You renew your temporary residency card in person at your local INM office during the 30-day window before it expires. Fees for 2026 start at 11,141 pesos for one year.
When Do You Need to Renew?
Your temporary resident card has an expiration date printed on the front. Renewal must happen within the 30 calendar days before that date. Not before the window opens. Not after it closes. If your card expires on August 20, your window opens on July 21. That is your only window.
INM does not send reminders. No email. No text. No letter. The expiration date on your card is the only notice you get. Write it down somewhere you check regularly. Set a phone alarm for 45 days before expiration so you have time to gather documents and book your appointment before the 30-day window opens.
What Are Your Renewal Options?
After your first year of temporary residency, you choose how many years to renew for. Your options are one, two, or three additional years. The total cannot exceed four years of temporary residency. If you are in your second year and renew for three, that takes you to year four, the maximum.
Longer renewals cost more upfront but save you repeat trips to INM. A three-year renewal means one visit instead of three. It also means one fee payment instead of three separate ones. For most Baja expats who plan to stay, the multi-year renewal is worth the higher upfront cost.
After four total years of temporary residency, you become eligible to switch to permanent. That is a separate process covered in our guide to switching from temporary to permanent residency.
How Do You Renew?
Step 1: Book Your Appointment Online
Since September 2024, most INM offices require an online appointment. Go to inm.gob.mx/spublic/portal/inmex.html and click the “Tramites Migratorios” icon. The system asks for your current card’s reference number and lets you select your INM office location. You will see a calendar with available dates and times.
Book as soon as your 30-day window opens. Popular offices like Tijuana fill up fast. If no slots appear, check back daily. Cancellations open new slots. Some smaller regional offices still accept walk-ins, but do not count on it.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents
You need originals and one photocopy of each. Your valid passport with a copy of the photo page. Your current temporary resident card, still valid on the day you file. The completed “Formato basico” application form, filled out online at the INM website, printed, and signed by hand.
You also need a cover letter in Spanish. This is a brief letter requesting the renewal, stating your name, current immigration status, card number, and the duration you want to renew for. One paragraph is enough. Address it to the “Delegado Federal del INM” for your state.
Photos are no longer required. INM staff take a digital photograph at the office during your appointment. One less thing to worry about.
Step 3: Pay the Fee
Generate the payment form (hoja de ayuda) on the INM website after completing your online application. Take it to any Mexican bank and pay in person. Banamex, Bancomer, Banorte, HSBC, and Santander all accept INM payments. Keep the stamped bank receipt. INM will not process your renewal without it.
Pay the fee before your appointment date. Some expats pay the same morning and rush to INM. That works, but it adds stress. Pay a few days early and walk in with the receipt already in your folder.
Step 4: Appear in Person
You must go yourself. No lawyers. No proxies. No one filing on your behalf. INM takes your fingerprints, your photograph, and your signature at the service window. Bring every document listed above plus the stamped bank receipt.
The appointment itself takes 30 to 90 minutes depending on the office and the day. INM’s digital system, rolled out in recent years, has sped up processing at larger offices. Some applicants report receiving their new card the same day. Others are told to return in five to ten business days. It varies by office and workload.
What Does It Cost in 2026?
INM doubled its immigration fees effective January 1, 2026. The new rates for temporary residency renewal are significant.
One-year renewal: 11,141 pesos (approximately $557 USD at 20:1). Two-year renewal: 16,693 pesos (approximately $835 USD). Three-year renewal: 21,143 pesos (approximately $1,057 USD).
These are the published 2026 rates. In 2025, a one-year renewal cost 5,328 pesos. The increase is 109 percent across all categories.
A 50 percent fee reduction applies to certain applicants under the 2026 Ley Federal de Derechos reform. Eligible categories include family unit applicants and other specific groups. Check with your INM office or an immigration consultant to confirm whether you qualify for the discount.
If you also need a work permit addendum (permiso de trabajo), that costs an additional 4,341 pesos for 2026. The work permit must be renewed alongside your residency card. It does not renew automatically.
Where Do You Renew in Baja?
You file at the INM office that matches your registered address. This is the address you provided when you first obtained your temporary residency. If you have moved since then, update your address with INM first using the “aviso de cambio de domicilio” procedure.
The main INM office in Baja California is in Tijuana at Calle Diamante s/n, Fraccionamiento La Esmeralda, Delegacion San Antonio de los Buenos, CP 22640. Phone: (664) 636-6017. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is a secondary office at Boulevard Insurgentes No. 16000, Fraccionamiento Los Alamos, CP 22110.
The BCS office is in La Paz at Agustin Olachea between Boulevard Luis Donaldo Colosio and Calle Chechen, Colonia Las Garzas, CP 23079. Phone: 612-122-0429. Same hours. If you live in Los Cabos, Loreto, or Todos Santos, you still file in La Paz.
Arrive early. The waiting rooms fill quickly after opening. Parking at the Tijuana office is limited. At the La Paz office, street parking along Olachea is usually available before 9:30 a.m.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?
If your card expires before you file, you lose your legal immigration status. You become undocumented. INM cannot renew an expired card. There is no grace period. There is no late filing option.
To regain legal status, you would need to leave Mexico and return to your home country. Then visit a Mexican consulate and start the entire residency application from scratch. That means a new consular interview, new financial qualification, new fees, and months of processing. Everything you built resets to zero.
This is the single most important rule in Mexican immigration for temporary residents. Do not miss the deadline.
What About the Work Permit?
Temporary residency alone does not authorize employment. If you work in Mexico, legally or plan to, you need the work permit addendum (permiso de trabajo). This is a separate line item on your residency card.
You apply for the work permit at the same time as your renewal. Same appointment. Same office. Bring a letter from your employer or, if self-employed, your RFC registration and proof of business activity. The additional fee for 2026 is 4,341 pesos.
If you already have a work permit on your current card, it does not carry over automatically. You must explicitly request it again during renewal. Forgetting this step means your new card arrives without work authorization. Fixing it requires a separate appointment and procedure.
Regulations and government processes change. This article reflects information current as of March 2026. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed immigration consultant or contact the relevant government office directly.