Mexican citizenship timelines vary. Some applicants finish in 3 weeks, others wait months. If you're reclaiming nationality through a parent, it’s faster. Delays happen due to document issues, rejections, or consulate missteps. Here's what really affects your wait, and how to avoid mistakes.
How Long It Takes Based on Your Situation:
- U.S.-born children of Mexican citizens: 2 to 6 weeks. If documents are clean and names match, the process is quick and can often be done without consulate visits.
- Adults reclaiming citizenship through Mexican parents: 1 to 3 months. The timeline depends on document accuracy and whether your parent’s information needs correction.
- People rejected or turned away by the consulate: 3 to 6 months. Fixing previous errors and refiling properly with legal support adds time, but success is still possible.
- Parents applying for their U.S.-born kids: 4 to 8 weeks. Delays usually occur when one parent’s name or status doesn’t align across documents.
- Individuals needing document corrections to qualify: 3 months to over a year. The more complex the correction (e.g., late registration, missing records), the longer the timeline.
- Married to a Mexican citizen: 2+ years. Requires 2 years of residency in Mexico, followed by 6 to 12 months of paperwork, tests, and approvals to complete naturalization.
We’ve helped thousands of Mexican Americans reclaim their legal identity without setting foot in a consulate. Our licensed binational legal team specializes in navigating bureaucracy, correcting mismatched names, and avoiding the rejections many families face when they try to do it alone.
Want the full breakdown? Below, we’ll walk through the real timelines, hidden roadblocks, and how to avoid delays, so you can finally claim the citizenship you’re entitled to.
Quick Summary by Applicant Type
U.S.-Born Children of Mexican Citizens
This is often the fastest track. If both your and your Mexican parent’s documents are ready and match, the process can take as little as 2 to 6 weeks. Some of our clients have received their documentation in under a month, without stepping foot in a consulate. Delays usually happen when documents have name mismatches or missing apostilles.
Adults Reclaiming Citizenship Through Mexican Parents
If you're an adult who was never registered but has at least one Mexican parent, expect 1 to 3 months. This timeline depends on whether your parent’s documents are valid, whether there were any name or marital issues at the time of your birth, and whether you're applying through an experienced legal team or doing it alone.
💡 Pro Tip: If your parents weren’t married when you were born, or if one has passed away, you're still eligible, you just need help proving it properly.
People Rejected or Turned Away by the Consulate
Getting told “no” at the consulate doesn’t mean you’re ineligible. In fact, we’ve helped many clients get approved in 3 to 6 months after fixing document issues or re-filing through the correct legal channels. Consulates often misinterpret eligibility or request unnecessary documents.
Parents Applying for Their U.S.-Born Kids
This process typically takes 4 to 8 weeks, assuming both parents' documents are accurate and available. The most common delays occur when a parent’s CURP doesn’t match their birth certificate or when mexican parents use their “new, american” married name on their kids birth certificate.
Individuals Needing Document Corrections to Qualify
If you have errors like name mismatches, missing your middle name on a document, or inconsistent birth dates across documents, you’re likely looking at 3 months to over a year. It all depends on how serious the correction is and whether you're working with professionals who can file the fixes fast and correctly.
🧾 We've helped clients fix a 20-year-old error in 6 weeks, with the right legal filings.
Married to a Mexican Citizen
This path requires 2 years of legal TEMPORARY residency in Mexico, followed by another 2 years of legal PERMANENT residency in Mexico, to be concluded with a 6 to 12-month naturalization process. It’s slower than most think, not because it's complex, but because people often don’t start their paperwork until after they’ve already waited years.
Helpful Resource -> How To Obtain Mexican Residency Through Marriage
Why Timelines Vary So Much
You might hear of someone getting their citizenship in 3 weeks, while your case drags on for months. It’s not random, it’s because timelines for Mexican citizenship depend on several behind-the-scenes factors that most people don’t know about.
Consulates Aren’t Always Reliable
We’ve seen it time and time again.
Someone walks into the consulate with all the right documents, only to be turned away for something irrelevant, or worse, incorrect. Consulates often follow outdated internal rules that don’t align with federal law, and there’s no accountability if they misguide you.
One Mismatch Can Stall Everything
If your name, your parent’s name, or even the town on your birth certificate is slightly off, the system may reject your application outright. We’ve seen clients stuck for months over a missing accent or an extra last name not matching exactly between documents.
We specialize in correcting these mismatches before they become roadblocks.
Many Don’t Realize They’re Eligible
One of the most heartbreaking delays we see is when people put off applying for years, only to find out they were eligible the whole time. Whether it's because a parent passed away, they lost contact, or they assumed their age disqualified them, these delays are avoidable with the right legal check.
