Banking
Mexico — Banking: Opening an Account
As of 2026, the era of opening a Mexican bank account on a standard 180-day tourist visa is effectively over — stringent anti-money laundering regulations mean nearly every major bank now requires applicants to hold formal Temporal or Permanente residency (an exception exists for HSBC México's high-net-worth international clients with significant deposits). Applicants generally need their resident card, CURP, RFC (with homoclave), passport, and a recent proof-of-address utility bill. An initial deposit of roughly MXN 1,000 is typical to activate a standard account. Applications are usually processed in person at a branch.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceComisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) / bank policy disclosuresLast reviewed: 2026-07-19
Key facts
- Formal residency (Temporal or Permanente) is now required by nearly all major banks — tourist-visa account opening is effectively closed.
- Core requirements: resident card, CURP, RFC (with homoclave), passport, recent utility bill for proof of address.
- Typical initial deposit to activate a standard account: ~MXN 1,000.
- Account opening is generally an in-person branch process.
Steps
- Obtain residency and CURP/RFC — Formal residency status is a prerequisite at nearly all major banks.
- Gather documents — Resident card, passport, CURP, RFC, recent utility bill.
- Visit a branch in person — Complete the application and make the initial deposit (~MXN 1,000).
Costs
- Typical initial deposit: ~MXN 1,000
Required documents
- Resident card (Temporal/Permanente)
- CURP
- RFC with homoclave
- Passport
- Recent utility bill (proof of address)
Common mistakes
- Attempting to open an account on a tourist visa — this is no longer viable at nearly all major banks as of 2026.