The essentials
- Family unity (unidad familiar) lets spouses, partners, minor children and parents join a Mexican citizen or a foreign resident.
- Spouse of a Mexican citizen: San Diego's 2026 sheet asks for the marriage certificate and proof of Mexican nationality — and the Mexican spouse must attend the appointment.
- Joining a foreigner who holds a temporary resident visa: consulates also ask for proof of support per family member — US$1,460 a month in San Diego, US$1,400 in New York.
More things to know
- If the family member already holds a Mexican residency card, San Diego asks for the relationship documents and the valid card, without a support test.
- Documents from countries other than the US or Mexico need an apostille and an official Spanish translation (San Diego's rule for US applicants).
In this guide
Moving as a family usually means one person qualifies for residency — on income, savings or a job — and everyone else applies through family unity. The exact paperwork depends on who you're joining and what status they hold. This guide follows the San Diego consulate's 2026 family-unity requirements, with notes where other consulates differ.
Which route applies to you
| You are joining… | Who can apply | What you prove |
|---|---|---|
| A Mexican citizen | Spouse, or common-law or equivalent partner | Marriage or partnership certificate, plus the Mexican's birth certificate and valid Mexican passport. The Mexican must attend the appointment. |
| A foreigner with a temporary resident (or student) visa | Spouse or partner; parent; minor unmarried child; minor child of the visa holder's spouse | Relationship documents, the holder's valid visa, and support for each family member |
| A foreigner with a permanent resident visa | Spouse or partner | Marriage or partnership certificate, the holder's valid visa, and support for the spouse |
| A foreigner who already has a temporary resident (or student) card | Spouse or partner; parent; minor unmarried child; minor child of the card holder's spouse | Relationship documents and the holder's valid card (for students, a letter confirming they're still studying) |
| A foreigner who already has a permanent resident card | Spouse or partner | Marriage or partnership certificate and the holder's valid card |
Support amounts per family member
Where support must be shown, it's per family member, and consulates set their own figures:
| Consulate (2026 sheet) | Savings route | Income route |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego | US$1,460 average monthly balance over 12 months | Pension of US$1,460 a month over 6 months |
| New York | US$1,400 average monthly balance over 12 months, plus proof of employment | — |
Some consulates instead add an amount for each dependent to the main applicant's threshold — Houston, for example, adds 220 days of UMA per dependent. Check your consulate in our consulate comparison.
Documents to prepare
- Completed visa application and valid passport, with copies of the data page and any pages with visas or stamps
- Proof of legal stay in the country where you apply, if you're not a citizen there
- One recent passport-size photo, white background, no glasses
- Marriage, partnership or birth certificates proving the relationship — originals and copies
- The family member's valid Mexican visa or residency card, as the route requires
- Proof of support, where required, on stamped original bank statements or an official bank letter
- The visa fee — US$56 in cash at San Diego
Already in Mexico? Changing status through family unity
INM handles some family-unity cases inside Mexico as a change of immigration status — to temporary or permanent residency by family unity. In 2026 that costs MX$1,847 to apply, plus the card once approved. INM lists a reduced 50% card rate, which law firms report applies to family-unity cases; confirm it applies to you before paying it.
When a family-unity card is renewed, both spouses sign a statement that the family relationship still exists — see the renewal guide.
Keep reading
Family · Kids and schools
Moving with kids
What families need to know before moving to Mexico with children: how kids get residency, enrolling in Mexican public and private schools, revalidating foreign studies, IMSS for children and the SAM form for travel.
Residency · Hub
Mexico residency visas
Temporary vs permanent residency, the 2026 income and savings thresholds, family unity, work visas and remote workers — a clear map of how to live in Mexico legally.
Consulate data
Compare Mexican consulates
Official 2026 income and savings requirements, fees and booking rules, consulate by consulate.
Residency · Temporary
Temporary residency
Everything about Mexican temporary residency in 2026: who qualifies, the income and savings each consulate asks for, the documents, the consulate interview, the 30-day canje, what the status lets you do, renewals and the switch to permanent.
Frequently asked questions
Can my spouse get Mexican residency through me?
Yes. Spouses and partners of Mexican citizens and of foreign residents can apply through family unity. If you hold a temporary resident visa, consulates usually ask you to show support for your spouse as well — US$1,460 a month at San Diego in 2026.
How do children get residency in Mexico?
Minor, unmarried children of a foreign resident apply through family unity with their birth certificate and the parent's valid visa or residency card; where the parent holds only a visa, consulates ask for proof of support for each child.
Does the spouse of a Mexican citizen need to show income?
San Diego's 2026 requirements for spouses of Mexicans list the marriage certificate and proof of Mexican nationality, with the Mexican spouse attending the appointment — no income test is listed.
Do I need apostilled documents for family unity?
At San Diego, documents issued in countries other than the US or Mexico need an apostille or legalization and an official Spanish translation. Other consulates set their own rules.
Sources & official references
- Consulate of Mexico in San Diego — Temporary resident visa, family unity (2026 PDF)
- Consulate of Mexico in New York — Visa de Residente Temporal (2026 PDF)
- INM — Change of immigration status procedures and fees
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Consulates interpret rules differently — confirm with your consulate or a licensed professional before acting.