), subject to minimum value thresholds set regionally such as IDR 5,000,000,000 in Jakarta, while Hak Guna Bangunan (Right to Build) is available to foreign interests only through an Indonesian foreign-owned company (PT PMA) and Hak Milik freehold remains reserved to Indonesian citizens. Agricultural land ownership is prohibited for foreigners. Crypto asset supervision was transferred from the Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (Bappebti) to OJK and BI effective 10 January 2025 under Government Regulation No. 49 of 2024 and OJK Regulation No. 27 of 2024, with a transition period running to 10 January 2027 during which legacy Bappebti licences remain valid. Foreign investment in Indonesian listed securities is permitted through the Indonesia Stock Exchange via OJK-licensed local brokers, subject to sector-specific foreign ownership limits set under the Positive Investment List (Presidential Regulation No. 10 of 2021 as amended by No. 49 of 2021), with the banking sector cap at 99 percent.

  • Mexico

    Can foreign residents open bank accounts and deploy capital in Mexico without friction?

    Foreign residents can open accounts, convert currency, invest, and acquire most assets in Mexico, but onboarding involves real friction rather than none. Mexican banking is supervised by the Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV), a deconcentrated body of the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (SHCP), while the Banco de México acts as the central bank and monetary authority. Major retail banks include Banamex (Banco Nacional de México, separated from Citi México in December 2024), BBVA México, Santander México, Banorte, HSBC México, Scotiabank, and Inbursa. Account opening for foreign residents typically requires a valid passport, a residence document, a Clave Única de Registro de Población (CURP), proof of a Mexican address such as a recent utility bill, and in many cases a Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC) tax registration, with source-of-funds evidence for higher-value or investment accounts, although exact requirements vary by bank and product. Accounts are tiered from Nivel 1 to Nivel 4, where the lower tiers carry monthly deposit limits and Nivel 4 offers full-documentation functionality with no general statutory deposit cap beyond any limit agreed with the bank. Lead times range from same-day digital onboarding to several weeks where enhanced due diligence applies. Private banking and patrimonial segments operate at the major banks, including BBVA Patrimonial, Santander Select, Banorte Banca Patrimonial, and Banamex, alongside international wealth managers present through different vehicles, with UBS running CNBV-regulated entities, Morgan Stanley through a casa de bolsa, and Julius Baer through a representative office. Entry thresholds are set by each institution rather than by a single market-wide minimum, and local patrimonial tiers can start well below the levels associated with offshore private banking. Mexico applies the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) through its tax authority and was not listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as a high-risk or increased-monitoring jurisdiction at its February 2026 plenary. Mexico has operated a free-floating exchange-rate regime since December 1994, with no general capital controls, so conversion between United States dollars (USD) and Mexican pesos (MXN) and outbound transfers are freely available in practice, subject to bank-level identity and anti-money-laundering checks, sanctions screening, tax documentation, and transaction reporting. Foreigners may own real estate directly outside the constitutional Restricted Zone, defined under Article 27 of the Constitution as the strip within 100 kilometres of an international border and 50 kilometres of any coastline. Inside that zone, residential acquisition is channelled through a fideicomiso, a 50-year renewable bank trust under which the bank holds legal title and the foreigner is the beneficiary. A Mexican company, including one held entirely by foreign capital, may instead hold property directly inside the Restricted Zone for non-residential purposes, while foreign-owned companies may not acquire residential-use property there. Investment access to the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) runs through licensed casas de bolsa such as GBM, Actinver, Vector, Monex, Punto Casa de Bolsa, and UBS, among other CNBV-supervised intermediaries, with onboarding speed depending on the brokerage, residence status, tax registration, and compliance review rather than being uniformly same-day. Crypto-assets are not legal tender in Mexico and are not treated as foreign currency under the joint position of the Banco de México, the SHCP, and the CNBV, and Mexican financial institutions are not authorised to offer crypto-asset operations to the public, although non-bank exchanges such as Bitso operate in the retail market, so crypto should not be read as a regulated substitute for bank deposits or securities custody. Mexican tax residents may also carry annual reporting and tax obligations on income earned through foreign entities and transparent foreign vehicles under the controlled-foreign-entity and preferred-tax-regime rules of the Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta (LISR), principally Articles 176 to 178 of its Title VI, filed through the dedicated annual informative return, rather than under a blanket offshore-account disclosure.

  • Indonesia

    How does taxation apply to residents and foreign-source income in Indonesia?

