Executives expanding to Mexico and hiring staff must obtain a business visa for themselves, and work visas for foreign citizens who are part of their workforce. It will also allow foreign executives to comply with local regulations and work for their own business or other companies.
Learn about the necessary steps you need to take in order to obtain Mexico’s business visa.
Eligibility requirements for Mexico’s business visa
A Mexico business visa must be requested by a natural or legal person legally established in Mexico who wishes to issue a job offer to a foreign citizen.
Before requesting a Mexico work visa for one or more employees, business owners must register the fiscal address of their company and all its branches. Note that if a person is applying for an Employer certificate, an identification document and proof of address/domicile must be provided.
In order to obtain the Employer Certificate, the following documentation must be submitted to the INM:
- Public instrument indicating the type of mandate and the powers conferred on legal representatives.
- Proof of address of the legal person, not issued before thirty days.
- Proof of enrollment in the Federal Taxpayer Registry (RFC) and proof of last tax return declaration.
- List of employees and their nationality on letterhead.
- Form duly completed and signed by the legal representative.
Once these documents have been checked and approved bt the INM, you must go to the institute’s office to collect the official Employer Certificate to request a Mexico business visa.
Processing time
According to the Mexican National Immigration Institute, the process of issuing an Employer Certificate can take up to 2-4 months. You must renew this document every year and/or in case you change your address.
How do I request a Mexico business visa for a foreign employee?
The first step to obtaining a Mexico business visa is to issue an Employer Certificate (or Certificado de Empleador in Spanish). This allows individuals and companies legally established in Mexico to hire foreign employees.
You can apply for the business visa for between 1-4 years, depending on the duration of the job. However, you can also request it for 1 year and later renew it for up to 3 years, as long as the job offer is issued with the same time period. The National Immigration Institute (INM) can take up to 3 months to process it.
Likewise, note that there are five stages when applying for a Mexico business visa.
5 stages to apply for a Mexico business visa
1. Present documentation to National Immigration Institute
You must present the following documentation to the INM:
- Employer Certificate
- Identification of the legal representative of the company
- Valid passport
- Proof of the job offer
- Printed format signed by the legal representative.
2. Appointment with Mexican Consulate
Make an appointment at a Mexican consulate in the employer’s home country to obtain a provisional visa. The applicant must submit the following documents before the Mexican consulate:
- Visa Application Form
- Copy of the INM authorization
- Copy of passport
- Two recent photographs (in colour with a white background, a clearly visible face without glasses, and measurements of at least 32.0 mm x 26.0 mm)
- Payment of fees of US$ 40 as of June 2020. Note that this fee is adjusted every year.
3. Apply for the business visa
After entering Mexico with the provisional visa, you can apply to obtain a Mexico business visa. To do that, you must present the following documents before the INM:
- Passport (original document and one copy)
- Multiple Migration Form (original document and one copy)
- Copy of the passport visa stamp
- Basic form duly filled
- Proof of fee payment.
The prices of this procedure vary depending on the time for which the Mexico business visa is issued.
4. Meeting at the immigration office
You must go to the immigration office in Mexico to have your fingerprints taken. At this point, you will be required to present the following documents:
- Favourable resolution of the National Immigration Institute
- 3 recent photographs (size 2.5x3cm)
- Passport.
Once approved, you can collect your business visa at the immigration office.
Work in Mexico with support from an experienced immigration lawyer
Obtaining Mexico’s business visa involves a long and complex process that might be challenging for foreign executives. Make sure to connect with a local immigration expert to coordinate your transition into Mexico.
At Biz Latin Hub, our team of local and expatriate professionals in Mexico can support this process to ensure you are in full compliance with the local regulations. As a market leader for corporate immigration, legal, and accounting services in Latin America, we are your single point of contact for multilingual market entry, exit, and back-office services. Contact us now to receive personalized assistance.
Learn more about our team and expert authors.
