What we verified in “Buying or inheriting a home in Mexico from the United States”

Statements and where we checked them

The statements with rules, figures or dates, with the exact place in the source and the date we checked them.

1. Mexico's Constitution (Article 27, section I) says only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of land and water; that the State may grant the same right to foreigners if they agree before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider themselves nationals with respect to that property and not to invoke the protection of their governments, under penalty of losing the property to the Nation if they break the agreement; and that within a strip of one hundred kilometers along the borders and fifty along the beaches, foreigners may not under any circumstances acquire direct ownership of land and water.

   Sources 1 · Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, art. 27, fr. I (current text, last amended DOF 07-10-2026): 'Sólo los mexicanos por nacimiento o por naturalización y las sociedades mexicanas tienen derecho para adquirir el dominio de las tierras, aguas y sus accesiones'; 'El Estado podrá conceder el mismo derecho a los extranjeros, siempre que convengan ante la Secretaría de Relaciones en considerarse como nacionales respecto de dichos bienes y en no invocar por lo mismo la protección de sus gobiernos'; 'bajo la pena, en caso de faltar al convenio, de perder en beneficio de la Nación, los bienes'; 'En una faja de cien kilómetros a lo largo de las fronteras y de cincuenta en las playas, por ningún motivo podrán los extranjeros adquirir el dominio directo sobre tierras y aguas' · Checked October 31, 2026

2. Mexico's Foreign Investment Law (Article 2, section VI) defines the restricted zone as the strip of national territory one hundred kilometers along the borders and fifty along the beaches referred to in section I of Article 27 of the Constitution.

   Sources 2 · Ley de Inversión Extranjera, art. 2o, fr. VI (last amended DOF 27-05-2024): 'Zona Restringida: La faja del territorio nacional de cien kilómetros a lo largo de las fronteras y de cincuenta a lo largo de las playas, a que hace referencia la fracción I del artículo 27' · Checked October 31, 2026

3. Mexico's Constitution (Article 30) says Mexicans by birth include those born in the Republic, whatever their parents' nationality, and those born abroad to a Mexican father or mother; and (Article 37, part A) that no Mexican by birth may be deprived of their nationality.

   Sources 1 · CPEUM, art. 30, apartado A, fr. I and II: 'Los que nazcan en territorio de la República, sea cual fuere la nacionalidad de sus padres'; 'Los que nazcan en el extranjero, hijos de padres mexicanos, de madre mexicana o de padre mexicano'; art. 37, apartado A: 'Ningún mexicano por nacimiento podrá ser privado de su nacionalidad' · Checked October 31, 2026

4. Mexico's Nationality Law (Articles 13 and 14) says Mexicans by birth who have or acquire another nationality are understood to act as nationals in legal acts they carry out in Mexico and in acts carried out outside Mexico to hold title to real estate located in Mexico; and that in those acts they may not invoke the protection of a foreign government, and anyone who does loses the property to the Nation.

   Sources 3 · Ley de Nacionalidad, art. 13 (last amended DOF 23-04-2012): 'Se entenderá que los mexicanos por nacimiento que posean o adquieran otra nacionalidad, actúan como nacionales respecto a'; 'Los actos jurídicos que celebren en territorio nacional'; 'Detenten la titularidad de bienes inmuebles ubicados en territorio nacional'; art. 14: 'no se podrá invocar la protección de un gobierno extranjero. Quien lo haga, perderá en beneficio de la Nación los bienes' · Checked October 31, 2026

5. Mexico's Foreign Investment Law (Articles 11 and 12) says a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required for banks (credit institutions) to acquire, as trustees, rights over real estate in the restricted zone when the purpose of the trust is to allow the use and enjoyment of the property without creating real rights over it and the beneficiaries are foreign individuals or companies or certain Mexican companies; and that use and enjoyment includes the right to use or enjoy the property and obtain its fruits, products and returns, through third parties or the trustee bank.