    Indonesia operates a residence-based taxation system. Tax residency is triggered when an individual stays more than 183 days in any 12-month period or holds intent to reside, typically evidenced by a Limited Stay Permit. Resident companies and individuals are taxed on worldwide income, with foreign tax credits available under 71 active bilateral double taxation agreements. The standard corporate income tax (CIT) rate is 22 percent post Harmonization of Tax Regulations (HPP) Law No. 7 of 2021, with a reduced 19 percent rate applicable to public companies with at least 40 percent free float on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. A 0.5 percent Final Tax on gross revenue applies to small businesses with annual turnover below IDR 4,800,000,000 under Government Regulation (PP) No. 23 of 2018 as amended by PP No. 55 of 2022, available for a maximum of 7 tax years for individuals, 4 years for cooperatives, limited partnerships and firms, and 3 years for limited liability companies. The Omnibus Law No. 11 of 2020 introduced a conditional exemption for foreign-source dividends, foreign permanent establishment (PE) income, and active non-PE foreign income earned by resident companies if reinvested in Indonesia for at least 3 years, moving the corporate framework from pure worldwide to residence-based with structural carve-outs. Several concessional corporate regimes apply to qualifying investments. The Tax Holiday for Pioneer Industries under Minister of Finance Regulation (PMK) No. 130 of 2020 as amended by PMK No. 69 of 2024 grants 50 percent CIT reduction for investments between IDR 100 and 500 billion for 5 years, or 100 percent CIT reduction for investments above IDR 500 billion for 5 to 20 years, across 18 designated pioneer industries including pharmaceuticals, electric vehicles, renewable energy, data centers, petrochemicals, and metal smelting. The PMK No. 69 of 2024 application window closed on 31 December 2025, and any successor framework extending it into 2026 remains unconfirmed absent a new official regulation. The Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Tax Incentives under PP No. 12 of 2023 and PMK No. 28 of 2024 extend up to 100 percent CIT reduction for 10 to 30 years to investments of at least IDR 10 billion in the new capital city, with dedicated tracks for the Financial Centre (85 to 100 percent CIT reduction for 20 to 25 years) and headquarters relocation (100 percent for 10 years plus 50 percent for the next 10). The Special Economic Zones (KEK) regime under PP No. 40 of 2021 and PMK No. 237 of 2020 as amended by PMK No. 33 of 2021 covers 24 designated zones including Batam, Mandalika, and Nongsa Digital Park, granting a 100 percent CIT reduction for 10 to 20 years to investments of at least IDR 100 billion, with reduced facilities for smaller qualifying investments. The Tax Allowance under PP No. 78 of 2019 grants a 30 percent net income reduction over 6 years, accelerated depreciation, a reduced 10 percent dividend withholding tax, and extended 10-year loss carry-forward across 183 priority business sectors. All corporate holidays are subject to the Pillar Two Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax under PMK No. 136 of 2024 effective 1 January 2025, listed in the OECD Central Record with transitional qualified status as at 18 August 2025, capping the benefit at a 15 percent effective tax rate floor for multinational groups with consolidated revenue above EUR 750 million. Individual income tax follows progressive brackets post HPP Law: 5 percent up to IDR 60,000,000 of taxable income, 15 percent up to IDR 250,000,000, 25 percent up to IDR 500,000,000, 30 percent up to IDR 5,000,000,000, and 35 percent above IDR 5 billion. Foreign nationals with qualifying expertise under Article 4 paragraph 1a of the Income Tax Law can opt for the 4-Year Territorial Tax Exemption, taxing them only on Indonesian-source income for the first 4 fiscal years from the time they become an Indonesian domestic tax subject, subject to Directorate General of Taxes approval and provided they do not instead rely on an applicable tax treaty. The implementing rules previously sat in PMK No. 18 of 2021 and were partly consolidated into the PMK No. 81 of 2024 framework from 1 January 2025, as subsequently amended, with eligible positions defined as technical and scientific roles evidenced by a certificate, qualification, or at least 5 years of experience. Capital gains on unlisted Indonesian shares depend on the seller status. Resident sellers are taxed under ordinary income tax rules, the corporate rate for companies and Article 17 progressive rates for individuals. Non-resident sellers face a 20 percent Article 26 withholding tax on a deemed net gain set at 25 percent of the sale price, an effective 5 percent of proceeds, reducible under an applicable tax treaty. Gains on listed Indonesian shares are taxed at 0.1 percent of transaction value as a final tax. Inheritance is not subject to individual income tax but real property transfers trigger acquisition duties. Wealth tax does not exist. The VAT statutory rate was raised to 12 percent on 1 January 2025 under PMK No. 131 of 2024 issued on 31 December 2024, but effective application of the 12 percent rate is limited to luxury goods such as luxury residences valued above IDR 30 billion, private jets, yachts, hot air balloons, gliders, private firearms, and luxury motor vehicles subject to Luxury Goods Sales Tax. For all other goods and services, the effective VAT rate remains 11 percent through an adjusted 11/12 tax base mechanism, preserving the pre-2025 burden on essential consumption. Dividends paid to non-residents are subject to 20 percent default withholding tax, reducible to 10 to 15 percent under tax treaties.

