For expats residing in Mexico or considering a move, this information could be essential for you to peruse.
The Mexican Secretary of Government has announced changes to the immigration law, effective from August 1, 2025. The updates involve the use of the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA) index instead of the Minimum Wage index for determining financial requirements for temporary visas [1].
As of August 1, 2025, applicants for a temporary visa must demonstrate a monthly income equivalent to 680 times the UMA, which for 2025 is set at 113.14 Mexican pesos. This amounts to about 79,935 pesos per month (approximately $4,145 USD) based on the current exchange rate [1].
This change reflects Mexico’s broader shift away from using the Minimum Wage for various legal and administrative calculations, opting instead for the UMA index as a standard monetary reference [1][5].
For those who own real estate in Mexico, the property must be worth 40,000 times the minimum wage or $538,743 US dollars, which is equivalent to 91,600 times the UMA index or $10,363,624 pesos using the July 28, 2025 exchange rate of 18.56 to 1 [2].
To qualify for a permanent visa, people who have liquid assets must also provide 12 months of bank statements, and the financial requirements have not gone down [3]. However, precise permanent visa criteria could not be directly determined from the available information, and checking official Mexican government sources or immigration offices is recommended for the most accurate details [3].
The UMA-based calculation replaces the previous use of the Minimum Wage for visa financial thresholds starting in 2025 [1]. For a comprehensive understanding of the changes, it is advisable to refer to official Mexican government sources or immigration offices.
References: [1] Baja California Post, July 29, 2025 — Updated Temporary Visa Income Requirements Using UMA. [2] Baja California Post, July 29, 2025 — Updated Temporary Visa Real Estate Requirements Using UMA. [3] Baja California Post, July 29, 2025 — Updated Permanent Visa Income Requirements Using UMA. [4] Baja California Post, July 29, 2025 — Updated Permanent Visa Real Estate Requirements Using UMA. [5] Baja California Post, July 29, 2025 — Shift Away from Minimum Wage in Mexican Legal and Administrative Calculations.
In the updated visa requirements effective from August 1, 2025, applicants for a temporary visa must demonstrate a monthly income equivalent to 680 times the UMA, which translates to about 79,935 pesos per month (approximately $4,145 USD) based on the current exchange rate. Meanwhile, for a permanent visa, those who own real estate in Mexico must prove that the property is worth $10,363,624 pesos, which is equivalent to 91,600 times the UMA index or $538,743 US dollars, using the July 28, 2025 exchange rate of 18.56 to 1.
