How to Get a Mexican Passport if a Parent Is a Mexican Citizen
Recently, my father inserted me as a Mexican citizen, and I was issued a Mexican passport. This is a process that the parent must do, so I asked my dad to write a bit as to what steps he took to make me a citizen. Then I added the steps that I took to get my INE and passport. We hope this helps those who want dual citizenship in their quest to get their own Mexican passport when a parent is a Mexican citizen.
My father wrote:
To become Mexican, a person may be born on Mexican soil, or they can be direct descendants by blood. “By blood” is for those who are children of Mexicans, but they were not born on Mexican soil. This contrasts the children of foreigners born in Mexico are Mexicans by land. Of course, there are people who become Mexicans through the process of naturalization, acquiring the citizenship after being a resident, etc., quite similar to the American process.
So the process of recognizing someone who is Mexican by blood but was born outside Mexico is called “insertion”, because they insert the person in the system—in particular the “Civil Registry”—which is the organization that holds birth certificates in Mexico. As you can imagine, it involves essentially proving that at least one of the parents was a Mexican citizen. In the simplest case, it is the Mexican parent who drives the process and then the documents are issued to said parent—recognizing that the child has been registered as Mexican.
STEP 1 – Obtaining Your Apostille Birth Certificate:
It all starts by obtaining a birth certificate of the child that may be accepted as such by the Mexican government. First you have the birth certificate sent to you which costs around $15 or $20 USD, depending on your state. When you receive the birth certificate, then you pay another $15 to $25 dollars to get your Apostille certification. For us, this process took a couple months for us to receive our certified birth certificate. So you know, many states require the person requesting the birth certificate to be a family member or related in some way.
Mexico accepts the Apostille process, by which a birth certificate is recognized worldwide. Interestingly enough, neither the states of New York nor Texas issue Apostille birth certificates. As far as I know, Mexico simply accepts them as is, but there may be only specific forms and/or counties that are accepted. My son was born in Pennsylvania, and thankfully the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does issue Apostilles.
In Pennsylvania, the birth certificates are issued by the Department of Health, in Harrisburg. The birth was recorded in the county in which the child was born (Allegheny County for Pittsburgh). The birth certificate itself must be certified to be a true record of what is kept on file. In the case of Pennsylvania, the records are kept in the Division of Vital Records of the Department of Health. So, we obtained a birth certificate and a certification statement; together they are often called a “certified birth certificate”.
Then an Apostille document is issued on the birth certificate and the certification statement, stating that the signature in the certification statement is authentic, that by occupation and legal standing, the person issuing the Apostille is qualified to sign such document, and—if available—that the seal is true and valid in Mexico—i.e. that it is not counterfeit document. In particular, the Apostille does not deal with the content of the document. It does not say that the birth certificate is accurate. That is what the certification statement is meant to accomplish.
So, we have a birth certificate saying that a child was born in certain place, at a certain date, and from certain parents—where at least one of them is Mexican. In addition, we have a certification statement saying that the birth certificate is a true and accurate copy of what is kept in the books at the Division of Vital Records—or equivalent in other states. Finally, we have an Apostille saying that the certification statement was properly signed and sealed, and by a person who was allowed to make such a statement.
STEP 2 – Obtaining Your Spanish Translations:
For the next step in obtaining your translations, we have to find a translator who is certified as a perito traductor. The word “perito” is often translated as “expert”, so “perito traductor” is literally an “expert translator”. However, it is a qualification certified by a branch of the Mexican legal system.
In the case of trying to get the insertion done in the state of Morelos, the certification is extended by the “Tribunal Superior de Justicia del Estado de Morelos”, and it is made public by such tribunal in the “Boletín Judicial”, or Judicial Journal of the state of Morelos. Therefore, a qualified translator takes the certified birth certificate apostille and translates in into Spanish.
The result is a page in Spanish for each one in English. It ended up being three in this particular case (as mentioned in Step 1), and all bore the stamp and signature of the translator, who is basically vouching that the text in Spanish is equivalent to the original in English. The translator adds a page with his/her credentials.
STEP 3 – Registering Your Child with the Civil Registry
Armed with the translated Apostille, we then go to the Registro Civil (the place where one normally registers infants born in Mexico), to apply for the insertion of a citizen into the Mexican registration. After paying a fee and waiting a couple of days, we obtain two basic documents:
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A record that the parent presents the documents, in English and Spanish, to request the insertion. It must be noted that although the term used within the Registro Civil is “insertion”, the documents speak of “Inscripción”—akin to “registration”. I never understood why there exist two terms. Nevertheless, this document is signed by the parent, who also places his fingerprint, and is accepted by the Officer of the Civil Registry (his/her signature and stamp are also in the document). It states that the request has been accepted and recorded in a particular page of a particular book.
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A certificate issued by the same Civil Registry—equivalent to a Birth Certificate—stating that the request has been granted, and the child has been inserted in the records of the state (and thus the country). Although the text of this certificate is essentially the same as the request, it only bears the signature and stamp of the Officer of the Civil Registry, because it is essentially a statement of what was recorded in the books—much like a birth certificate states all the data surrounding the birth, which is recorded in the books.
