If you want to work in Mexico but are not a resident, you may need a Verified International Stay Approval or “visa” that has work provisions. If you do not have one, you could be fined and asked to leave the country, and your employer could face legal issues. The process of acquiring a Visa can seem intimidating, especially if it’s the first time you’ve ever needed to apply for one. However, with the right information and a simple breakdown of the process, you will be on your way to having your own work visa for Mexico in no time.

Steps to Apply for a Mexican Work Visa

The Mexican Embassy website provides useful information that can help you! Please check their website for further details.

Step 1. NII and Visa Application

First, you need to apply for prior permission through the National Immigration Institute in Mexico. You will receive a unique authorization number called a NUT, which translates from Spanish to Unique Procedure Number.

With this document in hand, you will then go to the Mexican Embassy in your country to fill out a Visa application form. This process may differ from country to country, so make sure you understand your embassy’s payment methods and appointment hours in advance.

The application will ask for a lot of personal information, including your name, birth date, gender, birthplace, marital status, your home country and address, a background of your employment, and questions about the trip on which you need the Visa. You will need to sign the document to affirm that everything is correct. For minors, the parents will have to sign for them.

Once you have been accepted by the embassy, you will have a time window of a few weeks to pick up your Mexican work visa; it should be valid for 180 days.

Step 2. Passport and Photo ID

Next, there are certain documents that you will need to have before you make your trip to ensure that you will not have any problems upon your arrival. Along with the prior authorization form (NUT), you will need a valid passport that is good for at least the six months you will be working in the country, preferably for longer.

Also, have a color photo identification with you of passport size in which you are easily identifiable. This photo must be recent (within the last six months) and taken without glasses or headgear. The background needs to be white and you need to have a neutral expression.

Step 3. Proof of Financial Sufficiency and Employment Status

You will need to be able to prove that you are financially sufficient, which can be done by providing your last three bank statements or paycheck stubs.

Since you are applying for a work visa for Mexico, you need proof of your employment status. You can accomplish this in different ways depending on your situation. If you are already employed, they will need to provide you with a letter that gives information about your position with the company, approval for your absenteeism, and a schedule of the time you will be away.

If you are a student and will be working for college credit, provide enrollment information and details of the course from your university. and a signed letter of registration from the company or employer to verify the validity of your request for a work visa, as well.

Self-employed applicants face a variety of options depending on the situation. Materials you can provide include commercial registration, deeds to any property involved, and certifications for investments relating to your job.

Providing these details on your job and financial situation lets officials know that you are able to effectively take care of yourself and that you officially have employment to maintain financial stability.

Step 4. Travel Documents and Accommodations

Make sure that you have your airline ticket itinerary and can provide information for your return trip booking. This allows you to verify that you have completed all the steps necessary to not only arrive in the country but also have secured your way back once your work in the country has been completed.

Have proof of your accommodations during your stay, whether hotel reservations or, if staying with a friend, their permit showing residence or Mexican identification.

Also, if you have any other visas or had a prior Mexican work visa, keep records of this as well — make photocopies of any original documents that you want to keep.

These are standard requirements to make sure that you are prepared and have everything that you need to have a successful stay during your time in the country.

Step 5. Additional Travel Documentation

Finally, make sure you have any documents that are relevant for your purpose of travel, which may include a cover letter or any other work-related documents.

The cover letter needs to include your purpose for the trip and an itinerary of your plans with details on your work project. It will need to be addressed to the Mexican embassy.

Have receipts handy to show that your Mexico work visa fees and any other fees required for the process have been paid.

See if there is anything else related to your trip that you feel you may need to provide. If you are not sure, keep these materials handy because it is better to have too much information than not enough.

Step 6. Double-Check

You should now be ready to go! Be aware that there will be consular fees and possibly other fees throughout this process. Keep receipts of these payments as proof, including your original visa fees, and make sure you know where you will need to check in upon arrival in Mexico.

Have all of your documents organized and accounted for, making sure that they are easily accessible; make sure you check and double-check because you do not want to have any issues successfully reaching your destination.

Documents Needed for a Mexican Work Visa

The complete the process of applying for your Visa, you will need to make sure that you have the following:

  • Your Mexico work visa application form
  • A valid passport and relevant travel documents
  • A photocopy of your passport
  • A recent color photograph in a passport size
  • Your booked return travel ticket
  • Documents proving that you are financially sufficient
  • Verification of your Mexico accommodations
  • Documents to verify your employment status
  • A cover letter with details about your impending trip
  • Receipt proving you paid your Mexico work visa fee
  • Any other documents relevant to your purpose for travel

 

We hope that this article on how to get a work visa in Mexico was helpful! If you’re interested in studying abroad make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hi! I am Hyun, and I am the founder at Global Scholarships. I've received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College and a $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for my undergraduate degree and was offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. You can read more about my scholarship journey here. If you are interested, you can follow me on Linkedin where I regularly write about scholarships.

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