Enter Mexico and swap your visa for a residency card at immigration (canje, INM) within 30 days
The consular visa is a single-entry sticker valid for 180 days. At entry, the officer must record you as entering to exchange the visa (canje), not as a tourist. Then, within 30 calendar days, you apply at INM to swap the visa for a resident card.
Why it matters
Ley de Migración and the INM procedures. If entry is recorded as tourist, the visa is lost.
Who helps
INM, the immigration office: in La Paz municipality, the INM office in La Paz; in Los Cabos, the INM office in Cabo San Lucas.
What to do: Enter Mexico for the visa swap, then apply at INM within 30 days.
Documents
- Passport, the FMM marked for canje, the online INM form, the payment receipt and photos. Fingerprints are taken at the office.
Costs Estimate
- Temporary card: MXN 11,141 (1 year), 16,693 (2 years), 21,143 (3 years).
- Permanent card: MXN 13,579.
- Resolution in up to 15 business days. Owners report anything from same-day card issue to several weeks at the La Paz and Cabo San Lucas offices (anecdotal, 2025–2026); plan for the longer end.
Estimates only. Get written quotes.
Common mistakes
- Missing the 30 days.
- Leaving Mexico while the card is in process without an exit-and-return permit.
Say it in Spanish
- Entro con visa de residente para hacer el canje.
I'm entering with a resident visa to do the exchange.
Sources
- INM – procedures
- INM visa/canje sheet (checked 2026-10)
- Ley Federal de Derechos (checked 2026-10)
Confirm the details for your case with your notario or attorney.
Common questions
How do I apply for residency?
Usually at a Mexican consulate at home, proving income or savings, then you exchange the visa for a card at INM within 30 days of entering.