Moving to Rosarito: what residency takes

Visiting versus living

A short stay runs on a visitor permit and does not commit you to anything. Staying long-term generally requires a resident visa. That is why a trial stay (chapter 5) can happen before any of this paperwork.

Temporary Resident: the usual first step

The application starts at a Mexican consulate in your home country. You qualify through either a monthly-income test or a savings test; you do not need both.

How the 2026 thresholds are built

The thresholds are pegged to the UMA, a Mexican reference unit. For 2026 it is MXN 117.31 per day (published January 8, 2026). Consulates multiply it by fixed legal factors:

Converted to dollars, sources agree on the method and disagree on the figure, because each consulate converts and rounds on its own. Reported 2026 ranges:

• Income route: roughly US$4,200 to $4,600 a month, shown over the last six months of statements.
• Savings route: roughly US$70,000 to $78,000, typically a 12-month average.

One consulate (Las Vegas) was reported to have updated its figures in May 2026 to $4,630 a month or $78,025 in savings. That is exactly why you should call yours.

Paperwork to expect

• Continuous official bank or investment statements. One guide cites 6 months for the income route and 12 months for the savings route.
• Certified Spanish translations at some consulates.
• Fees: sources conflict, so we do not quote one. Check your consulate's current fee schedule.

Before you apply

• Call or email your consulate and ask for the current income and savings figures in writing.
• Do not rely on a blog for the number, including this one.
• Permanent Resident is a separate status with its own requirements.