Partner Contribution – Immigration to Mexico

2021-02-25

The process of obtaining Mexican citizenship or becoming naturalized is quite straightforward. You might consider this if you are a long-term resident, or you have family in the country. As usual, you must meet their requirements and present the correct documentation to the authorities (SRE – External Relations Secretariat). As a naturalized Mexican you will enjoy similar rights and privileges of your fellow citizens. These include voting and the right to own property near the borders. In this article, we outline what you need to do.

Requirements for Mexican Citizenship Application

Original and one copy of the following, unless indicated otherwise:

• Completed application form DNN-3
• Resident card (two copies) – valid for 6+ months from the application date, and proving Mexican residency for two or five years previous to the application date
• CURP – Clave Única de Registro de Población (Unique Population Registry Code)
• Legalized/apostilled foreign birth certificate – translated into Spanish by a court-certified translator (read more about apostillization here)
• Passport or alternative valid ID – two copies of all pages of the passport
• Resident card. This document must demonstrate consecutive residency in the country for five/two years immediately prior to the date of application. This document must be valid for at least six months after filing the application.
• A letter under oath declaring the number of exits from and entries to Mexico for the two years preceding the application (two copies)
• Clean Criminal Record Certificate (Certificado de No Antecedentes Penales) issued by the national and local authority for your place of residency
• Proof of your knowledge of the Spanish language, the history of the country and your cultural integration in Mexico
• Two passport-size photos: white background, no glasses, bare head
• Proof of payment of application fees

Applicants must take a test to demonstrate their knowledge of the items in 9. Consult the government website for a study guide: https://sre.gob.mx/tramites-y-servicios/nacionalidad-y-naturalizacion (Over 60s and children are exempt from this requirement.)

Why Become a Naturalized Mexican?

To enjoy the same rights as other Mexican citizens, specifically:

• the right to buy property in restricted areas without the need for a trust (fideicomiso).
• the right to vote in Mexico.
• change residence and job without having to inform the immigration authority.
• to avoid renewing temporary residency.
• priority at airport immigration –  avoid the tourist lines.

Things to Be Aware Of

To apply, you must be able to demonstrate legal residency in Mexico for at least five consecutive years prior to the application date. This requirement is only two years if you have a Mexican spouse or child. Similarly, it is two years if you are a Spanish or Latin American national. Furthermore, you cannot have been outside Mexico for more than a total of 180 days in the two years prior to your application. Finally, having applied for Mexican citizenship, you will no longer have the right to consular protection from your home country while you are in Mexico.

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