Quick answer: To qualify for Mexican residency on savings in 2026, you generally need about $74,688 USD (11,460 × UMA) for Temporary Residency, or about $298,815 USD (45,850 × UMA) for Permanent. Consulates look at your balance across the last 12 months of statements, and you can't combine savings with income — you qualify on one or the other.
Key takeaways
- Temporary: ~$74,688 USD in savings/investments. Permanent: ~$298,815 USD.
- Consulates assess your balance over 12 months of statements — don't just park money the week before.
- Investment and retirement accounts usually count (brokerage, IRA/401k), not just cash.
- You cannot mix income and savings, or savings and home equity — pick the stronger single route.
- Exact amounts vary by consulate — check yours.
The savings (economic-solvency by assets) route is the answer for people whose income is too low or too variable to qualify but who hold substantial assets — common for early retirees, FIRE folks, and anyone living off investments. Here's how it works in 2026. To see whether your savings clear the bar, run the calculator.
The 2026 savings thresholds
Mexican thresholds are multiples of the daily UMA (117.31 MXN/day for 2026):
- Temporary Residency: 11,460 × UMA ≈ $74,688 USD.
- Permanent Residency: 45,850 × UMA ≈ $298,815 USD.
Note the large gap between the two — many savings-based applicants qualify comfortably for Temporary but not Permanent, which is fine: you can convert after four years. See Temporary vs Permanent.
Each consulate converts these from pesos at its own exchange rate, so the figure in your currency varies — open your consulate's page for the exact amount. The published US figures:
| Consulate | Temporary — income /mo | Temporary — savings | Per dependent |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $4,081 | $68,015 | $1,360 |
| Presidio | $4,200 | $73,000 | — |
| New York | $4,292 | $71,530 | $1,431 |
| Oklahoma City | $4,293 | — | — |
| Atlanta | $4,300 | $71,000 | — |
| Boise | $4,400 | $75,000 | — |
| Phoenix | $4,400 | $72,500 | — |
| Tucson | $4,450 | $75,000 | — |
| Brownsville | $4,500 | $72,000 | — |
| San Diego | $4,510 | $75,950 | — |
| Las Vegas | $4,630 | $78,025 | $1,498 |
| Houston | $4,700 | $78,000 | — |
| Del Rio | $4,786 | $80,000 | — |
"Average" or "minimum"? Read your consulate's wording
Here's a nuance that matters more on the savings route than anywhere else. Some consulates assess your average monthly balance across the 12 months; others — San Diego's 2026 sheet is explicit — require a minimum monthly balance of the full amount in every month. The difference is real: a portfolio that dipped to $60k in a market drawdown and recovered passes an "average" test but can fail a "minimum" one. Check the exact wording on your consulate's sheet (our consulate pages link the official sources where published), and when in doubt, hold a comfortable buffer above the line for the full year.
What counts as savings
Most consulates accept a broad definition of liquid-ish assets:
- Bank balances (checking, savings).
- Investment accounts (brokerage, mutual funds).
- Retirement accounts (IRA, 401k, RRSP) — generally accepted, though some consulates scrutinize accessibility.
What typically doesn't count toward the savings route: cryptocurrency (explicitly not accepted as proof of solvency), and the value of your home or real estate — you can't add equity to your savings figure.
The statements themselves are half the battle: complete monthly statements (12 of them), with your full name and physical address — no P.O. box, bearing an official bank stamp or accompanied by a bank verification letter. Several consulates also want them presented month by month, not as a single year-to-date summary. Brokerage statements follow the same rules.
The 12-month rule
This is the detail people miss: consulates want 12 months of statements showing the balance held across that period — not a single high point. Parking a lump sum a week before your appointment doesn't work; the balance needs a demonstrated history. If you're consolidating accounts to clear the bar cleanly, do it more than a year before you apply so the presented account carries the full history.
Income or savings — not both
You qualify on one route. You can't add $40,000 of income-equivalent to $50,000 of savings to reach a threshold, and you can't combine savings with home value. So choose the route where you're clearly over the line:
- Strong, steady income above ~$4,432/month → the income route (see income requirements).
- Modest income but solid assets → the savings route.
Two lesser-known asset routes
Buried in some consulates' published sheets are two alternative qualifications worth knowing about (Las Vegas's 2026 sheet lists both):
- Mexican real estate: a notarized deed proving you own property in Mexico worth more than about $624,000 USD can qualify you for Temporary Residency — a separate pathway, not an addition to your savings.
- Investor route: documented participation in a Mexican company exceeding about $312,000 USD in invested capital.
These are niche, consulate-specific, and documentation-heavy — but if you already own a home in Mexico, ask your consulate about the property route before assembling a savings case.
Common questions
Do 401(k)/IRA balances really count even though I can't withdraw freely? Most consulates count retirement accounts toward savings; a few look harder at accessibility. If your liquid balance alone clears the bar, lead with that and bring the retirement statements as reinforcement.
What if the market drops during my 12-month window? Under an "average balance" standard a dip is survivable; under a "minimum balance" standard it can sink the application. Hold a buffer — applying with $76k against a $74,688 line is asking for trouble.
Can a couple combine accounts? Joint accounts presented for one main applicant work well. Some consulates assess the threshold per person for two independent applicants — structure matters, so run both setups through the calculator.
Is the savings route slower or less approved than income? No — it's the same visa with different evidence. If anything, a fat, stable balance is the easiest file an officer reviews all day.
Next step
Run the free calculator to check your savings against your consulate's 2026 threshold in about two minutes — it'll also tell you if the income route is the stronger play. Then browse requirements by consulate or read the complete 2026 requirements guide.
Prefer not to piece the process together yourself? Our guided residency product walks you through the entire application end to end — a document checklist personalized to your consulate and income type, apostille and translation tracking, interview prep, and real human support along the way.