Consulado / Trámite Consular (Mexican Consulate / Consular Process)kohn-soo-LAH-doh
Consulado is a Mexican embassy or consulate outside Mexico where foreign nationals apply for residency visas, obtain permits for property transactions in the restricted zone (SRE permit per Foreign Investment Law Article 10) and access other consular services including document authentication and apostilles.
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 8 November 2026
How it works
<p>A foreign buyer or investor planning to live in Mexico more than 180 days per year applies for a temporary or permanent residency visa at a Mexican consulate in the applicant's home country, not in Mexico. <cite index='1-8,4-9'>The process begins at a Mexican embassy or consulate outside Mexico</cite>. <cite index='22-1'>Applicants book an appointment at a Mexican consulate through the MiConsulado portal, attend an interview with financial documents proving solvency, and receive a visa sticker valid for 180 days</cite>. <cite index='27-1,28-8'>The consular visa fee is USD 54 to USD 56 in 2026, and the consulate can take up to ten business days to decide</cite>. <cite index='6-3,23-6'>After entering Mexico on the visa sticker, the applicant has 30 calendar days to visit the local INM office and complete the canje, the in-country exchange that converts the visa into a physical residency card</cite>. <cite index='4-13'>Missing the 30-day window voids the visa and sends the applicant back to a consulate abroad to start again</cite>. Consulates also issue other documents foreign property owners need, including the SRE permit required for purchasing property in the restricted zone through a fideicomiso, apostilles for foreign legal documents and certifications for documents to be used in Mexico.</p>