Quick answer: Mexico's federal visa rules accept proof of "inversiones o cuentas bancarias", investments or bank accounts, averaged over 12 months. A retirement account holds investments, but no consulate sheet we have read names a 401(k), IRA or Roth. So there is no rule shutting them out, and no rule you can point to at the window. If your bank and brokerage balances clear on their own, lead with those. If you need the retirement balance, get your consulate's answer in writing before you book.
Key takeaways
- Savings route only. A balance in a retirement account is not income. Income means employment or a pension.
- Brokerage accounts are the safe case. Consulate sheets name investments directly.
- Retirement accounts are not named, which is different from not accepted. Ask the specific question.
- Quarterly statements are the practical trap. Consulates read 12 months, and many retirement plans report by quarter.
- Each account has one owner. An IRA or 401(k) cannot be joint, and that shapes who files as the main applicant.
- Crypto and home equity do not count, in any account.
To see whether your savings clear your consulate's figure, run the calculator. It takes about two minutes.
What the rules actually say
The federal rule for Temporary Residency on savings asks for a statement of "inversiones o cuentas bancarias" with an average monthly balance of 11,460 UMA days over the last twelve months, about $71,500 USD today. Each consulate sets its own figure in local currency, so check yours.
Consulate sheets repeat that wording. The Mexican Consulate in San Diego says "savings or investments", and the Mexican Consulate in Houston says "Cuenta Bancaria o de Inversiones". None we have read lists retirement accounts either way.
Applicants report having them accepted. That tells you what one officer did on one day, so it is a reason to ask, not a reason to assume.
Permanent Residency on money is for retirees and pensioners, and its savings figure is about $286,000 USD. The same question applies at that level, where far more depends on the answer.
Account by account
| Account | Savings route | Income route | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checking, savings, CDs | Yes | No | Lead with these |
| Brokerage, mutual funds | Yes, sheets name investments | No | Use monthly statements |
| 401(k), 403(b), 457 | Not named | No | Ask first |
| Traditional or Roth IRA | Not named | No | Ask first |
| RRSP, TFSA, SIPP, ISA, superannuation | Not named | No | Ask first |
| Annuity that pays monthly | Not named | Not named, ask whether it reads as a pension | Ask first |
| Social Security, CPP, a pension | No | Yes | Use the benefit letter and deposits |
| Crypto, home equity, vehicles | No | No | Not usable here |
The income guide covers what counts as income in more detail.
The statement problem
Even where a consulate is happy with a retirement account, the paper has to work.
Monthly balances. Consulates read 12 months, and some read every month-end. Many retirement plans issue statements quarterly. Before relying on the account, log in and check. If you only get quarterly statements, ask the plan provider for a letter or report showing the balance at each month-end, and ask your consulate whether it will take that.
Your name, in full. The statement should show your full name as it appears on your passport. Plan portals often use a shortened one.
Stamps and letters. Some consulates want statements stamped by the institution or backed by a signed letter. A plan administrator with no branch cannot stamp anything, so the same three options apply as for an online-only bank. Where a sheet says nothing about format, downloads may be enough on paper, but an officer can ask for more, so bring a signed letter if it is not hard to get.
Vested balance. Show what is yours. If part of a 401(k) is unvested employer money, count only the vested balance when you check the figure.
Already know you qualify?
Qualifying is the easy part; the file is what gets sent back. Roger Scott, who runs ResidencyMexico, went through it himself. On a 45-minute call he plans your route with you — which documents, in what form, and when to book — checks any documents you already have against your consulate's own list, and you leave with a written plan of your next steps.
The market can move your line
A bank balance holds still. A portfolio does not. Consulates differ on whether they average the 12 months or test every month, and the federal text says average. Several sheets read as a minimum at each month-end, so a drawdown that takes one month under the line can matter. Plan for your weakest month-end to clear the figure, with a buffer. The savings guide quotes the wording consulate by consulate.
Do not withdraw from a retirement account to create a bank balance just before applying. New money does not carry a 12-month history, and you may pay tax on it for nothing.
Couples
A retirement account has one owner, so a spouse cannot share it the way they can share a joint bank account. That makes the choice of main applicant important. The person whose name is on the qualifying balance is normally the one who files first, and the spouse follows through family unity and the main applicant shows about $1,400 USD more for each family member. Some consulates assess two independent applicants separately, so the married couples guide is worth reading before you decide.
What to ask your consulate
A vague question gets a vague answer. Send something like this, and keep the reply for your appointment:
I am applying for a Temporary Resident visa on savings. My balance is in a [401(k) / IRA] in my name, held at [provider]. I can provide [monthly statements / quarterly statements plus a letter showing month-end balances]. Will you accept this as proof of investments for the 12-month period?
If you also hold bank or brokerage accounts, ask whether balances in more than one account can be added together, since most sheets do not say.
Common questions
Does a 401(k) count for Mexican residency? No consulate sheet we have read names it. The federal rules accept investments or bank accounts, and a 401(k) holds investments, so it is not excluded, but it is not confirmed either. Get your consulate's answer in writing before relying on it.
Does an IRA or Roth IRA count as savings? The same applies. They are not named on the sheets. If your bank and brokerage accounts clear the figure on their own, use those.
Does a brokerage account count? Yes. Consulate sheets name investments directly. Use bank-issued statements that show your name, the month and the balance for each of the 12 months.
Do 401(k) withdrawals count as income? Consulate sheets name employment and pension income. Withdrawals you choose to take are not named, so do not plan your case around them without asking your consulate.
Does an annuity count? It is not named. One that pays a fixed monthly amount is closer to a pension than a balance is, so ask whether your consulate reads it on the income route.
Can I add my 401(k) to my bank savings to reach the figure? Most sheets do not say. Ask your consulate that exact question. You cannot add income and savings together, or savings and home value.
Does this work for an RRSP, SIPP or superannuation? They are in the same position as a 401(k): not named on the sheets we have read. Ask your consulate.