Fideicomisofee-day-ee-KOH-mee-so
Fideicomiso is a Mexican bank trust governed by the Foreign Investment Law, Article 11, that allows foreign buyers to hold residential property in the restricted zone (within 50 kilometers of the coast or 100 kilometers of a border). A Mexican bank holds legal title as trustee while the foreign buyer, as beneficiary, retains full rights to use, renovate, lease, sell or bequeath the property.
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 11 November 2026
How it works
<cite index="15-3,11-2">Article 11 of the Foreign Investment Law requires a permit from the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) for a Mexican bank to acquire property in the restricted zone as trustee (fiduciario) on behalf of a foreign beneficiary (fideicomisario).</cite> <cite index="2-10">The trust runs for 50 years and is renewable indefinitely.</cite> <cite index="19-2,20-1">Bank establishment fees range from USD 500 to 1,000, and the SRE government permit costs approximately USD 1,000, bringing total setup costs to approximately USD 1,500 to 2,700, and annual trustee fees run USD 500 to 800.</cite> <cite index="18-3">The three parties are the fideicomitente (typically the seller, who contributes the property), the fiduciario (the authorized Mexican bank that holds title), and the fideicomisario (the foreign buyer who receives use and economic rights).</cite> <cite index="18-4">The trust must be documented in a public deed (escritura pública) and registered at the Registro Público de la Propiedad and the Registro Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras.</cite> The beneficiary may sell, mortgage, renovate, rent or name substitute beneficiaries to inherit the property. When the beneficiary sells, the buyer may continue the existing fideicomiso with a beneficiary substitution or establish a new trust.