How much Mexican citizenship costs in 2026

8 min read · Published 6 October 2026

State fees for the whole path from a resident visa to a Mexican passport are about $3,500 per adult. The main price is five years of living in the country, while the route through a child's birth is far cheaper and shorter.

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Key point	2026 figures
Route	naturalisation, no investment programme
Residence	5 years, 2 through marriage or a child
State fees per adult	~$3,500 from visa to passport
Through a child's birth	~$1,300 per parent
Naturalisation letter fee	~$530
Exam	Mexican history and Spanish
Previous citizenship	written renunciation on receiving the letter

Amounts checked: 2026-10-06

A Mexican passport cannot be bought: there is no citizenship by investment programme, and investment only gives residence. The passport comes after five years of living in the country with a resident card, or after two years if a child is born in Mexico or a spouse is a Mexican citizen.

Since 1 January 2026 migration office fees have roughly doubled, so the whole path from visa to passport costs about $3,500 per adult. Below is every cost item, the family minimum, timelines by step, what happens after a refusal and a comparison with neighbours.

We will work out online when you can apply and what fees and documents will cost for your family.

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What the cost is made of

Cost item	Amount	Who pays
Fees from resident visa to passport	$3,500	each adult
Route through a child born in Mexico	~$1,300	each parent
Apostille and sworn translation	per document	each adult
Criminal record certificates, federal and local	at agency tariffs	each adult
Renewing the resident card before filing	at the migration office tariff	if the card expires within 6 months

Fees are set in pesos by the Federal Duties Law for 2026, so the dollar amount moves slightly with the exchange rate. Dollars are at the Bank of Mexico rate, rounded up.

A resident visa requires income from $4,400 a month or savings from $74,000. This is a condition, not a cost: the money stays yours.

Five years without mistakes that only show on filing day

The biggest losses on the way to a Mexican passport come not from fees but from years: more than six months abroad in the two years before filing, a resident card expiring less than six months after the application, a translation not done by a sworn translator, a failed history exam. Murblz arranges the visa and resident card, counts days abroad, prepares you for the exam and Spanish and handles the application at the Foreign Ministry through to the naturalisation letter.

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How much it costs for a family of 2, 3 and 4

Family	Minimum
Two adults	from $5,700: the second adult gets cards on a family basis at a 50% discount
Two adults and a child	from $5,700 plus the child's resident cards on a family basis
Two adults and two children	from $5,700 plus the children's resident cards on a family basis

Since 2026 migration office fees are halved for those obtaining status on a family basis. Each adult sits their own exams and pays for their own letter and passport. A child born in Mexico is a citizen from day one, and the parents get permanent residence at once and apply for citizenship after 2 years.

What the cost does not include

housing and living in Mexico for five years;
flights and the trip to a Mexican consulate for the visa;
apostilles and sworn translations;
preparing for the history exam and Spanish courses;
renouncing Russian citizenship if Russian law requires it.

Timeline by step

Step	Time
Resident visa at a Mexican consulate	valid 180 days, single entry
Resident card at the migration office	within 30 days of entry
Temporary residence	up to 4 years with renewal
Permanent residence	after 4 years of temporary
Citizenship application and exams	after 5 years or 2 years of residence
Foreign Ministry decision	up to 40 working days, 6-9 months in practice
Letter, renunciation of previous citizenship and passport	after the decision

From the first visa to a passport the general route takes about six years. Parents of a child born in Mexico and spouses of citizens manage in about three years.

Is money refunded if you are refused

There is no investment, and fees are not returned after a refusal. The exam can be taken twice; after a second failure a new application is accepted only after a year.

Cases most often fail over more than six months abroad in the two years before filing, a resident card expiring less than six months after the application, and translations not done by a sworn translator. These are checked before filing.

Comparison with neighbouring programmes

Country	Route	Minimum for one	Time	Dual citizenship
Argentina	Naturalisation through a federal court	from $210	2 years in the country plus a year or more in court	allowed
Uruguay	Naturalisation after permanent residence	from $250	3 years with family or 5 without, plus the Electoral Court queue	allowed
Paraguay	Permanent residence through investment, then naturalisation	from $70,000	No earlier than 3 years of living there with permanent residence, plus court	with conditions

Argentina grants a passport after 2 years and a court case with no fee, Uruguay after 3 years with a family or 5 without, Paraguay after 3 years of permanent residence for an investment from $70,000. Mexico costs more in fees than its neighbours and requires an exam, but residence needs only income or savings, and the passport opens more visa-free destinations than the Paraguayan one.

Fees by stage

Stage	State fee, about
Resident visa at the consulate	$60
Temporary resident card for 1 year	$615
Renewal for 3 years	$1,165
Review of the change to permanent status	$105
Permanent resident card	$750
Naturalisation letter	$525
10-year passport	$240

The general route totals about $3,460 per adult. The route through a child's birth is almost three times cheaper: the parents skip temporary residence and get a 50% discount for obtaining status on a family basis.

Exam and language

The exam on Mexican history and culture has 10 questions in 10 minutes, with 8 correct answers needed. Spanish is tested separately: reading, a written task and a conversation, with a pass mark of 5 out of 6. Minors, applicants over 60 and recognised refugees are exempt from the history exam; no one is exempt from Spanish.

The questions are set by the Foreign Ministry's diplomatic academy, and the ministry publishes a study guide worth preparing from.

Who Mexican citizenship suits

Those ready to live in Mexico for five years, and families who have had a child here: for them the passport costs several times less. Residence needs no investment, only income or savings.

It does not suit those who need a passport quickly without relocating, or those who spend more than half a year abroad over two years: such residence will not count.

This topic in other countries

Citizenship cost in other countries:

More about the country:

All programmes and a family calculator - how much citizenship costs in different countries.

FAQ

How much does Mexican citizenship cost in 2026?

About $3,500 in state fees per adult for the whole path from resident visa to passport. Through a child born in Mexico, about $1,300 per parent.

Can you buy Mexican citizenship?

No. Investment in a company or property gives only residence, while citizenship comes after 5 years of living in the country or 2 years through marriage or a child.

How much does Mexican citizenship cost for a family?

From $5,600 for a couple: the second adult gets cards on a family basis at a 50% discount. Children obtain their own resident cards.

How much does the naturalisation letter cost?

About $530 in 2026. A 10-year passport is about $240.

How many years must you live in Mexico before citizenship?

5 years with a resident card, or 2 years through marriage to a Mexican citizen or a child born in Mexico.

Is there an exam?

Yes, on Mexican history and culture and on Spanish. Applicants over 60 are exempt from the history exam.

Are fees refunded after a refusal?

No. After a second failed exam a new application is accepted only after a year.

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.

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