Probably the most common visa, the visitor visa which doesn’t allow you to undertake paid work (visitante sin permiso para realizar actividades remuneradas) is valid for 180 days after which you will have to leave the country. If you are a wealthy pensioner, you can also apply for a visitor visa which is then valid for up to 10 years. You will have to prove you have the means to financially support yourself for the duration of your stay though.
If you have a business meeting or similar, you can apply for a visa with the right to pursue remunerated activities (visitante con permiso para realizar actividades remuneradas) that is valid for 180 days and can only be applied for if you are paid by a company outside Mexico.
If you plan to adopt a Mexican child, you can apply for the visa as a visitor for adoption procedure (visitante para realizar trámites de adopción).
How to apply for the visa
If you want to apply for a visa to live in Mexico, you have to do so with the consulate or embassy in your home country. You have to be a national of the country where you apply. You will need the following:
- Formal letter of invitation from a Mexican national or long-term resident of Mexico
- Passport
- Passport-sized photo
- Document certifying your solvency for the duration of the stay
- Document/letter certifying you inscribed for a Mexican university (for the student visa)