Moving from temporary to permanent residency in MexicoThere are three different routes, and knowing which one is yours before you start saves you a wasted trip. The general one requires four continuous years as a temporary resident. The short one drops to two if your temporary status came from a family tie to a Mexican. And if you're the parent of a Mexican by birth, you go straight to permanent with no wait. Watch the distinction that surprises…Confirm which waiting period applies to youNot everyone waits the same, and many people wait longer than necessary by not checking. The general rule is four consecutive years as a temporary resident. But if you obtained your temporary status through family ties with a Mexican, the period drops to two years. And if you are the parent of a…Count your days outside MexicoThe law looks at accumulated absences: more than 18 months outside the country during the four-year period can affect your eligibility. If you travel often, do the math before applying and gather your entry and exit stamps. Reconstructing this in a rush, at the counter, is one of the most…Mark the 30-day window on your calendarThe change of status is filed within the 30 days before your current card expires. Not earlier, not later. But since getting an appointment can take weeks due to saturation, the practical advice is to start looking two or three months before expiry, so you reach the window with an appointment in…Generate your NUT and get an appointmentSame as your initial process: first you fill out the application on the INM microsite, which generates your NUT, and only with that number does the appointment calendar open. When filling the form, the decisive part is correctly choosing the ground you're applying under (four years completed,…Gather your documents according to your groundThe basics always apply: valid passport, your temporary resident card, application form, proof of address, photos to specification, and payment of fees. Then add what your route requires: for family ties, the certificate proving it (and if foreign, apostilled and translated by a translator…Attend your appointment and collect your permanent cardBring originals and copies of everything. Remember that at INM all payments are by bank card, not cash. Once approved, they tell you when to collect your permanent resident card: indefinite validity, no renewals, with open work authorization.