  • Mexico

    How does taxation apply to residents and foreign-source income in Mexico?

    Mexico taxes its fiscal residents on worldwide income, whatever the source of the wealth, an obligation that derives from Article 1 of the Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta (LISR). Tax residency itself is defined in Article 9 of the Codigo Fiscal de la Federacion, which is triggered by a permanent home in Mexico or, for a person with a home in more than one country, by a centre of vital interests in Mexico, meaning that more than 50 percent of the calendar-year income is Mexican-sourced or that the principal centre of professional activities sits there. The federal corporate income tax, the Impuesto sobre la Renta (ISR), is a flat 30 percent under Article 9 LISR with no state-level corporate surcharge. Concessionary corporate regimes available in 2026 include the manufacturing, maquila and export services regime (IMMEX) under the Decreto of 1 November 2006 and Articles 181 to 183 LISR, where a Safe Harbor methodology has been mandatory since fiscal year 2025 after the last advance pricing agreements covered 2020 to 2024. Under Safe Harbor the taxable base is the higher of 6.9 percent of assets used or 6.5 percent of operating costs and expenses, and the resulting effective burden depends on each company's cost, asset and margin structure rather than on any fixed statutory rate. The Regimen Simplificado de Confianza (RESICO) for legal entities, under Articles 206 to 215 LISR, applies cash-basis 30 percent ISR to Mexican-resident corporations with up to MXN 35 million annual revenue and only individual resident shareholders, and allows accelerated investment deduction at the maximum percentages of Article 209 LISR only where total investments in the year do not exceed MXN 3 million, the general Title II percentages applying above that threshold. The Polos de Desarrollo Economico para el Bienestar regime, created by decree in the Diario Oficial de la Federacion of 22 May 2025, grants a 100 percent ISR credit during fiscal years 1 to 3, then 50 percent or up to 90 percent where minimum employment thresholds are exceeded during years 4 to 6, plus 100 percent immediate deduction of new fixed assets through 30 September 2030 and a 100 percent VAT credit on intra-Polo transactions, with 14 Polos approved by the inter-ministerial committee as of May 2025. The Plan Mexico decree, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federacion of 21 January 2025, layers accelerated depreciation of 41 to 91 percent on new fixed assets acquired in 2025 and 2026 and 35 to 89 percent on assets acquired between 2027 and 30 September 2030, plus a 25 percent additional deduction on the increase in training and innovation expenses for priority sectors anywhere in Mexico. Personal income tax is progressive from 1.92 to 35 percent across 11 brackets under the annual tariff of Article 152 LISR. For 2026 the 35 percent top marginal rate applies to annual taxable income above MXN 5,107,703.93, the bracket published in Annex 8 of the Resolucion Miscelanea Fiscal 2026 (Diario Oficial de la Federacion of 28 December 2025) after the tables were rebased by 13.21 percent for accumulated inflation. The RESICO regime for individuals, under Articles 113-E to 113-J LISR, offers a flat 1.00 to 2.50 percent ISR on gross business, professional or rental income up to MXN 3.5 million annual, with no deductions, and is unavailable to partners or shareholders of legal entities, to related-party transactors and to foreign residents. There is no separate federal wealth tax, no standalone inheritance or gift tax and no general exit tax at the individual level. Inheritances and legacies are exempt from ISR under Article 93 LISR, while gifts are exempt between spouses and in the direct ascending or descending line and other gifts are exempt only up to three times the annual Unidad de Medida y Actualizacion, the excess being taxable. Capital gains realised by resident individuals on listed Mexican shares are taxed at 10 percent under the dedicated regime of Article 129 LISR, computed on net annual gains with brokers reporting and provisionally withholding and the balance settled in the annual return, rather than as a simple final withholding. The standard VAT rate is 16 percent, with an effective 8 percent rate in the Northern Border Zone through a fiscal stimulus that credits half of the tax, and a 0 percent rate on exports. The Ley de Ingresos de la Federacion 2026, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federacion on 7 November 2025, introduces in its Twenty-Fourth Transitory Article a final 15 percent ISR on legally sourced funds held abroad until 8 September 2025, returned to Mexico no later than 31 December 2026 and kept invested in Mexican productive activities for at least three years, the levy applying to the gross amount without deductions and being definitive. Mexico operates a treaty network of more than 60 jurisdictions including the United States, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea and most OECD members, with a foreign tax credit available to residents under Article 5 LISR. Mexico participates in the OECD Inclusive Framework but has not enacted a domestic Pillar Two minimum-tax package, with no qualified domestic minimum top-up tax, income inclusion rule or undertaxed profits rule in force as of May 2026, which leaves Polo and IMMEX entities with potential top-up tax exposure at the level of the ultimate parent jurisdiction.