In addition, since the Civil Registry is also the place where one obtains a citizen’s Unique Key of Population Registry—or CURP for its initials in Spanish—then you are also given a copy of the CURP document. The CURP is built from the name, birth date, birth place, and gender of the person, along with two “homologation” characters.
It is noteworthy that the mother’s maiden name is a legal part of a person’s name in Mexico (and many other countries), so the CURP is built using it. However, since the United States does not use that convention, the CURP uses the letter ‘X’ where a letter would be obtained from the mother’s maiden name. This is because the American birth certificate dictates the name which is legally inserted into the Registro Civil. Thus, the name omits the mother’s maiden name.
Also, the CURP uses a two-letter code for the state in which the person was born—for instance ‘MS’ denotes Morelos. For people who were inserted, the letters ‘NE’ (Nacido en Extranjero or “born abroad”) are used. Other than that, the CURP is identical to that of a Mexican by birth on Mexican soil.
STEP 4 – Getting your INE:
Once the “Inscription Certificate” is obtained, the newly-accepted Mexican may proceed to fully integrate him/herself, mainly by getting a voting card (INE). This is the most common document in Mexico. It is similar to a driver’s license in the US. It stands for Instituto Nacional Electoral, and it is the document that enables you to vote in any Mexican election. This document also has your picture and address, and is used universally throughout Mexico as your standard I.D.
Unlike a driver’s license in the United States, having an INE is your right as a Mexican citizen, and obtaining one is free at no cost to you. You simply find the INE office nearest to you—there is one in every major city—and you wait in line or go by appointment to obtain your card.
You will need to bring:
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Your new Mexican birth certificate (and bring your CURP document just in case).
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An electricity, water, or a telephone land-line bill to confirm your address (it doesn’t have to be in your name).
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There’s the catch to obtain your INE. You have no record in Mexico—and no previous Mexican photo ID because you have just become a Mexican citizen. (They will not accept an American photo ID. Trust me, I waited in line and tried it.) Therefore, you will need to bring two witnesses who are both Mexican citizens, and they must have their INE with them to testify that you are the person you say you are.
You will receive your INE in about ten days.
STEP 5 – Getting your Passport:
Next you head to the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) nearest to you in Mexico. Appointments are typically available in a few weeks, so if you’re in a rush then make your appointment early.
You need to bring two passport pictures (they are about 50 pesos at any photography shop in your home town). These are not the pictures that will be included into your passport. The passport photos are taken where you get your passport.
You also need to bring all the previous paperwork that you have completed, copies of your new Mexican birth certificate and your CURP (they will keep these copies), and then you go through a process of taking your photo. In Mexico, the passport is issued the same day. Therefore, many people go to lunch and pick up their passport that afternoon.
Paying for Your Passport:
There may be other ways of paying for your passport, however this is how we did it. Payment of your passport fees are done at any Mexican bank branch. You can do it online with some banks, you will have to check with your own Mexican bank.
You will need your CURP, the name you will be putting into the passport, and you must know how long you wish your passport to be valid. The validity of your passport will determine the amount you will pay in fees. You will be issued a deposit receipt which is valid for 5 years. This receipt is what you take with you to your passport appointment along with all your other material.
As of January 1st, 2019 the cost of a Mexican passport is:
- 1 Year – $610 MXN
- 3 Years – $1,265 MXN
- 6 Years – $1,735
- 10 Years – $2,670
*There is a 50% discount for senior citizens over the age of 60, those with disabilities, or those working in agriculture in Canada.
For more information on requirements, or how to set up an appointment, click here.
Interested in getting health insurance while living abroad? Get a free quote today by clicking below.
Comments (105)
Thank-you, this was extremely helpful and detailed. You’d think there would be more information online about this process, but your article is the best I have found.
Thank you very much, we really appreciate it!
So, getting your birth certificate translated (officially) is a mandatory requirement?
Is the translation of birth cert. mandatory?
Hello Patrick,
Yes. The government requires you to get your birth certificate translated by a licensed “perito translator”. You can find one in your state either by consulting an immigration lawyer if you wish (they will have a list of perito traductores that they have worked with), or if you want to follow this blog an avoid those hefty costs, you could surely find one at the OMT (Organization of Mexican Translators). Here is their website. I hope this helps!
https://omt.org.mx/
Thank you, I’m thrilled to get a response! So, I have the long version of my mother’s birth certificate (born in 1936, Mexico City) as well as the certified copy of my own birth certificate which I will have translated today. Is anything else required besides filling out the application and bringing 2 witnesses? Do both witnesses have to be Mexican citizens?
Patrick, the next step is to go to your local Registro Civil. I think you will have to pay a small fee, and you will get your CURP and your Mexican birth certificate. This process will take a while. For us it took two days, however it may take longer if you are in Mexico City. The state of Morelos where we did it is one of the smallest in the country.
