Mexico has a liberal attitude toward immigration of foreigners. That does not mean they don’t require proper documentation from those seeking to enter the country.

While bothersome and time-consuming, immigration to Mexico is usually quite easy.  If you understand the process, follow the steps sequentially and don’t put yourself in the position of having to have a document yesterday, it will flow smoothly. As with all government procedures in virtually every country around the world, immigration documentation takes time and can be frustrating or confusing.  

There are only three immigration statuses in Mexico – Non Immigrant, Immigrant and Immigrado. Non-Immigrant refers to all tourists and those who have not applied for immigrado status (even though they may be living in Mexico full-time). These people are covered by the FM3 document. Immigrant refers to those who intend to live in the country permanently and have applied for permanent residence (covered by an FM2 document). Immigrado denotes a person who has been in the country more than 5 years consecutively as an immigrant (FM2) and is seeking to become a Mexican citizen.
If you know you will be working in Mexico, you can apply for an FM3 or FM2 with permission to work.  Alternatively, the company that intends to employ you in Mexico should process your application with the Immigration Secretariat. This will require a little more documentation.

Any adult travelling with children may be required to show evidence of parental/custodial access rights or consent to travel with the children. This also applies if one parent or guardian is traveling with a child under 18.  A birth certificate or passport for the child is also essential.

Any child under 18 years of age traveling alone must have a notarized letter signed by both parents or both legal guardians granting permission to travel in order to obtain a tourist visa in Mexico.