What is the Legal Stay?
The legal stay of foreigners in Mexico is the right they acquire when entering the country, under any of the Conditions of Stay that the Migration Law authorizes, after fulfilling the requirements established by law..
What can a Foreigner do with the Legal Stay?
When the foreigner maintains a legal stay in the country, he can:
+ Work, study and live in Mexico.
+ Apply for residency for family members who are in Mexico or abroad.
+ Celebrate legal acts before Notary Public.
+ Open a bank account.
+ Process your driver's license.
+ Travel within Mexico.
+ Get a bank loan.
How to prove the Legal Stay?
The foreigner proves his legal stay in Mexico with the Temporary Resident or Permanent Resident card, which is the official document from the foreigner with which he proves that he is legal in the country, whether living, working or studying.
It is important to know that when the legal stay in Mexico is maintained for 2 years in a row, for example, in the case of foreigners born in a Latin American country or in the Iberian Peninsula, the Naturalization Letter can be requested and obtained.
Foreigners who married a Mexican or who have children born in Mexico can also request and obtain the Naturalization Letter after 2 years of maintaining legal stay in Mexico.
What Conditions of Stay does the Migration Law establish?
TEMPORARY RESIDENT
In order to remain in Mexico for a period of no more than four years, it authorizes the foreigner to enter, renew his immigration document or change his status to Permanent Resident, with the possibility of obtaining a work permit.
TEMPORARY STUDENT RESIDENT
Authorizes the foreigner to stay in the national territory for the duration of his studies and until obtaining the corresponding certificate, certificate, diploma, title or academic degree, with the right to enter and leave the national territory as many times as he wishes, with permission to carry out paid activities in the case of higher level studies, postgraduate studies and research.
PERMANENT RESIDENT
It is given at the time of making the change of Stay Status from Visitor or Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident, authorizing the foreigner to remain in Mexico indefinitely, with permission to work.
VISITOR WITH PERMISSION TO CARRY OUT PAID ACTIVITIES
Authorizes the foreigner who has a job offer, to intern for a period of no more than 180 days.
VISITOR WITHOUT PERMISSION TO CARRY OUT PAID ACTIVITIES
Authorizes the foreigner to transit or stay in national territory for an uninterrupted time of no more than 180 days, counted from the date of entry, without permission to carry out paid activities. This Condition of Stay can only be managed at the Consular Offices of Mexico abroad
VISITOR FOR ADOPTION PURPOSES
Authorizes the foreigner linked to an adoption process in Mexico, to remain in the country until the final decision is issued and, where appropriate, the new act of the adopted child or adolescent is registered in the civil registry, as well as issue the respective passport and all the necessary procedures to guarantee the departure of the child or adolescent from the country.
VISITOR FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS
Foreigners are authorized for being offended, victims or witnesses of any crime committed in national territory.
This condition of stay is also authorized for the foreigner who is linked to a situation of risk, conflict, instability or danger of their basic rights in their place of origin.
REGIONAL VISITOR
Authorizes the nationals of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras or El Salvador, or the permanent resident in those countries to enter the border regions of Mexico with the right to enter and leave them as many times as they wish, without their permanence exceeding seven days and without permission to receive remuneration in the country. (DOF 04/23/2019)
BORDER WORKER VISITOR
Authorizes nationals of Guatemala or Belize to stay for up to one year in the states of Chiapas, Campeche, Tabasco and Quintana Roo.
The border worker visitor will have permission to work in exchange for remuneration in the country, in the activity related to the job offer they have and with the right to enter and leave the national territory as many times as they wish.