The FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is the tourist permit most visitors and part-time expats use for stays under six months.

For stays longer than 180 days, or if you're just tired of border runs, apply for a temporary resident visa at a Mexican consulate in the US before you travel — you generally can't convert from tourist status once you're already here.

Permanent residency (residente permanente) is open directly to retirees and pensioners who clear a higher bar — roughly $7,400 USD a month or about $296,000 in savings for 2026, again UMA-based and consulate-dependent — or to anyone who has held temporary residency for several years.

This does not work the way it does back home, so don't assume.