# San Luis Rio Colorado



## JHG1949 (Nov 13, 2014)

Hello. We are new here. We have some great Mexican friends who live in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora. They have repeatedly asked us to come live there. We have known them for many years. I do know that SLRC is in the Free Zone but how does that equate to Immigration?

If we wanted to live in SLRC would we still have to have a resident visa? OR, can we simply live there and and not have a resident visa because of the Free Zone?

I understand from what I have seen online that the minimum monthly income is $2400. We are at $2065 for us as a couple. Do you have any thoughts?


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## vantexan (Sep 4, 2011)

JHG1949 said:


> Hello. We are new here. We have some great Mexican friends who live in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora. They have repeatedly asked us to come live there. We have known them for many years. I do know that SLRC is in the Free Zone but how does that equate to Immigration?
> 
> If we wanted to live in SLRC would we still have to have a resident visa? OR, can we simply live there and and not have a resident visa because of the Free Zone?
> 
> I understand from what I have seen online that the minimum monthly income is $2400. We are at $2065 for us as a couple. Do you have any thoughts?


You still need tourist visas in the Free Zone. But they're good for 180 days, and Yuma is a quick trip to renew them. For your consideration Yuma gets very hot in the Summer. I imagine San Luis would be similar?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

vantexan said:


> You still need tourist visas in the Free Zone. But they're good for 180 days, and Yuma is a quick trip to renew them. For your consideration Yuma gets very hot in the Summer. I imagine San Luis would be similar?


To clarify, there are tourist permits and there are visas. There is no "tourist visa". 

Tourist permits are good for 180 days. There are no income requirements for a Tourist permit. At the end of the 180 days, you have to leave the country, but then you can reenter on a new tourist permit. Since San Luis Rio Colorado is right on the border, getting a new tourist permit is easy.

There are two types of visas, Residente Permanente and Residente Temporal. There are income or asset requirements to obtain one of these.

Finally, I don't believe a tourist permit or visa is required near the border. If you travel south from SLRC about 25 km there will be a check station and a visa or tourist permit would be required to proceed further.


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## vantexan (Sep 4, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> To clarify, there are tourist permits and there are visas. There is no "tourist visa".
> 
> Tourist permits are good for 180 days. There are no income requirements for a Tourist permit. At the end of the 180 days, you have to leave the country, but then you can reenter on a new tourist permit. Since San Luis Rio Colorado is right on the border, getting a new tourist permit is easy.
> 
> ...


Got me on the "tourist visa" thing. But if you intend to stay in Mexico more than 72 hours in the border zone you still need a tourist permit.


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