Moving to the UK from Mexico: Complete Guide

The Mexican Community in the UK

The Mexican community in the UK is small but lively and growing. Most Mexicans live in London, with smaller groups in cities such as Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh. The community includes students, professionals, artists, and families. The Mexican Embassy in London supports the community and runs cultural events.

Mexican culture has a strong presence in the UK food scene, with many Mexican restaurants and taquerías across London and other cities. Cultural events such as Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) celebrations bring the community together each year and attract a wide British audience.

Visa Routes for Mexican Citizens

Youth Mobility Scheme: Not Open to Mexicans

The Youth Mobility Scheme is not available to Mexican citizens. Mexico is not one of the partner countries and territories listed on GOV.UK, so you cannot apply for this visa on a Mexican passport. See the list of eligible countries for the current partners. Young Mexicans who want UK work experience usually use the Student visa followed by the Graduate route, or the Skilled Worker visa.

Student Visa

The Student visa is popular with Mexicans, especially for postgraduate study in business, the arts, science, and public policy. You need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from a licensed UK institution and evidence of money for tuition and living costs.

After your degree, the Graduate route gives you 2 years of open work permission (18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027; 3 years for a doctorate). Many Mexicans use this to find a sponsored job and switch to a Skilled Worker visa.

Skilled Worker Visa

The Skilled Worker visa needs a job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence. The employer gives you a certificate of sponsorship. The salary must meet the salary threshold of £41,700 a year, or the going rate for the occupation code if that is higher. Since 22 July 2025 a new applicant's job must sit at degree level (RQF 6), unless the occupation code is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List. A job on the Immigration Salary List has a lower salary floor of £33,400 and a lower visa fee, but the full going rate for the code still applies; roles reached through the Temporary Shortage List cannot bring dependants.

If you change employer or move to a different job, you need a new certificate of sponsorship and permission from the Home Office before you start. GOV.UK says to wait until the application is decided, not to start on submitting it.

Spouse and Family Visas

If your husband, wife, or partner is a British citizen or has settled status, you can apply for a spouse visa. The UK-based partner must meet the financial requirement of £29,000 a year. This route leads to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) after 5 years.

Global Talent Visa

The Global Talent visa suits Mexicans who are leaders or promising talents in technology, science, engineering, the arts, or the humanities. You do not need a job offer or a sponsor. Instead, you need an endorsement from a designated UK body.

Travel and the ETA

Because Mexicans are non-visa nationals for short visits, you can enter the UK visa-free for tourism or business. Before you travel, you must get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The ETA costs £20 and is a quick online permission that is linked to your passport and covers visits of up to 6 months. It is not a visa, and it does not let you work or study long-term. For a longer move, you still need the correct visa, such as a Student or Skilled Worker visa, before you travel.

Document Requirements for Mexican Applicants

• Valid Mexican passport. It must be valid for your planned stay.
• Police clearance. Some routes, such as work in health or education, ask for a criminal record certificate (carta de no antecedentes penales). You may need it legalised for use abroad.
• Apostilled documents. Mexico is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Public documents such as birth and marriage certificates can be apostilled for use in the UK.
• Certified English translation. Any document in Spanish must be translated into English by a certified translator (perito traductor).
• Financial evidence. Bank statements and, if relevant, sponsor letters and scholarship award letters.

No TB Test Required

Mexico is not on the UK list for tuberculosis (TB) testing. Mexican applicants do not need a TB certificate for any UK visa category.

English Language Requirement

Mexico is not a majority English-speaking country, so for most work and study routes you must prove your English language ability:

• Skilled Worker visa: CEFR B2 (B2 means upper-intermediate) for applications made from 8 January 2026
• Spouse visa (first application): CEFR A1
• Spouse visa (extension): CEFR A2
• Indefinite leave to remain (settlement): CEFR B1, rising to B2 from 26 March 2027 for people settling from the Skilled Worker, Global Talent and several other routes

IELTS for UKVI is available in Mexico City and other cities. A degree taught fully in English may meet the requirement without a separate test.