  • Indonesia

    What long-term residence options exist in Indonesia for internationally mobile individuals?

    Indonesia operates a Limited Stay Permit (Izin Tinggal Terbatas or KITAS) framework under Minister of Immigration and Corrections Decree No. M.IP-08.GR.01.01 of 2025. Employment-based residence is the Work KITAS (Index E23, 6 months to 2 years renewable) sponsored by an Indonesian limited company (PT) or foreign investment company (PT PMA) holding a valid Foreign Worker Utilization Plan (RPTKA), with the employer paying the Foreign Worker Compensation Fund (DKP-TKA) of approximately USD 1,200 per worker per year. Investment-based residence is the Investor KITAS (Index E28A) requiring minimum personal shareholding of IDR 10,000,000,000 in a PT PMA registered under personal name, with the holder occupying a Director or Commissioner role. The Investor KITAS is valid 1 or 2 years, renewable up to 6 years total, exempt from the Foreign Worker Compensation Fund, and does not require a separate Work Permit. Conversion to permanent residence (Izin Tinggal Tetap or ITAP) becomes available to investors after at least 3 consecutive years of continuous residence, subject to immigration approval and a signed integration declaration. Two Golden Visa tracks under Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 11 of 2024 expand the investor framework. The Individual Passive Investor Golden Visa (Index E28C) requires at least USD 350,000 held in Indonesian government bonds, publicly listed company shares, or regulated mutual funds for a 5-year permit, or at least USD 700,000 for 10 years, with the 10-year tier alternatively satisfied by ownership of an apartment worth at least USD 1,000,000. Proof of ownership of the qualifying assets is required, and the permit is extendable and convertible to other limited stay permits. The Individual Establishing Company Golden Visa (Index E28B) requires the applicant to commit to establishing an Indonesian company with placed capital or investment of at least USD 2,500,000 for a 5-year permit or USD 5,000,000 for 10 years, to be fulfilled within 90 days of entry. Family members including spouse and minor children under 18 qualify for dependent permits under Index E31 codes without a separate qualifying investment. The path to permanent residence follows the same rule of at least 3 consecutive years of continuous residence. The Nusantara Capital Investor Golden Visa (Index E28F) targets foreign nationals serving as director or commissioner of a company established in the new capital (Ibu Kota Nusantara or IKN) in East Kalimantan that is a branch or subsidiary of a foreign company, requiring a foreign company investment commitment of USD 5,000,000 for a 5-year permit or USD 10,000,000 for 10 years, to be fulfilled within 90 days of entry. Lifestyle, retirement, and remote work pathways complement the investor tracks. The Second Home Visa (Index E33) provides an initial permit of up to 5 years, extendable to a maximum of 10 years total, with a commitment to keep at least USD 130,000 in an account at a state-owned Indonesian bank or to own an apartment worth at least USD 1,000,000, the deposit or property to be evidenced within 90 days of entry and maintained throughout the permit. The Remote Worker Visa (Index E33G) launched in April 2024 grants an initial 1-year limited stay with multiple-entry privileges to digital nomads employed by foreign companies and is extendable online, requiring minimum annual foreign-source income of USD 60,000 and a USD 2,000 personal bank balance over the prior 3 months. Freelancers without a formal foreign employment contract are excluded. The one-year Retirement Second Home Visa (Index E33F) requires a sponsor and proof of income or allowance of at least USD 3,000 per month, is extendable online, and carries no separate qualifying investment. The Silver Hair Visa (Index E33E) under the Golden Visa framework applies to foreign nationals aged 55 and over, requiring a deposit of at least USD 50,000 in an account at a state-owned bank to be evidenced within 90 days, alongside proof of income or allowance of at least USD 3,000 per month, for an initial 5-year stay extendable to a maximum of 10 years. Path to citizenship is exceptional, discretionary, and effectively closed to dual nationals. The Global Citizen of Indonesia program launched on 26 January 2026 grants an indefinite permanent residence permit to former Indonesian citizens, their descendants up to the second degree, legal spouses of Indonesian citizens, and children of mixed marriages, without changing the holder's original nationality, positioned as a response to Indonesia's non-recognition of adult dual citizenship and comparable to India's Overseas Citizenship model.

