WORKING AND DOING BUSINESS
IN MEXICO

If you know you will be working in Mexico, you can apply for an FM3 or FM2 with permission to work through the Mexican embassy or consulate nearest you.  Alternatively, the company that intends to employ you in Mexico can process your application with the Immigration Secretariat. This will require the following documentation:

  • Who you will be working for – a letter (in Spanish) on company letterhead from that person or organization will be required stating that they intend to employ you, what your duties will be, how much you will be paid, how long you will be in the country, where in the country you will be working and why they need to hire you specifically.
  • A copy of your degree/diploma/credentials, description of your capabilities, experience, expertise appropriately apostilled or legalized and translated into Spanish by a certified translator – it needs to be clear to the Mexican Immigration authorities what your specific and unique skills are, and why you can undertake certain tasks that a Mexican would not be able to carry out.
  • A copy of your passport and travel document.

The visa will be issued with very specific permission to work in a given occupation for a specific company.  Be aware that changes to your job or to a different organization will require revision/renewal of the visa.  Try to be as generic as possible in describing the duties you will be performing so as to leave yourself some latitude in the actual work.  Similarly, if you can obtain authorization as a self-employed worker, you will have a lot more flexibility regarding which companies you work for.

If you don’t know whether you will be working or not once you move here, or you decide to start up a business, you can always revise your visa from inside the country when you decide what you want to do.  The same kind of documentation will be required.