It is after this process, when you are inserted and you get your Mexican birth certificate and your CURP that you can then begin to file for an INE (your voter registration card). This next step will take about ten days.
*IMPORTANT: this is the step where you need to bring two witnesses. Both have to be Mexican citizens. Both have to have their INE.*
Then once you have your INE, you can get your passport.
I will be updating the content in the coming hours to make this process a bit clearer, however I must be frank that I did not go through much of it. The insertion process is generally done by the parent.
I have invited my father to join in this discussion because he may be able to shed some light, if he gets around to it. I hope this comment helps.
Thank you, it does help immensely. I’m in Merida, Yucatan. I’m getting ready to head out to get the translation from the perito translator. So, if I understood correctly, the next step is to take my translated birth certificate along with my mother’s birth certificate (long version) AND 2 of my cousins who were born here (make sure they bring their INE’s) to the Civil Registrar. Upon doing this I will then pay a small fee and get my CURP and Mexican birth certificate? I see light at the end of the tunnel! For my purposes, I may not need to do the other steps right away. It’s so that I can have beachfront property that my mother left me transferred into my name. Wouldn’t just the CURP and Mexican birth certificate suffice for that? Thank you a zillion for this difficult to obtain yet simple info…!
Upon re-reading your comment, it looks like you meant that I don’t need the two witnesses for the initial visit to the Civil Registrar where I fill out the application and provide the documents, but after this process when I then apply for my INE is when I bring the 2 witnesses…
Yes. That is correct. You need your cousins for your INE.
Once again, however, this is the step for parents to insert their children, so you may want to bring your mother with you.
No matter what happens, someone at the Civil Registrar will be able to help you further. All my best wishes in your quest to become a Mexican citizen.
Hello, does it matter how old I am ? I am 29 now. Can I still become a Mexican ? Both of my parents are Mexicans .
No, it does not matter how old you are. I got mine done at 35. 🙂
We hope this helps!
My mother died in 1999 so I can’t bring her. I went to the Registrar Civil the other day and I showed them the long version of my mother’s birth certificate and the certified copy of my birth certificate which is what I was sent by Orange County Ca after requesting a copy and making sure I checked the box that said “certified copy”. The guy that was helping me was satisfied with that and gave me a small form to fill out after which I would then pay the fee and be done, but a lady who appeared to be his superior and who seemed to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed came over and pointed out that my birth certificate didn’t have a stamped seal, which I guess it didn’t but that was what I was given as a “certified copy” by the county of Orange (there was no mention of an apostille). She also demanded a piece of mail with a bill in my name – something that was not on the checklist that the guy helping me was going off of. When I got home, I examined it further and saw that it did have a watermark. Could the watermark be the Ca version of a “seal”? I believe so, and I think this lady was just ad-libbing about the piece of mail requirement as well. There is another Registrar-Civil office that is not in the crowded downtown area like this one was and I believe the employees there will be a bit more “tranquilo”. I plan to go there today.
Patrick, first off our condolences on your mother’s passing.
It seems that things are progressing on your citizenship. We are so glad! Please keep us posted. 🙂
My family ordered my birth certificate, and then we had to send it out again for the apostille certification. Did you do this step? If so, it will say so on your certification and translation. If it says so on your translation, then it sounds like you did catch someone on the wrong side of the bed.
We certainly hope that this process works for you. It does seem like you’re just a step or two away! Crossing our fingers.
If you did not get your apostille birth certificate (and you merely got your birth certificate, and did not send it for the apostille stamp), then you may need to look into a company such as these.
All our best, https://www.onesourceprocess.com/california-apostille/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIifaA3azt3wIVWCUrCh1W-Qy-EAAYASAAEgK8u_D_BwE
For the apostille, can I take it to the same guy who translated it?
No Patrick, however by the letter of the law, you might need to translate your apostille once you do get it.
We’re rooting for you!
Thanks Raf, I’m using the apostille service from the link you provided.
Awesome!
Hello & thank you so much for all these details! I wanted to ask if it if necessary to travel to Mexico for this process? I see that in step 3, when attending the Registrar Civil, you had traveled to Mexico. I was wondering if that process can take place as a Mexican Consulate? I’m located in Los Angeles, California and would love more tips– thank you!
Hello Sarita,
The plain fact is I am not sure if you can. I would reach out to your nearest embassy and consulate and just ask them by phone. However, a quick search says that it may be possible! The insertion process is essentially registering a child as a Mexican citizen. Here it says that that is possible at a consulate, so it’s definitely worth a shot. 🙂 I hope this helps.
https://www.consulmexny.org/eng/registrar_bith_registration.htm
Raf
If my father (born in Texas to Mexican citizens who were born in Mexico) claims his Mexican citizenship (by birth) and becomes a Mexican Citizen and still maintains his US citizenship, what can that do for me a US citizen born to two US born parents? Can I claim Mexican citizenship once he become a Mexican citizen? Would it be by birth? Or does it not pass to me? Is my only path to Mexican citizenship Naturalization (residency)?
