If you are planning to apply for legal residency in Mexico in 2026, you will need to meet higher financial thresholds than at any point in recent memory.
The country’s immigration system underwent a significant shift in July 2025 when the federal government published updated guidelines directing Mexican Consulates abroad to calculate residency qualification criteria using UMA (Unidad de Medida y Actualización), rather than the daily minimum wage formula used for decades. That change, combined with a stronger peso and sharply increased government processing fees, means the cost of establishing yourself legally in Mexico has risen considerably.
For context, the monthly income needed to qualify for temporary residency was roughly US$2,000 in 2022. By 2025, that figure had climbed to around US$4,150. Under the 2026 UMA-based calculations, applicants now need approximately US$4,400 to US$5,000 per month in net income, depending on which consulate handles the application and the prevailing exchange rate.
Residency Rules for Expats in 2026
The value of UMA for 2026 was published by INEGI (Mexico’s national statistics agency) on January 8 at $117.31 pesos per day, a 3.69% increase over the 2025 rate of $113.14. That sounds modest, but the real impact comes from the higher multiples of UMA that consulates must now apply when assessing economic solvency. The updated multiples, laid out in the July 2025 guidelines, effectively rebased residency requirements to 2025 income and savings levels.
The good news is that UMA increases are far more predictable than the old minimum wage model. While Mexico’s minimum wage jumped 13% in 2026 alone to $315.04 pesos per day, UMA typically rises only 3% to 5% each year in line with official inflation. That means future requirements should be easier to plan around.
What the Numbers Look Like
There are four principal routes to qualify for residency based on economic solvency: monthly income, savings or investments, ownership of a debt-free property in Mexico, or a capital investment in a Mexican company. You must qualify under one route alone; mixing income with savings is not permitted.
For Temporary Residency (Residente Temporal), the approximate requirements for 2026 are: a monthly net income of around US$4,400 to US$5,000, or a minimum balance of approximately US$70,000 to US$75,000 in savings or investments maintained over the preceding 12 months. Applicants can include 401(k) balances and certain other investment accounts, though cryptocurrency holdings are not accepted.
For Permanent Residency (Residente Permanente), generally reserved for retirees, the bar is higher: approximately US$7,500 to US$8,000 per month in income, or roughly US$280,000 to US$300,000 in savings. These represent increases of 25% to 30% compared with 2025 thresholds. The Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) fees paid inside Mexico after consular approval have seen some of the largest increases in years. A one-year Temporary Resident card jumped from $5,570 pesos in 2025 to $11,140 pesos in 2026. A Permanent Resident card went from $6,789 to $13,578 pesos. These fees are fixed in pesos, so applicants paying from US or Canadian dollar accounts should budget for currency fluctuations.
Consulate Differences Still Matter
One persistent frustration of the Mexican residency process is that requirements vary from one consulate to the next. While the UMA formula is consistent nationwide, individual consulates retain discretion over how strictly they apply thresholds, what exchange rate they use, and what documentation they require. Some ask to see six months of income statements; others want 12.
Appointment availability is also becoming an issue. Several consulates in the United States and Canada are booking months in advance. Applicants close to the minimum financial thresholds are advised to confirm exact requirements directly with their chosen consulate before scheduling an appointment.
Practical Tips for 2026 Applicants
Early preparation is key. UMA updates tend to trigger a surge in applications starting in February, and appointment slots fill quickly. Applicants whose income falls near the borderline may find the savings-based route easier to document and less vulnerable to scrutiny.
The consulate application fee remains relatively low at US$56 in the United States and C$80 in Canada, though it is non-refundable regardless of the outcome. Many applicants choose to work with an immigration facilitator, typically costing between US$250 and US$600, to ensure their documentation meets the strictest consulate standards.