   Sources 2 · Ley de Inversión Extranjera, art. 11: 'Se requiere permiso de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores para que instituciones de crédito adquieran como fiduciarias, derechos sobre bienes inmuebles ubicados dentro del la zona restringida'; 'cuando el objeto del fideicomiso sea permitir la utilización y el aprovechamiento de tales bienes sin constituir derechos reales sobre ellos'; 'Personas físicas o morales extranjeras'; art. 12: 'los derechos al uso o goce de los mismos, incluyendo en su caso, la obtención de frutos, productos y, en general, cualquier rendimiento' · Checked October 31, 2026

6. Mexico's Foreign Investment Law (Articles 13 and 14) says these trusts last at most fifty years and may be extended at the holder's request; that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may check at any time that the permit conditions are met; and that the Ministry must decide a permit request within five business days if filed with its central office, or thirty business days if filed with a state office, and that if it does not decide within those periods the request is deemed approved.

   Sources 2 · Ley de Inversión Extranjera, art. 13: 'será por un periodo máximo de cincuenta años, mismo que podrá prorrogarse a solicitud del interesado'; 'podrá verificar en cualquier tiempo el cumplimiento de las condiciones'; art. 14: 'dentro de los cinco días hábiles siguientes a la fecha de su presentación ante la unidad administrativa central competente, o dentro de los treinta días hábiles siguientes, si se presenta en las delegaciones estatales'; 'Concluidos dichos plazos sin que se emita resolución, se entenderá aprobada la solicitud respectiva' · Checked October 31, 2026

7. Mexico's Foreign Investment Law (Article 10 A) says foreigners who want to acquire real estate outside the restricted zone must first file with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a written agreement to what section I of Article 27 of the Constitution provides and obtain the permit; that if the property is in a municipality entirely outside the restricted zone, the permit is deemed granted unless the Ministry publishes a denial in the Official Gazette within five business days; that if the municipality is partly in the zone, the Ministry decides within thirty business days; and that the Ministry may set cases in which the written agreement is enough, without a permit.

   Sources 2 · Ley de Inversión Extranjera, art. 10 A: 'Los extranjeros que pretendan adquirir bienes inmuebles fuera de la zona restringida'; 'deberán presentar previamente ante la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores un escrito en el que convengan lo dispuesto en la fracción I del artículo 27'; 'el permiso se entenderá otorgado si no se publica en el Diario Oficial de la Federación la negativa'; 'dentro de los cinco días hábiles siguientes'; 'resolverá la petición dentro de los treinta días hábiles siguientes'; 'sólo deberán presentar ante dicha dependencia un escrito en el que convengan lo dispuesto en la fracción I del artículo 27 constitucional, sin requerir el permiso correspondiente' · Checked October 31, 2026

8. Mexico's Foreign Investment Law (Articles 37 and 39) says that when acts are carried out against the law, the Ministry may revoke the authorizations, and acts declared void have no legal effect between the parties and cannot be enforced against third parties; and that public officers who certify documents (such as notaries) must reference or attach in their instruments the documents with the authorizations the law requires, and if they authorize instruments without them they face sanctions under the notary laws.

   Sources 2 · Ley de Inversión Extranjera, art. 37: 'la Secretaría podrá revocar las autorizaciones otorgadas'; 'Los actos, convenios o pactos sociales y estatutarios declarados nulos'; 'no surtirán efectos legales entre las partes ni se podrán hacer valer ante terceros'; art. 39: 'Los fedatarios públicos relacionarán, insertarán o agregarán al archivo oficial o apéndice de los instrumentos en que intervengan, los oficios en que consten las autorizaciones'; 'se harán acreedores a las sanciones que determinen las leyes del notariado' · Checked October 31, 2026

9. The California Attorney General explains that in many Spanish-speaking nations, notarios are attorneys with special legal credentials, while in the United States notary publics are people authorized by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and are not necessarily authorized to provide legal services.