Michael, you should look into this article: https://weexpats.com/get-mexican-citizenship/
However, if your father becomes a dual citizen, then you can become a Mexican citizen because your father is one. It might even be enough to try the insertion process directly from your grandfather or mother, however I would just try and get your father inserted as well. It is inexpensive, relatively quick (a few months or less), and it can never hurt! We hope this helps.
I am an adult, my father has duel citizenship my husband and I went to the Mexican consulate in Boston to start the process to become Perm Residents in Mexico. It was explained to us there that I did not need to do Perm Residency as my father had dual citizenship that he could claim me and I can apply for my own dual citizenship thru him. He went to an Immigration lawyer in QRE and they said not I would have to be a minor to be allowed to do this. Is that correct?
Yes, this is correct Kristin. I am 35 years old, and I was recently added by my father. The process above will explain to you how to do it. The comment section can help greatly. We are also here to answer questions.
In addition, this blogs could help you with extra information:
https://weexpats.com/get-mexican-citizenship/
Our advice would be to get your citizenship, and then try and get your husbands citizenship through marriage. You have to be married in Mexico to do this step, but maybe you could have an inexpensive civil ceremony in a courthouse. I am not sure. However, it would likely be the fastest step. There are numerous external links in the article.
Thank you!
You’re welcome Michael. 🙂
Raf, my apostillized birth certificate arrived today and everything on the apostille is in triplicate – English, French, and Spanish. Do I still need to get the apostille translated? I would think not because it is already translated on the document itself. I’m now armed with my mother’s long version birth certificate, my own birth certificate which includes the translation from the perito traductor, and finally the apostille. I plan to use the fedex envelope that the apostille arrived in as my piece of mail. Is that everything I need in order to head back to the Civil Registrar?
Hello Patrick,
By the letter of the law, you would have to have your apostille translated by a perito translator. However, because you have the birth certificate translated already, and you came so close last time, then I would go in there and just talk to them. If not, it will only be a short step away. The important thing is you have your apostille birth certificate! Yay!
Please keep us posted!
I’ve seen other blogs that mention having to have your parents’ marriage certificate but I don’t think that is accurate…
To my knowledge, we did not bring that document. My father was very thorough in what he wrote in the article, and he would have mentioned bringing that document.
I think you will be fine without it. 🙂
Patrick, we haven’t heard from you in a while. Did everything work out okay? We hope so!
I had to get my parents marriage certificate even thought hey were divorced. I still have to get my birth certificate translated. It has been a long process.
Are these the requirements to become a Mexican citizen?
Hello Margarita, yes these are the requirements to become a Mexican citizen, but only if at least one of your parents is a Mexican citizen.
If you do not have a Mexican parent, you might be interested in this article. 🙂
https://weexpats.com/get-mexican-citizenship/
Hello and THANK YOU for this great and very thorough information!! I have two questions for you if you don’t mind.
1. My boyfriend is 32 years old, Mexican by blood, born in the U.S. Both of his parents passed away when he was 15 years old. Both were Mexican citizens and were buried there. He has family (aunts & uncles) that live in Michoacan. Can he still gain Mexican citizenship even though his parents have passed away? If so, what would be the different steps?
2. We live in Seattle, Wa. Does he have to be in Mexico for any of the steps or can we do it from here? If he does need to be in Mexico does it matter to which city we go to for the needed steps? As in does it need to be where he has family or where his parents are buried?
Thank you so much in advance!!
Hey Holli. 🙂 The best bet is to go to your nearest Mexican consulate and begin the process there. Every consulate and office has different hoops that you have to jump through. They’ll walk you through it. Bring just any information that you have on his parents (birth certificate, death certificate). Start the apostellado birth certificate now. It’s not expensive but it can sometimes take a while.
Though it can take forever to get your Mexican passport, it’s definitely worth it.
Hi..I’ve been to mexican consulate in San Diego was able to get certified birth certifcate from Tijuana (i wa s born there) but have been living in SD with US adoptive parents.
If Im reading your information correctly, since I do NOT have any kind of photo ID from Mexico …then I have to go thru the process of obtaining an INE card by making appt and bringing 2 mexican witnesses with me? Just wondering if I can bypass the witness requirement if I was born in Mexico. Thank you
Hello Mariza! I am not sure about your particular case, however I can point you in the right direction.
If you have these documents, then you don’t need two witnesses. If you don’t have these documents, then you will require witnesses.
We hope this helps!
https://portalanterior.ine.mx/archivos3/portal/historico/contenido/interiores/Detalle_Credencial_para_Votar-id-a7e237b5af4dd110VgnVCM1000000c68000aRCRD/
This process still seems overwhelming to me. Both my parents were born/raised in Mexico, I’m a US citizen but now living in the United Kingdom. Very confusing! Are there any immigration lawyers that you could recommend, even in the US? The process is far too confusing, especially because I no longer live in my home state of California and have the extra burden of living in a third country.
Cris, I would recommend going to the Mexican embassy or consulate near you. They can walk you through the process. Our understanding is that you may be able to do the process remotely from the Mexican embassy.
