Your first 90 days in Mexico: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · July 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Missing the 30-day canje window — or leaving Mexico mid-canje without INM exit permission — voids the process; the restart is a new visa application at a consulate abroad.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
canje: exchange the entry visa/FMM for the residente temporal or permanente card at INM
Within 30 calendar days of entry
The INM appointment is the bottleneck — offices in expat hubs back up; passport, stamped FMM, photos and the fee receipt required; biometrics in person.
Get your RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes); the CURP underpins it
Payroll, invoicing, formal banking and avoiding maximum tax withholding all key off the RFC.
Issued at a SAT office (appointment required) once the resident card and CURP exist — appointments are scarce in big cities.
Open a bank account
Banks want the residente card, CURP/RFC and a Mexican proof of address — the comprobante de domicilio is the classic sticking point. Wise/Revolut and home-country accounts bridge the gap during the canje.
Enrol in healthcare
IMSS offers voluntary enrolment (annual fee by age, pre-existing-condition exclusions); IMSS-Bienestar covers the uninsured at a basic level. Most foreign residents carry private insurance for hospital care.
Sort your driver's license
A valid US license is broadly accepted while driving as a visitor; licenses are state-issued — with resident card, CURP and proof of address most states issue one (some add a written test). No federal exchange exists.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Mexico: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Mexico?
canje: exchange the entry visa/FMM for the residente temporal or permanente card at INM — Within 30 calendar days of entry. The INM appointment is the bottleneck — offices in expat hubs back up; passport, stamped FMM, photos and the fee receipt required; biometrics in person. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the RFC and do I need one?
RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes); the CURP underpins it is Mexico's personal tax/ID number. Payroll, invoicing, formal banking and avoiding maximum tax withholding all key off the RFC. Issued at a SAT office (appointment required) once the resident card and CURP exist — appointments are scarce in big cities.
Can I drive in Mexico on a US license?
A valid US license is broadly accepted while driving as a visitor; licenses are state-issued — with resident card, CURP and proof of address most states issue one (some add a written test). No federal exchange exists. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Mexico?
IMSS offers voluntary enrolment (annual fee by age, pre-existing-condition exclusions); IMSS-Bienestar covers the uninsured at a basic level. Most foreign residents carry private insurance for hospital care. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Mexico's system treats foreign residents.