Attention, foreigners: Your visa will cost double in 2026

Mexico’s 2026 national budget will include a 100% increase in the fees charged for temporary and permanent residency visas, as the government looks to counteract the impact of digital nomadism in the country. 

The cost of immigration permits for migrants — regardless of vocation — will double next year, according to the 2026 federal budget, which was submitted to Congress on Sept. 8. If the budget is approved, the federal fiscal law will be amended to reflect this price increase.  

“The proposed increase seeks to guarantee a fair and proportional contribution, based on the intensive use of infrastructure and specialized human resources,” the proposal states. 

The proposal will see a 100% increase in the cost of one-year temporary permits from 5,328 pesos (US $290) in 2025 to 10,656 pesos ($580) in 2026.

Two-, three- and four-year temporary permits will increase from 7,984 pesos ($435), 10,112 pesos ($550) and 11,984 pesos ($650) to 15,968 pesos ($870); 20,224 pesos ($1,100); and 23,968 pesos ($1,300), respectively. 

Meanwhile, the price of permanent residency permits will increase from 6,494 pesos ($355) in 2025 to 12,988 pesos ($705) in 2026. 

“In Mexico, the arrival of a foreign population has brought on changes and affected sectors such as housing, gastronomy, local commerce and recreational and collaborative spaces,” Mexico’s Finance and Public Credit Ministry (SHCP) stated in its initiative briefing. “While boosting consumption and productive activity, [this] requires the design of equitable, safe, orderly and correct migration public policies.” 

How I got residency in Mexico on an expired tourist visa

The Mexican Treasury “dedicated a very long discussion to the operational aspect of these types of [economic] contributions,” Finance Minister Édgar Amador said at a press conference at the National Palace on Sept. 8, in reference to the price increase. 

“There is a very detailed discussion there with the National Migration Institute (INM), for example, on the issue of digital nomads,” said Amador.  

According to the proposal, a 50% discount may be considered for residency applicants under certain conditions, in accordance with Migration Law Regulations.

With reports from Reporte Indigo and Reforma

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