Read this to learn more: https://www.consulmexny.org/eng/registrar_bith_registration.htm
Here is are some immigration lawyers in the UK:
https://www.migrationexpert.co.uk/uk-embassy/mexico
https://otssolicitors.co.uk/immigration
https://www.davidsonmorris.com/
I have the same issue I am a US citizen. I am in China and I work here. Is it possible to do it through the MX consulates based in China? I don’t have much vacations to do it from my hometown in San Diego Ca USA. Thanks Both my parents were born in Mexico.
Gabe, the last time I researched the topic it seemed quite likely that you could! I would call the embassy an ask. . .
And if you cannot get through then maybe consider setting an appointment and going for a visit?
We hope this message finds you well.
Thank you for your reply. I will get a hold of them and ask. I will let you know how it went. There is a consulate in Shanghai, China.
You’re very welcome Gabe! We’re here to help.
And please keep us posted!
All this is very confusing to me. I was born in the U.S, but somehow I have a mexican birth certificate stating that I was born in Mexico…Same date, time etc… I thought that all dual citizens got a mexican birth certificate, or at least that’s what my parents said. Can I just use my mexican birth certificate?
Raul,
Yes. If you are already a dual citizen, then you can just get your INE and your passport with that birth certificate. This article is for people who do not necessarily have dual citizenship yet. This article mostly helps them get their citizenship.
Just skip to Step 4 in the article.
We hope this helps.
Hello! Glad I found this article. My question is this… My husband was born in Mexico and now has Canadian citizenship. He did not renew his Mexican passport when it expired and we have 3 Canadian children that we would now like to get Mexican passports for. What do we do?
Angie,
Your husband’s passport is not an issue. What we recommend is getting an apostille birth certificate for each one of your children. Then follow the steps in the article–namely registering the children with the Civil Registry.
From there you can begin the process of getting their citizenship, their INE, and finally their passports.
Hi I’m got al papers (bird sartificat ene curp)bat when I go to make passport the not given an me the told me you have to wait until we check your birth sertificate so that says the going to coll me so what can I do and how long I have to wait?
Alex,
So if you have your INE, Birth Certificate, and CURP, then you should be able to get your passport in one day.
This article may be able to help you. We hope this helps!
https://viajala.com.mx/blog/como-sacar-el-pasaporte-en-mexico
This link doesn’t help me. They told me there are going to check my birth certificate it’s normal and how long it’s take to them to check?
Alex, it really depends on the facility.
Hello! Thanks for the info. I had a question about step 3. In your post it says “document is signed by the parent, who also places his fingerprint, and is accepted by the Officer of the Civil Registry (his/her signature and stamp are also in the document). “ So does this mean my parents have to be present during step 3? What if they can’t go to Mexico. Could I present the documents by myself? Thank you
Hello.
Do my parents have to come with me? Can I do step 3 on my own? Thank you
Hello Dani, we read both your comments and though this is the way that we did it for my citizenship, we have heard that your parents may not need to be there. We have even heard that you can do it when your parents have even passed on.
The best thing to do is to go to the Civil Registry and speak with someone there about the particulars of your situation.
We hope this message finds you well.
Sorry! I didn’t mean to spam. Thanks again! I will give an update about this situation when I go (in a month).
Not a problem. Yes! Please keep us posted! We are here to help. 🙂
Raf
I have a question can I skip the IFE and just go apply for my Mexican passports or will they require me to have a IFE? I just got inserted via my parents and have a Mexican birth certificate
Hello Jo!
You cannot skip the INE. Trust me, we tried. In short, you need the INE as one of the documents, because the passport office won’t accept the two witnesses.
If for some reason you have the paperwork necessary to get the passport you can skip it, but remember that it’s a catch 22 where you won’t have any paperwork proving who you are because you just became a Mexican citizen, so you need the INE in effect to prove who you are. That’s where the two witnesses come in.
Rest assured, it only takes like ten days to get your INE. Congratulations on your citizenship!
We hope this message finds you well.
Do you only need a INE if you are obtaining your passport in Mexico not the US at a consulate? I am going to get mine this week and all I have is my Acta De Nacimiento and my US passport?
Karla,
You may be able to sidestep the INE process if you are doing the procedure at a US consulate. You should call your nearest Mexican consulate and ask. AND PLEASE! Let us know and we will update the content!
Thank you. 🙂
Yes please update on this situation in particular!
My mom got me dual citizen when I was a kid. I’d like to now get an INE and passport. Almost all of my Mexican family lives in the US now so it’d be tricky for me to provide an address etc.
Can I just go to the embassy here in the US?
Also, I don’t know Spanish. Is that going to be an issue? If I bring my Mexican mom can she just translate, or is it fine if I answer in English at the embassy?
Hello SC,
Yes we recommend just going to the Mexican consulate or embassy near you. It may be a hassle considering that the paperwork is in Spanish, but hopefully someone can help. Maybe an immigration lawyer can help you fill out the paperwork.
We hope this message finds you well.
