A very popular digital nomad hotspot, Mexico has decided to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the increase in remote workers by offering a temporary residence permit, which effectively doubles as a Mexican digital nomad visa.
This digital nomad visa / temporary residence permit allows digital nomads to stay in Mexico for one to four years.
Many people from all around the world can come to visit Mexico on a tourist visa for up to six months. This will not allow you to set up a Mexican bank account, but the longer-term temporary residence visa will.
Tourist visas can be issued for up to 180 days, and it is not unusual for people to leave Mexico and re-enter, being issued with a further 180 days on arrival at the Mexican border control. This can be helpful if you are still trying to decide whether to make a longer-term move to Mexico and want to explore some of the different cities and areas there.
One of the perks of the temporary residence or digital nomad visa is that after you have stayed in Mexico for four years, you will qualify to apply for permanent residence, so you are able to make the switch to living in Mexico permanently, if this is what you desire.
If you stay in Mexico for more than 183 days in any calendar year, you may be considered to be a “tax resident” in Mexico and be expected to pay tax on your worldwide income to the Mexican government.
Mexico has tax treaties with many countries so if you can prove that you are already a tax resident of another country, you may be exempt from “double taxation”. You should explore this with a tax lawyer or accountant, and it is not something to be taken lightly. No part of this blog post constitutes financial advice.
It is important to know that you must be outside Mexico when you apply for a temporary residence permit. You can make an appointment in advance at your local Mexican Consulate or Embassy. There are some documents that you are required to provide at the interview, so please be sure to take these with you when you attend.The documents are listed below:
A valid passport or other travel document with at least six months left to run on it.
The visa application form, completed in English or Spanish, with a “wet” signature on it.
Proof of income can take the form of bank statements and pay slips from your employer. You must prove income of $3,700 - $4,000 per month after tax or savings of up to $75,000 for over six months.
This is to ensure that you have enough money so that you are not tempted to try to take on work that a Mexican citizen can do while you are there.
You will also need a passport-sized photo taken against a white background while not wearing glasses. This is to allow for the creation of your temporary residence permit.
It can take at least a few weeks after the interview for your application to be processed. Mexican bureaucracy moves slowly and this is something that you should be prepared for.
The application itself costs $40, and once you reach Mexico, you will have to pay a further $150-$350, depending on the length of visa issued.
You will have to pay the fee each year that you wish to renew the card.
Several factors make Mexico a top-tier digital nomad destination. One is the low cost of living compared to the US, the UK, and many parts of Europe. Apartments in many destinations in Mexico still cost $300- $500 per month, which is attractive to those who want to live relatively inexpensively. Many remote workers have relatively low incomes and being able to live in a place that is inexpensive for them can offer a quality of life that is simply unavailable in their home country.
The temperate climate in Mexico is another great selling point for digital nomads and remote workers. Being able to escape the colder weather back home is often what inspires people to become digital nomads in the first place.
According to the popular statistics aggregation website Statista, Internet speeds in Mexico are still lower than the worldwide average. In many towns and cities in Mexico, there is ample high-speed internet for even the most intensive uses by remote workers.
Home to over 30 UNESCO World Heritage sites, Mexico offers a plethora of interesting sites for people who are interested in history and ancient civilisations. There are both Aztec and Mayan ruins here, and there is more than enough to make it a tempting visit for a history buff, with the famed Chichén Itzá being only a short distance from the digital nomad hotspot of Tulum.
There are many places in Mexico which are popular with digital nomads and this is because of a combination of factors including the temperate year-round weather and the comparatively low cost of living.
One of the cultural gems, Mexico City attracts many digital nomads because of its vibrant lifestyle. However, there are some dangerous parts of the city that should be avoided by tourists and nomads.
This is a beach lover’s paradise and is generally kept reasonably safe as it is a tourist and expat hotspot. “Playa”, as it is often simply referred to, is a real hub for the international nomad community.
This is one for those who love nature and history, with the ancient ruins of the Mayan civilization right on your doorstep. Tulum is a grat place to tick off a few bucket list items for many people and is a fantastic place to live for a while.
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