Giving Biometrics

Visa application centres in Mexico are run on the Home Office's behalf by a commercial partner. At your appointment you give your fingerprints and a photograph, and submit any documents that are not uploaded. Book the appointment online after you complete your application on GOV.UK; the booking system tells you which centres are open. See our visa application centre guide for what to expect on the day.

Decision Times

These are the service standards GOV.UK publishes for applications made outside the UK. They are not guarantees, and the Home Office does not publish separate times per country.

• Student visa: 3 weeks
• Skilled Worker and other work visas: 3 weeks
• Partner, spouse, parent or child visa: 12 weeks
• Standard Visitor visa: 3 weeks

The priority service costs £500 and usually gives a decision within 5 working days, or 30 working days for a family visa. The super priority service costs £1,000 and usually gives one the next working day. Neither is available for citizenship applications.

Financial Evidence

• Student visa living costs. £1,529 a month for study in London, or £1,171 a month outside London, for up to 9 months, on top of any tuition you have not yet paid.
• Bank statements. On a Student visa the money must have been held for 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days before you apply. Money held in a currency other than pounds is converted to pounds for the date of the application; rates move, so this guide gives no peso figure.
• Sponsor letters. If a family member is paying for your studies, include their bank statements and a signed sponsor letter.
• Scholarship evidence. If a government scholarship is paying for your studies, include the official award letter as financial evidence.
• Avoid sudden deposits. Do not move large unexplained sums into your account just before you apply.

What It Costs

The Home Office publishes its fees in pounds. It does not publish a peso price, and the exchange rate it applies is the rate on the day you pay, so this guide gives no conversion.

• Student visa: £558, with the healthcare surcharge at £776 a year
• Skilled Worker visa, applying from outside the UK: £819 for 3 years or less, £1,618 for more than 3 years, with the healthcare surcharge at £1,035 a year
• Partner visa, applying from outside the UK: £2,064 per person
• Electronic travel authorisation for a visit: £20
• Settlement: £3,226 for each person
• Naturalisation: £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee
• No tuberculosis test cost: Mexico is not on the Home Office list

GOV.UK publishes no price for an English language test; the test providers set their own. See our UK visa fees guide for the full breakdown.

Healthcare

Paying the healthcare surcharge does not make the National Health Service free. It buys care on the same basis as a UK resident, so you then pay what a resident pays. In England that is £9.90 for a prescription and dental charges of £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10 depending on the band of treatment. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Practical Tips for Moving from Mexico to the UK

Flights and Arrival

Direct flights from Mexico City to London take about 10 to 11 hours, with British Airways and Aeroméxico operating direct services. Indirect routes through the United States or Europe can be cheaper. Book early for the September student season, when seats fill up.

Mexican Community in the UK

The Mexican community in London is welcoming and active. The Mexican Embassy runs cultural events, and student groups help new arrivals settle in. Mexican restaurants and food shops are easy to find in London, so you can keep your food culture alive.

Cultural Adjustment

The UK weather is the biggest change for most Mexicans. Winters are cold, grey, and dark by mid-afternoon, which is very different from much of Mexico. The cost of living, especially rent in London, is high. Bring warm clothing and plan your first months carefully.

After Arrival

• Set up or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account and check your online immigration status. There is no card to collect: biometric residence permits stopped being issued at the end of 2024
• Apply for a National Insurance number
• Open a UK bank account
• Register with a GP for healthcare
• Understand your employment rights
• Register with the Mexican Embassy in London

Path to Settlement and Citizenship

After 5 years on a qualifying visa, you can apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain), which costs £3,226 for each person. You must meet the continuous residence requirement, pass the Life in the UK test, and show CEFR B1 English (B2 from 26 March 2027 if you settle from the Skilled Worker, Global Talent or several other routes).

Twelve months after receiving settlement, you can apply for British citizenship, which costs £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee, £1,839 in total. The UK does not require you to give up another nationality when you naturalise. Whether Mexico lets you keep Mexican nationality is a question of Mexican law, which this guide does not cover.

Next Steps

If you plan to study, read the Student visa guide. If you have a UK job offer, see the Skilled Worker visa guide.

For official information, visit the British Embassy Mexico City and the GOV.UK Skilled Worker visa page.