In step 4 it says that you need something to confirm your address. What if you live in the US and don’t have an address in Mexico.
Hello Evelyn,
How curious, because yesterday I was at the INE office and the man that was helping me just happened to mention as an offhand remark that you can get an INE sent directly to your US household. You have to go to the Mexican consulate nearest you, and they can help you get an INE. I’m so glad that I got this information?
I am going to Mexico this week with my mom to obtain Mexican citizenships through her. I will be taking my apostilled birth certificate but do I need to take my marriage license now that my name has changed since birth (married last name)?
Yes, definitely. You should take any information that you can use to identify yourself. However, your legal name in Mexico will be whatever is found on your apostille birth certificate. Then you will have to change your name in Mexico to fit your spouse’s.
We hope this message finds you well.
My father did something in Mexico for me to where I now have a “Registro Civil” brown form from the Estado de San Luis Potosi (where father is from). According to him, this document officially gives me double nationality, but I still haven’t gotten my passport.
When I go to this website https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/dallas/index.php/2016-03-22-02-16-58/pasaportetramite
to start an appointment for a Mexican passport in Dallas, it states the I will need the following documents:
Prueba de nacionalidad mexicana, usted puede presentar cualquiera de los siguientes documentos en original.
*Acta de nacimiento original o copia certificada expedida por el Registro Civil
*Carta de naturalización
*Certificado de nacionalidad mexicana
*Declaratoria de nacionalidad mexicana
3. Identificación oficial con fotografía, usted puede presentar cualquiera de los siguientes documentos en original.
*Credencial escolar
“Matrícula Consular
*Certificado de estudios con fotografía sellada
*Licencia de conducir de Estados Unidos
*Tarjeta de Residente (Green card)
*Credencial para votar con fotografía (IFE)
*Cartilla del Servicio Militar Nacional (liberada)
*Cédula Profesional
*Declaratoria de nacionalidad mexicana
Does this mean that all I need is my “Registro Civil” form and my Texas DL to make an appointment at my local Mexican consulate?
To be honest Roberto, we’ve never done it this way. From the material that you have posted above (assuming your registro civil form works), then I guess that’s all you need? I would bring in as much material as possible just in case.
We hope this message finds you well. 🙂
Hello,
Both of my grandparents on my mother’s side were born in Mexico. My mother was born in the United States but apparently has a Mexican birth certificate.
Is it possible for me to get dual citizenship? Could I too be “inserted”?
Thanks!
Rich, I am fairly certain that you could get your Mexican citizenship. I think all you would need is a copy of everyone’s birth certificate–especially bring your mother’s birth certificate. If she has a Mexican birth certificate, then she is a Mexican citizen, and she is in the registry.
Do you live in the United States? If you do, the best way would be to go to the nearest Mexican Embassy and speak to them about the process for your particular situation. We hope this message finds you well. 🙂
Best page on the internet for this topic. Question for ya. So I already have a Mexican birth cert. Never lived there. Lived in US all my life. Can I just skip those first steps and show up an get my electoral Card? Would I still need the CURP?
Thanks Armando, that is high praise! I think you will need your CURP and some documents listing an address for you in Mexico (it doesn’t have to be an address, simply the address that you will have on your INE).
However, if you already have your Mexican birth certificate, that is the easiest part. You should have a CURP because of that (it’s like a social security number and it’s given to everyone with a birth certificate), and I’m sure someone can help you find yours at the Registro Civil.
I sincerely hope this message finds you well, and don’t forget your two witnesses! You’ll need them when you go and they will need their two INEs with them also. 🙂
Can I be inserted even if my Mexican father has passed away? If so what do I need to bring to prove my father is Mexican?
Hello Elizabeth, yes you can be inserted if your Mexican father has passed away. Just bring his birth certificate with you and follow the steps. We hope this helps!
Hi I was wondering how long it will take to complete the process of becoming a Mexican citizen if your parents are Mexican citizens. I’m about to begin the process I was just wondering how long to expect to wait.
It took us like 2 – 3 months. Really the longest part is waiting for the apostille birth certificate, then the rest happens in a matter of weeks. 🙂
I have a question because your steps are inaccurate. According to the US embassy and the Mexico SRE if your birth certificate is issued in the US it does not need to be Apostilled. It only needs to be apostilled if they are issued outside of the USA.
If that is what you have heard Anna, that is news to us. Even in the comments of this article (if you read the entire thread in the comments section) there is real-world experience from someone who was rejected because their birth certificate was not apostilled.
We hope this message finds you well.
My Mom (born 1932 in NYC) and Abuela (born 1905 in Merida QR) are now both deceased but while traveling in Merida this past year I was told I would still qualify for citizenship if one grandparent was Mexican born. Would the process be the same?
David, you are going to have to speak with your nearest Mexican consulate or if you’re in Mexico you would have to speak to the Registro Civil. They will be able to help you with the particulars of your situation. We hope this message finds you well.
Are people obtaining dual citizenship through their parents required to take a Spanish proficiency test?