Registry Offices in Mexico Make Mistakes
Even if your documents are perfect, things can go wrong inside the system. We’ve seen registry offices lose paperwork, delay entries, or misfile a birth date. That’s why having someone in Mexico working your case from the inside can make a massive difference.
DIY Applications Often Backfire
Trying to do this on your own may seem doable at first, but one mistake can set you back 6–12 months. Many applicants unknowingly submit the wrong form, go to the wrong office, or rely on Google instead of a licensed attorney. The cost of doing it wrong is almost always higher than getting help.
Who Qualifies for Mexican Citizenship?
You might be closer to Mexican citizenship than you think. Many people assume they’re disqualified because they were born in the U.S., their parents never registered them, or they’ve been told “no” before. But under Mexican law, multiple paths to citizenship exist, some of which can be completed entirely from abroad.
Born in the U.S. to a Mexican Parent? You Qualify.
If at least one of your parents was born in Mexico, you’re already eligible for Mexican nationality by birth, even if you were born in the U.S. This is the most straightforward path, and it’s often the fastest.
💡 It doesn’t matter if your parents were never married or if one of them has passed away. You still qualify.
Adults With Mexican Lineage But No Registro
If your parents never registered your birth in Mexico, or you only found out about your Mexican heritage later in life, you can still claim your nationality. This process may involve document recovery and legal proof of lineage, but it’s fully doable, even decades after the fact.
🔎 We’ve helped 50-year-old clients who thought they “missed their chance” finally reclaim their Mexican identity.
Children Born Abroad to Mexican Parents
Whether your child was born in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, they’re eligible for Mexican citizenship if you or your partner is a Mexican citizen. Many parents pursue this to give their children more opportunity, cultural connection, or the ability to live in Mexico later.
Married to a Mexican Citizen? You Have a Path.
If you’ve been married to a Mexican national and have lived in Mexico for at least two consecutive years, you qualify to apply for naturalization. This route does require a Spanish and civics test, but it offers full rights, just like someone born Mexican.
Lived in Mexico for 5+ Years? You May Qualify.
Permanent residents who have lived in Mexico legally for five or more years may apply for naturalization. This path is slower and requires more paperwork, but it’s still a valid option, especially for expats, retirees, and long-term foreign residents.
💡 Did you know? You can skip the consulate entirely if you go through a licensed legal team like Doble Nacionalidad. Our attorneys handle everything remotely, no appointments, no long lines, no guesswork.
Is It Easy to Get Mexican Citizenship?
Not really, unless you're working with someone who actually knows how the system works.
Applying for Mexican citizenship isn’t just about having the right documents. It’s about knowing where to go, how to file, and what to correct before the system flags your file. Most people run into roadblocks they never saw coming.
The Consulate Problem
Photo Source -> U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico
Consulates are notorious for giving vague timelines, inconsistent instructions, and even rejecting qualified applicants. We've had clients come to us after being told they were “ineligible,” only to discover the consulate was wrong, and they were eligible all along.
One Typo Can Cost You Months
A missing accent, incorrect date, or small name discrepancy between your U.S. and Mexican documents can halt your process for up to six months. That’s because your application won’t be accepted until everything matches perfectly, and getting corrections can take time.
🧾 We’ve seen birth certificates rejected because a parent’s middle name was shortened.
Some Attorneys Overcharge or Disappear
Not all legal help is created equal. Many “immigration specialists” or notarios charge inflated fees, disappear mid-process, or submit the wrong documents. Instead, you should work with licensed, binational professionals who specialize in this specific area of law.
But here’s the good news.
With Doble Nacionalidad, many of our clients receive their documents in just 3 to 6 weeks, even after years of delay or rejection. Because we know exactly how to navigate the red tape, correct errors quickly, and file directly with the proper authorities, you don’t waste time or money guessing.
What Documents and Steps Are Involved?
The process of getting Mexican citizenship isn’t difficult, but it is extremely detail-sensitive. One wrong document, one missing accent, or one outdated file can derail everything. Here’s how the process works when done correctly:
Step 1: Gather Your U.S. and Mexican Documents
You’ll need official copies of your birth certificate, a valid government ID, and, if you’re applying through your parents, their Mexican birth certificate and ID as well. Depending on your case, marriage certificates or proof of residence may also be required.
💡 Tip: All foreign documents must be apostilled and, in many cases, translated into Spanish.
Step 2: Fix Any Errors or Inconsistencies
This is where most delays happen. Common issues include mismatched names, accents, out-of-sequence dates, or missing information like a CURP or registration seal. Before your documents are accepted, everything must align perfectly between U.S. and Mexican records.
⚠️ We've helped clients who didn’t even know their documents were “wrong” until a government official rejected them.
Step 3: Submit to the Correct Authority
Applications are typically submitted to either the Registro Civil (for birthright citizenship cases) or Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) for naturalization. Each office has specific rules and timelines, so submitting to the wrong one can result in instant rejection.