   Sources 5 · Attorney General Bonta Issues Consumer Alert on Notario Fraud (June 27, 2025): 'In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials'; 'notary publics are people authorized by state governments to witness the signing of important documents'; 'are not necessarily authorized to provide legal services' · Checked October 31, 2026

10. According to the Consulate of Mexico in San Bernardino, Mexican consuls certify some legal acts carried out abroad, acting as notaries public, so those documents are valid in Mexico; a general power of attorney may be for lawsuits and collections, for acts of administration (managing property and interests) or for acts of ownership (buying, mortgaging, donating or selling the grantor's property); a special power of attorney is for one specific matter; and documents are subject to review and acceptance.

    Sources 6 · Consulado de México en San Bernardino, Poderes: 'dan fe pública de algunos actos jurídicos realizados en el extranjero, actuando como notarios públicos'; 'tales documentos tengan validez en México'; 'Para que el apoderado administre bienes e intereses del otorgante'; 'Para que se compre, hipoteque, done o venda bienes del otorgante'; 'se otorga para ser representado en un asunto específicamente determinado'; 'Los documentos quedan sujetos a revisión y aceptación' · Checked October 31, 2026

11. According to the Consulate General of Mexico in Austin, you can make an open public will at the consulate before the consul, who acts as a notary public; it can only be done when the property it lists is in Mexico; people who are not Mexican can also do it if the property is in Mexico; and the witnesses must not be close relatives of the person making the will or heirs.

    Sources 7 · Consulado de México en Austin, Testamento: 'El otorgamiento de Testamento público abierto ante el Cónsul General en sus funciones de Notario Público'; 'sólo se podrá llevar a cabo cuando los bienes enumerados en dicho instrumento se encuentren en México'; 'Sí, siempre y cuando los bienes se encuentren en México'; 'Los testigos no deben ser familiares directos del testador ni ser herederos' · Checked October 31, 2026

12. Mexico's Constitution (Article 121, section II) says movable and immovable property is governed by the law of the place where it is located.

    Sources 1 · CPEUM, art. 121, fr. II: 'Los bienes muebles e inmuebles se regirán por la ley del lugar de su ubicación' · Checked October 31, 2026

13. Mexico's Federal Civil Code (Article 13, section III) says the creation, regime and termination of real rights over real estate, as well as lease and temporary-use contracts for that property, are governed by the law of the place where it is located, even if the holders are foreigners.

    Sources 4 · Código Civil Federal, art. 13, fr. III (last amended DOF 14-11-2025): 'La constitución, régimen y extinción de los derechos reales sobre inmuebles, así como los contratos de arrendamiento y de uso temporal de tales bienes'; 'se regirán por el derecho del lugar de su ubicación, aunque sus titulares sean extranjeros' · Checked October 31, 2026

14. According to the FTC, scammers often pretend to be someone you know, say there is a problem or a prize, pressure you to act immediately and tell you to pay in a specific way; the FTC advises stopping and talking to someone you trust, and reporting the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

    Sources 8 · How To Avoid a Scam: 'Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government'; 'Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE'; 'Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately'; 'Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way'; 'Stop and talk to someone you trust'; 'ReportFraud.ftc.gov' · Checked October 31, 2026

15. According to the CFPB, when you send money to another country you generally see, before you pay, the total cost of the transfer including taxes and fees and the exchange rate; you get a receipt that says when the money will be available and what to do in case of an error; you can generally cancel within 30 minutes after sending, unless it was already picked up or deposited; and you can report a problem up to 180 days from the date the funds are available.

    Sources 9 · Sending money: 'The total cost for the transfer, including taxes and fees'; 'The exchange rate, if applicable'; 'When the money will be available'; 'What to do in case of an error'; 'Generally, you can cancel an international money transfer within 30 minutes after it is sent'; 'up to 180 days from the date the funds are available' · Checked October 31, 2026