Michell, no you do not have to take any tests. You don’t even have to learn the national anthem. They simply insert you into their books and you are a Mexican citizen! 🙂
We hope this message finds you well.
Great info, thanks it got me started on the process. If you’re in the US, just make an appointment to go to the MX consulate and you can get your: MX citizenship, INE and passport. It is a faster process. The phone prompts will tell you exactly what you need. It did mention about two witnesses that i took but the consulate did not request them. I found that strange but oh well.
For my MX Birth Certificate: I live in the US and just got my US Birth Certificate, my mothers MX birth Certificate and parents marriage license. I did not get anything translated. I will add this, make sure you parent MX birth certificate was reprinted within the last 10 years. They (the consulate) will not take any document older than that. Also, since my father had past, they wanted to see a copy of my fathers death certificate.
Schedule an appointment at the Mexican Consulate in Texas and they registered me as a Mexican citizen and my Mexican birth certificate can be picked up one week later.
They told me that i did not need my INE unless i was thinking about buying property or was going to receive an inheritance. Then they recommenced if I wanted to get my INE it would be best to identify a city where you will live and apply for it there.
As for the passport, all you need is your form and Mexican Birth certificate. I am working on that now.
Great to know! Thank you J! We hope this message finds you well.
Hello and thanks for all this great information! My Mexican husband and I (US citizen) are trying to get our daughter her Mexican Citizenship. The consulate here in New York City basically told us all the steps you outline in your article, which we have started to do. But now they have told us something new, which is that because my daughter does not have the Mexican style last name with my husband’s last name followed by my maiden name, they will not issue her a passport. Yes, we can register/insert her in Mexico, with all the paperwork we currently have (birth certificate, apostille, translation, etc), but they won’t ever issue her a passport unless she or we legally change her name. Have you ever heard of this? We are in the middle of this process but are about to stop because now we have this news. Any thoughts or comments?
Hello Gabrielle, forgive the late reply. I just got back from the office that issues the passport. I have been having my own issues as well because they wanted an Electronic Registration Number from la SIDEA. We will be updating the content.
I am getting my passport issued without issues concerning me missing my maiden name. My father’s advice (because I spoke to him about your case) is to get the Mexican passport issued on Mexican soil. Apparently one that is issued abroad at a consulate cannot be renewed once on Mexican soil. It must be renewed at the same consulate it was issued–and should you ever live in Mexico, then after the passport that is issued abroad expires, you will have to go through hoops to get a new passport issued.
His advice was also to just change your daughter’s name in the country of Mexico to include a mom’s maiden name. That is not a large deal, but it can have tedious consequences later down the road because you will have to have a multitude of documents proving that the two names correspond to the same person.
Part of the problem is that Mexico is transitioning to an electronic system and the bureaucratic nightmare that exists in Mexico is struggling to standardize between the states and the federal government. So, when I say that I am not having an issue, that has to do with my state Morelos and the insertion process there.
My advice to you is to just go through the hoops. It can be beneficial to speak to an immigration lawyer. Seek professional advice likely for the cost of a phone call. Just know that for us the process has been a myriad of issues, and we are still struggling to get my passport issued.
We will be updating the content soon with the new information we have learned.
All our best from WeExpats,
Rafael Bracho
Hi, I have my apostilled birth certificate, and the translation of both my birth certificate and the apostille. I have my mother’s Mexican birth certificate, which is older than 10 years. I know it was recommended to get a birth certificate less than 10 years old but I’m going to try and use what I have. I’m going to make an appointment with the Mexican Consulate in the US.
My mother changed her name when she became a US citizen. Her name was Heriberta Patricia Amaya Galvan (this name is on HER MX birth certificate). It was changed to Patricia Amaya and this name is on MY birth certificate. My mom has her US naturalization papers which show her old and new name. Do you think I even need her naturalization paper? If so, do you think I need to get this naturalization paper translated as well?
Do you know if it’s cash/credit/debit/check/cashier’s check for fees at the consulate?
Absolutely bring any paperwork proving that your mother’s two names belong to the same person.
I have no idea what the consulate accepts. I would bring the cash and card just in case. Keep us posted on how it’s going! 🙂
Hi, My mother was born in Spain but was naturalized in Mexico. Later she moved to Canada but was still a Mexican citizen when I was born… I really would like to have my citizenship but have been told I dont qualify because my mother was not born in Mexico ( Immigrated when she was 5 from Spain) .. any chance I can do this route? ( She and my father were married in Mexico)
I don’t know. I’ve heard the same thing to be honest. I’ve heard that I can become a citizen, but that my children cannot unless they were born on Mexican soil. . . However, I would recommend speaking to an immigration lawyer or the nearest Mexican consulate/embassy. 🙂 We hope this message finds you well. 🙂
Sorry, but I wish you could explain everything like if I was a 5 year old. I went to the Mexican consulate in my city to ask how I could have dual citizenship. The person there was so rude. He said I needed my dads birth certificate, his drivers license and school records. First of all, my dad, being from Mexico, came to the US at about 16 yrs old. He never had a drivers license. He passed away in 2007. I told the person that how come Oscar De La Hoya had gotten his dual citizenship? He told me worry about yourself.. So complicated..