  • Mexico

    What long-term residence options exist in Mexico for internationally mobile individuals?

    Mexico operates a consular Temporary Residency route (Residente Temporal, Article 52(VII) of the Ley de Migración) for stays of more than 180 days and up to 4 years, alongside a direct Permanent Residency route for retired or pensioned applicants (Residente Permanente, Article 54(III)). The Acuerdo published by the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 25 July 2025 rebased the economic solvency thresholds onto multiples of the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA), the daily reference unit set at MXN 117.31 from 1 February 2026. Temporary Residency by economic solvency offers four main routes. The income route requires monthly employment or pension income above 680 UMA (about MXN 79,771) over the previous 6 months. The savings route requires an average monthly bank or investment balance of 11,460 UMA (about MXN 1,344,373) over the previous 12 months. The real estate route requires ownership of Mexican property worth more than 91,710 UMA (about MXN 10,758,500). The investment route requires qualifying investment above 45,850 UMA (about MXN 5,378,664), which may be evidenced through capital participation in a Mexican legal entity, transfer of assets or rights to the company, qualifying fixed assets used for business activity, or documentation proving economic or business activity in Mexico. The visa is issued for a single entry, the residence card must be requested before the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) within 30 calendar days of entry, and it is granted for 1 year initially, renewable up to a cumulative 4 years. Family members may qualify through family unity, with an additional economic solvency requirement of 220 UMA (about MXN 25,808) per dependent, which is a means test rather than a fee. Direct Permanent Residency is available to retired or pensioned applicants who show either an average monthly bank or investment balance of 45,850 UMA (about MXN 5,378,664) over the previous 12 months, or pension income above 1,140 UMA (about MXN 133,733) per month over the previous 6 months, granting indefinite stay from issuance of the card. Spouses or common-law partners of Mexican nationals fall under Article 56 and are not documented directly as permanent residents. They are first granted Temporary Residency for 2 years, after which they may change to Permanent Residency if the marital or common-law link subsists. The same 2-year sequence applies to spouses of foreign permanent residents under Article 55. Employer-sponsored Temporary Residency runs under Article 52(VII), through a visa authorisation promoted before the INM by a Mexican employer holding a valid employer registration (Constancia de Inscripción del Empleador). A points-based Permanent Residency is codified under Article 57, but its implementing dispositions are not operational in a clearly defined way under current published rules. The Ley Federal de Derechos amendment published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 7 November 2025 raised INM card fees sharply from 1 January 2026, with the 1-year temporary residence card rising to MXN 11,140.74, approximately double the main 2025 reference amount. A 50 percent fee reduction applies where residency rests on family unity, a national employment offer by a registered employer, or an invitation by a public or private organisation for unpaid activity. A temporary-to-permanent pathway therefore carries an indicative cumulative INM cost in the region of MXN 47,500 to 60,000 depending on the renewal sequence, before consular fees, translations and ancillary costs, rather than a single fixed amount. Naturalisation is generally available after 5 years of legal residence under the Ley de Nacionalidad, reduced to 2 years for nationals of Latin American countries or of the Iberian Peninsula, and for spouses of Mexican nationals who meet the residence and cohabitation conditions. Dual nationality should be treated with care. Mexican nationality by birth is strongly protected, but naturalised Mexicans are subject to specific renunciation and protestation requirements and to constitutional grounds for loss of Mexican nationality by naturalisation, so foreign nationals keeping another citizenship should confirm their position before naturalising.

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