For most that own a home in Puerto Vallarta, a tourist visa or permanent residency visa suits all their needs, but for some who have made moving to Mexico a permanent life change, applying to become a Mexican citizen may be a consideration. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Ability to vote in Mexican elections.
- Ability to change your place of work or address without the requirement to inform the immigration office (INM).
- Avoid fees to renew your immigration status (if not a permanent resident) or the ability to extend your time in Mexico beyond the 180-day limit of a tourist visa.
- Ability to own land close to borders and coastline without the need for a bank trust, known as a fideicomiso.
However, most of the paperwork required to secure and maintain visas in Mexico is quite simple and your Tropicasa real estate agent can discuss with you reasons why a bank trust is the fastest and easiest way to purchase property in Puerto Vallarta and the Banderas Bay region, so citizenship is not always the right path to choose for your new life in Mexico. Some drawbacks to having Mexican citizenship may include:
- A newly revised citizenship exam which focuses on knowledge of Mexican history and culture and a Spanish reading comprehension test. However, minors and people over the age of 60 are exempt from the exam.
- Once becoming a Mexican citizen, you lose your right to access consular protection from your country of origin while in Mexico.
- In some rare instances, depending on your country of origin, you may be required to relinquish your home country passport and citizenship, although most nations allow for dual citizenship.
So, is becoming a Mexican citizen the right choice for you? Most foreigners living in Puerto Vallarta do not apply to become a citizen, so the answer is to do your research, consider your lifestyle needs and make the choice that is best for you.
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