📍 Where you submit can also depend on whether you’re applying from the U.S. or Mexico, and not every consulate follows national rules.
Step 4: Wait for Review and Approval
After submission, timelines vary. Clean cases can be approved in just a few weeks. More complex situations, like those needing document correction or reapplication, can take several months. We track every case closely to keep things moving.
🧾 “Can I apply with just digital copies first?”
✅ Yes. We pre-qualify all clients using photos or scans, no originals needed to get started.
This lets us identify issues and begin fixing problems immediately, saving you months of guesswork.
Common Mistakes That Cause Delays
Most people who come to us aren’t unqualified, they’re just stuck because of one small but costly mistake. If you want your process to move quickly and smoothly, these are the pitfalls to avoid:
Trusting the Consulate Without Verification
Many people assume the consulate will guide them correctly. Unfortunately, we’ve seen qualified applicants turned away with incorrect or outdated advice. This is one of the biggest causes of unnecessary delay, and frustration.
💬 “They told me it was too late. Turns out, they were wrong.”
✅ We helped this client get citizenship in under 45 days after the consulate turned them away.
Not Knowing the Impact of Marital Status
Your parent’s marital status at the time of your birth can affect how your eligibility is interpreted, especially by consulates. But under Mexican law, marriage isn't a requirement for nationality by birth. You just need the right documentation to prove lineage.
Submitting with Errors on Your Acta or CURP
Your Mexican documents must match exactly, names, birthplaces, and even accent marks. If your CURP doesn't align with your birth certificate, you could be rejected and forced to restart the process.
One client lost six months trying to fix a missing accent that delayed their registration.
Thinking You Have to Speak Spanish
Unless you're applying for naturalization through residency or marriage, there’s no language requirement. Many U.S.-born applicants mistakenly believe they’re ineligible because they don’t speak fluent Spanish.
Why People Choose Doble Nacionalidad
We built Doble Nacionalidad because too many families were hitting dead ends with consulates, overpaying unreliable attorneys, or wasting years trying to fix their documents alone. Our mission is to make reclaiming your Mexican citizenship simple, affordable, and stress-free, no matter how complex your case might seem.
Licensed Legal Experts, Not Random “Notarios”
Our team includes real, licensed attorneys in both Mexico and the U.S. We don’t outsource to shady consultants or underqualified assistants. Every document is reviewed by professionals who specialize in identity and citizenship law.
No Consulate Required for Most Applicants
We’ve helped thousands of clients avoid the long lines, bad advice, and rejections typical at Mexican consulates. For most cases, we can complete the entire process remotely, even if you live in another state or country.
Digital-First Process
You’ll never have to mail in originals or make unnecessary appointments. Our portal lets you upload photos or scans, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s needed and what needs fixing before anything is filed.
We Handle the Hard Stuff
Got rejected before? Documents don’t match? Parent passed away or never registered you? We’ve seen it all, and we’ve helped people in every one of those scenarios get their Mexican nationality recognized.
Flat, Affordable Pricing
No hidden fees. No surprise invoices. We offer flat rates with flexible payment options so cost doesn’t become another barrier between you and your citizenship.
Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve already been told “no,” we’re here to help you finally get the identity and documentation you deserve.
Ready to Take the First Step?
If you’re ready to stop guessing, stop worrying, and finally take action, this is your moment.
- Get a free case review today, no payment required upfront: We’ll take a look at your documents, your situation, and tell you exactly where you stand.
- Text us on WhatsApp or fill out our quick form: Our bilingual team is ready to help, wherever you’re located, even if you’ve been rejected before or never applied at all.
- We’ll tell you within 24 hours if you qualify, and how long it will take: No fluff, no upsells, just clarity. You’ll know if you’re eligible, what needs fixing, and what it will cost to get it done right.
We’re ready to help you reclaim your identity, your connection to your roots, and your right to be recognized on both sides of the border.
You deserve more than a process that shuts you out. Let’s open the door.
FAQs About Mexican Dual Citizenship
These are the questions we hear most often, especially from clients who were unsure if getting Mexican citizenship would complicate their life in the U.S. The good news? It’s simpler than you think.
Can I Be A Dual Citizen Of The U.S. And Mexico?
Yes. Both the U.S. and Mexico recognize dual nationality. You don’t have to give up one to gain the other.
Will I Lose My U.S. Citizenship?
No. U.S. law permits dual citizenship, and applying for Mexican nationality won’t affect your American status.
Do I Have To Pay Taxes In Mexico?
Only if you live there or earn income in Mexico. Simply having citizenship doesn’t trigger tax obligations.
Do I Have To Live In Mexico After Becoming A Citizen?
Not if you’re applying through your parent’s lineage. However, if you’re naturalizing via residency or marriage, you’ll need to meet living requirements.
