Work Permit

FM3-FM2/Temporary Resident or Work Visa

The Work Permit, formerly known as FM3-FM2 or most commonly referred to as a work visa, allows foreigners to engage in remunerated activities within the Mexican territory legally. The working permit is possible through the following different statuses.

Visitor Permission to Perform Remunerated Activities status

Allows foreigners with a job offer from an authorize entity to obtain a working permit and remain in Mexico for no more than 180 days uninterrupted.

Humanitarian Reasons for Visiting status

The government’s Secretariat of Foreign Relations office, can provide a working permit for humanitarian visitors where there is interest that the foreigner is present in Mexico so they can work and receive a remuneration in exchange.

Temporary Resident Student status

Allows foreign students of an academic institution belonging to the national education system, to obtain a job with remuneration within the related field of studies and for as longs as the studies are still going on.

Border Visitor Worker status

Allows foreigners who are from countries with which Mexico shares boundaries, to stay up to one year and working permit in exchange for remuneration in Mexico.

Temporary Resident status

Allows foreigners to obtain a working permit for no more than 4 straight years’ subject to a job offer from an authorize entity. The Temporary Resident may also preserve the family unit, which means that the spouse, children concubines and/or parents can also stay in Mexico and are apply for a remunerated job if needed.

Permanent Resident Status

Allows foreigners to remain in Mexico indefinitely, with permission to work for remuneration.

Work Permit Mexico Immigration Law

Visitor Permission to Perform Remunerated Activities (Article 52, section 2)

Authorizes foreigners that have a job offer from any authority, academic, artistic, sporting or cultural by which they will perceive remuneration in the country, or comes to engage in a seasonal remunerated activity under interagency agreements with foreign entities, to be able to remain in national territory for no more than one hundred and eighty days in an uninterrupted time, counted from the date of entry.

Border Visitor Worker (Article 52, section 4)

Authorizes the foreigner who is a national of the countries with which the United Mexican States share boundaries, to stay up to one year in the states determined by the Ministry.

The border worker will count with working permit to be performed in exchange for a remuneration in the country, on the activity related to the job offer and he or she is entitled to enter and leave the country as often as desired.

Humanitarian Reasons for Visiting (Article 52, section 5)

This condition shall allow to foreigners who are in any of the following cases:

Being offended, victim or witness of a crime committed in national territory. For purposes of this Act, without prejudice to other legal provisions, shall be deemed as the offended or victim to the person who is the passive subject of the criminal conduct, regardless if it is identified, apprehended, prosecuted or convicted perpetrator and regardless of the familial relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. To the offended, the victim or witness to a crime who is provided the condition of stay of Visitor by Humanitarian Reasons, will be authorized to stay in the country until the process has been concluded, at the end of it the foreigner must go out of the country or apply for a new condition of stay, with the right to enter and exit the country as many times as he or she wishes and with a work permit able to receive remunerated activities in the country.
Being a child or teenager unaccompanied, in terms of Article 74 of the Mexican immigration law
Be applicant for political asylum, recognition of refugee status or supplementary protection of the Mexican State, as to their immigration status is resolved. If the request is positive they will be granted the status of permanent resident stay in terms of Article 54 of this Law.

The Secretariat may also grant the condition of stay of humanitarian visitor to foreigners not located in the above cases, when there is a humanitarian or public interest that requests the foreigner presence in the country, in which case they will have a work permit in exchange for remuneration.

Temporary Resident (Article 52, section 6)

Authorizes the foreigner to stay in the country for no more than four years, with the possibility of obtaining a work permit in exchange for remuneration in the country, subject to a job offer with the right to enter and leave the country as often as desired and entitled to the preservation of the family unit so that the foreigner may enter with or subsequently request the admission of persons listed below who may stay legally in national territory for the duration of resident permit temporary:

Children of temporary resident and children of the spouse, concubine or mistress, provided they are children and adolescents and have not married, or under their guardianship or custody.
Spouse.
Concubine or equivalent figure, crediting the legal situation under the assumptions that says Mexican law, and
Parent of temporary resident.

The persons mentioned in the above paragraphs shall be allowed to stay legally in national territory under the condition of a temporary resident, with the possibility of obtaining a permit to work in exchange for a remuneration in the country subject to a job offer, and entitled to enter and leave the country as many times as they wish.

Foreigners who were granted the status of temporary residents, may introduce their personal property, in the form and terms determined by the applicable law

Temporary Resident Student (Article 52, section 7)

Authorizes abroad students to stay in the country for the duration of their courses, studies, and research or training projects proving to be performed in educational institutions belonging to the national education system.

This until they obtain a certificate, record, diploma, title or related academic degree, with the right to enter and leave the country as often as desired, with permission to perform paid jobs when higher studies, postgraduate and research activities is the case.

Residence authorization for students is subject to the educational institution acceptance letter which has to be annually renewed, for which the foreigner will accredit the fact that conditions to the initial residence authorization persist.

Authorization for remunerated activities will be granted once the educational institution issues an approval letter, yet it is subject to a job offer which has to be parallel to the student major.

The temporary resident student, has the right to enter and exit the country as many times as he or she wishes to, and has also the right to preserve family unity, for which the foreigner may enter the country with his family or request residence to them.

IX. PERMANENT RESIDENT.
Authorizes foreigners to remain in the country indefinitely, with permission to work for remuneration in the country.

Work Permit FAQs

What do I need to apply for a Work Permit for Mexico?

You need to have a valid Temporary Resident status or a Temporary Resident Student status, additionally you need to have a job offer from an authorize business entity or an accredited business activity.

If you need more information or are interested in obtaining a work permit for Mexico, please schedule your consultation with us today so we can discuss more details.

Where can I apply for a Mexico Work Permit?

To apply for a Work Permit for Mexico, you must visit the INM offices in person and submit your request (Instituto Nacional de Migración).

Good news! HH Consultores makes it easy and convenient for you, schedule your consultation with us today and our team of experts will help you expedite the process so that you don’t have to waist an entire day.

How long does it take to obtain a Work Permit for Mexico?

In the best case scenario with all the paper work getting filled up correctly and that all the requirements are met, it can take between 2 to 3 business days. However please be advised that in most cases with people that have no immigration law experience or previous experience filling up this type of paperwork, can usually take between 7 to 30 days.

HH Consultores strongly advises to consult with an immigration specialist to avoid being rejected and delaying the process. If you would like for us to help process your request, please schedule a consultation and our team will provide you with all the details.

How do I start my procedure?

By scheduling an appointment with one of our consultants, please keep in mind that H&H Consultants can always help you in person or online.

How much does it costs?

The cost depends on the conditions of each case, which are evaluated at the initial interview (40dlls, that will be deducted from the total cost). The purpose of it, is to obtain the most information possible, in order to determine if this type of procedure is the correct one for the foreigner.

If it is not the best option, we will let the foreigner know what will be the process that we need to follow.