The Verdict: Clear Path
You can apply as an investor on the business-activity basis, which has no minimum amount. Gather evidence that your business operates or will operate in Mexico, then apply at the Mexican consulate for your country.
The rules accept documents showing economic or business activity in Mexico: contracts, service orders, invoices, receipts, business plans, licences or permits, or a social security (IMSS) certificate showing at least three employees. No figure appears in this basis.
The investor visa does not authorise paid work in Mexico. To draw a Mexican salary, the company must register as an employer with the immigration institute (INM) and request a work-authorised residence for you. Many founders instead keep their earnings foreign and use residence on economic solvency, which the digital nomad quiz covers.
Apply at the Mexican consulate for your country of nationality or habitual residence, not from inside Mexico. Expect an interview and a decision within about ten working days, then exchange the visa for a residence card at the immigration institute within 30 days of arriving.
Temporary residence runs up to four years, then converts to permanent residence. Naturalisation follows after five years of residence, or two if you are a national of a Latin American country, Spain or Portugal.