Ofelia, I am so sorry you had a bad experience. Our article is mostly about the process when you are in Mexico. I’m told it’s even easier at a consulate. I would recommend continuing the process. Just go back and continue to jump through the bureaucratic hoops. It took me two years to get my passport.
Several of the issues that have been raised by people are completely different at one consulate to the next. I sincerely hope you continue to try and get your Mexican passport, and maybe you’ll get a better person next time!
I think you can find school records and a birth certificate online. 🙂
Great information everyone, just one thing I wanted to add. I recently bought land in Mexico and plan to build a home, the person that assisted me in getting my official documents for the land told me (after I mentioned i was planning on going through the process of getting my Dual Citizenship because my parents are Mexican) that it’s best to do it in Mexico for tax purposes if later you decide to buy property or possibly other situations. If you go to a Mexican Consulate here in the US you’d be putting in a US address, whereas if you did it in Mexico you could put a relatives address with no issues and it could benefit you possibly in the future (paying less taxes).
I too had an issue with the name on my birth certificate. Although all of my US documents and forms are correct, having my First and Last name…my Birth Certificate shows First Name, Moms Maiden, then fathers Last name. Because of this that’s how Mexico would have my name. I tried fixing it but the process is somewhat long to change my name here in the US then apply for Dual Citizenship in Mexico. I decided to just go with whats on my birth certificate currently, as I’m essentially the same person because that’s what shows on my US birth certificate.
Great information and that’s a wonderful addition! Thanks!
This is great! My dad was born and raised in Mexico, but I was born in the USA. I’m 36 now but have been wanting to get dual citizenship. Thanks for the info! Looks like I have a lot of work to do!
You’re welcome Josue! Comment and we can help you further if you run into issues. We’ve also been meaning to update the content. 🙂 Just go through the hoops, it takes years. But it’s worth it to get universal health care. 🙂
I’m very confused, despite this very informative blog. I’m 30, a U.S. citizen born to Mexican parents. I live in New York (in NYC).
Step 1: Obtaining a Birth Certificate – So, I have to get a copy of my birth certificate, a “Birth Vault Certificate Certificate”, correct?
“New York doesn’t issue Apostille birth certificates”. I still need to do this anyway, right? Could you point me to where? a site?
Step 2: Spanish Translation
Get a certified as a perito traductor to translate from English to Spanish my Apostille birth certificate? Could you point me to one in New York?
Step 3: Registering in the Civil Registry
I go to the Registro Civil (in Mexico) (or the Mexican consulate here in New York) and present the translated Apostille to apply for insertion as a citizen into the Mexican registration.
I just want to make clear: My parents cannot leave the U.S., do I need them for anything? Do I need to obtain their birth certificates / marriage certificate? I have all that too.
Also, my parents made a mistake on my birth certificate and my name is styled the same way Mexican citizens have it: First Name / Father’s Last Name (Paternal) / Mother’s Maiden Name (Except in my case, in my birth certificate: First Name / Middle Name (Father’s Last Name here) / Last Name (Mother’s Maiden Name is here). Will this be an issue?
My father also isn’t on my birth certificate, so I’m guessing that means I can only claim citizenship through my mother? I’m not sure how I’m going to obtain a copy of the CURP document then.
Step 4: INE
I can go to Mexico for this step, I get this one.
Step 5: Passport
I can also go to Mexico for this step, is there an alternative though, if I can’t when the time comes?
Hello Marissa,
If your father isn’t on your birth certificate, then I would just go through your mother. If not, it will be a REAL hassle trying to get the Mexican government to recognize your father. . . etc.
I would go to your local Mexican embassy or consulate. They will have information on the best steps to take, and they will likely be able to refer you to their translator and how to get your apostille certification. You can probably do that for $25 USD online though. . .
Having your name on your birth certificate in the Mexican fashion can only help you. For example, my name is not in the Mexican fashion and thus my legal name in Mexico omits the mother’s maiden name. This has caused me problems, so count yourself lucky they did that. 🙂
We hope this message finds you well. 🙂
Texas does apostille documents. I haven’t researched every state, but it has to be available in every state. I’m not sure why this false information was published. It goes to show you, don’t believe everything you read!
Al, not every state does apostille birth certificates. In fact, we just had a comment from a person in New York who is struggling with that very issue. That said, this article is meant to be a guide from my family’s lived experience as to how we did it. Your journey to become a citizen will likely differ seeing as how every consulate/embassy has their own red tape to endure.
We hope this message finds you well. 🙂
This has been the most informative article I have found regarding the process. The comments and your responses have been amazing!
My wife and I are going to begin the process at a Mexican consulate soon using our parents Mexican citizenship. We already have our names on land to be left for us however I believe reading everything it’s better we have these documents in place before inheriting or purchasing land.
I’ll keep you updated
Ryan, please do! We’re here to help. 🙂
We hope this message finds you well. 🙂
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