Before you pick a bank
Your migratory status decides more than the bank does. Residents (temporary or permanent) can open an account almost anywhere; visitors on an FMM are limited to the few products that accept it. For the general process — CURP, RFC, proof of address and what happens on opening day — read how to open a bank account in Mexico as a foreigner. If you still need a tax ID, see RFC, CLABE and SPEI explained. To compare fees and apps once you qualify, use the bank comparison.
BBVA México — Debit account (app or branch)
Accepted status: Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: App or branch
Documents
- Valid official ID (passport)
- Migratory form (FM2 or FM3 — the residency card that replaced them)
- CURP
- Mexican mobile number
- Recent proof of address
- Be 18 or older and not already have an active BBVA account
Step by step
- Download the BBVA México app and tap "Quiero una cuenta".
- Choose the foreign nationality option and fill in your details; BBVA says the account is active in minutes.
- Pick up your physical debit card at any BBVA branch at no cost. If the app flow fails, a branch can open it with your official ID.
Fees
| Product | Libretón Básico Cuenta Digital |
| Monthly fee ("administración-renta") | MXN 0 with up to 4 card cash withdrawals a month (cardless withdrawals from the app don't count); MXN 38 for 5–8, MXN 62 for 9 or more |
| Minimum average balance | None required |
| Balance check at BBVA ATMs | No charge |
| Other banks' ATMs in Mexico, or ATMs abroad | Set by the ATM owner; shown on screen before you confirm |
| Debit card replacement (theft or loss) | MXN 169.50 (damage or renewal: no charge) |
| Card delivery to your home | MXN 155 |
| Transfer to another Mexican bank | MXN 112 by SPEI at a branch; MXN 5 same-day or MXN 3 next-day from bbva.mx |
Fees from BBVA fact sheet, Libretón Básico Cuenta Digital (issued 2026-09-07) (checked 2026-10-27). Mexican bank fees are quoted before VAT (IVA, 16%).
Worth knowing: The only big bank that publishes an app-based opening path for foreigners.
Source: bbva.mx — cuenta digital para extranjeros (checked 2026-10-15).
Banamex — Cuenta Base
Accepted status: Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: Branch only
Documents
- Passport and migratory form (instead of the INE voter card)
- CURP — only if your residency card does not include it
- Proof of address no older than 3 months: electricity, phone, water, gas or property-tax bill, a registered lease for the current year, or another bank's statement
- Be 18 or older and live in Mexico
Step by step
- Find a branch with the Banamex branch locator and go in person with originals.
- Ask for the Cuenta Base; Banamex lists it with no account-management fee.
- Banamex now lists no penalty for falling below the minimum average monthly balance, so you can keep a low balance.
Fees
| Account fee | None — Banamex advertises it as "la cuenta sin comisiones" |
| Penalty for falling below the minimum average balance | None ("sin comisión") |
| Airtime top-ups, alerts and notifications | No charge |
| Product type | Basic account under article 48 Bis of the Ley de Instituciones de Crédito |
Fees from banamex.com — Cuenta Base (product page and legal notes) (checked 2026-10-24). Mexican bank fees are quoted before VAT (IVA, 16%).
Worth knowing: Accepts several kinds of proof of address, including a registered lease.
Source: banamex.com — Cuenta Base (checked 2026-10-15).
Santander México — LikeU Pro debit account
Accepted status: Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: Online application advertised; confirm the flow accepts a foreign passport
Documents
- Valid passport
- Copy of your FM2 (residency document)
Step by step
- Start the LikeU Pro application ("Solicítala en línea") on santander.com.mx.
- If the online flow rejects a foreign passport, finish in a branch with your passport and residency card.
- Need dollars? Santander's USD account is only for holders who live in the northern border strip, Baja California or Baja California Sur.
Fees
| Fee schedule | Not verified — santander.com.mx blocked our automated check on 2026-10-24; look up LikeU Pro in Banxico's RECO or ask the branch for the "Anexo de comisiones" |
Worth knowing: Dollar accounts are limited to border-region residents.
Source: santander.com.mx — LikeU Pro (checked 2026-10-15).
HSBC México — Producto Básico General
Accepted status: Visitor / tourist (FMM), Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: Any branch
Documents
- Valid passport, plus one of: Residente Temporal card, Residente Permanente card, FM2 Inmigrado credential/booklet, or Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM)
- Originals of every document
- Proof of address (HSBC asks for a phone, electricity, property-tax or water bill no older than 3 months; mobile-phone bills are not accepted)
Step by step
- Go to any HSBC branch and fill in the application there.
- No opening deposit is required; keep at least MXN 60 to keep the account open.
- Cash withdrawals at HSBC ATMs are capped at MXN 9,500 per day on this product.
Fees
| Opening amount | No aplica (none) |
| Monthly account fee | No aplica (none) |
| Penalty for falling below the minimum average balance | No aplica (none); the minimum average monthly balance is MXN 60 |
| Debit card replacement (theft or loss) | No aplica (none) |
| Cash withdrawal or balance check at an ATM abroad | MXN 0 from HSBC (the ATM owner may add its own charge) |
| International transfer: send (SWIFT, online banking) or receive | MXN 0 |
| Extra statement at a branch | MXN 0 |
| Overdraft interest | No aplica (none) |
Fees from HSBC Anexo de Comisiones, Producto Básico General (DIC/2025, ANEXO_V1.7) (checked 2026-10-24). Mexican bank fees are quoted before VAT (IVA, 16%).
Worth knowing: The only big-bank product whose official page lists the FMM visitor form.
Source: hsbc.com.mx — Producto Básico General (checked 2026-10-15).
Scotiabank México — Scotia Account
Accepted status: Visitor / tourist (FMM), Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: Bilingual branch only
Documents
- Current passport
- Migratory document or proof of legal stay: visitor visa/permit (up to 180 days), temporary resident (180 days to 4 years) or permanent resident
- Proof of residence no older than 3 months
- Proof of income — only if you also apply for credit
Step by step
- Pick one of Scotiabank's 30 bilingual branches and go in person.
- Open the Scotia Account (unlimited deposits) with your passport and migratory document.
- Activate ScotiaMóvil / ScotiaWeb before you leave: they can only be contracted and activated inside Mexico. English line: 55 5728 1900, option 9.
Worth knowing: Publishes an English page for non-resident foreigners and has English phone support.
Source: scotiabank.com.mx — accounts for non-resident foreigners (checked 2026-10-15).
Banorte — Debit accounts (branch)
Accepted status: Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: Branch
Documents
- Banorte's official ID list accepts an INE voter card, or a passport plus a professional licence (cédula, under 10 years old), or a passport plus a valid driving licence
- It does not publish a foreigner-specific list: bring your passport, residency card, CURP and proof of address no older than 3 months
Step by step
- Call or visit a branch first and ask which migratory documents they accept for your account type.
- Bring originals and copies of everything; on Banorte's published list a passport is always paired with a second document.
Worth knowing: Least transparent of the big banks about foreigner requirements online.
Source: banorte.com — lista de identificaciones oficiales (checked 2026-10-15).
Nu México (digital) — Cuenta Nu
Accepted status: Temporary resident, Permanent resident · Channel: 100% app / web
Documents
- Identification
- RFC validated with the SAT
- Temporary or permanent residency issued by the Instituto Nacional de Migración (foreigners only)
Step by step
- Start in the Nu app or on nu.com.mx — no branch visit.
- Have your RFC ready first; see our RFC guide below if you do not have one yet.
- Nu says the debit account has no fee to open and no fee for withdrawing at ATMs (the ATM owner may add its own charge, shown before you confirm).
Worth knowing: Fastest route once you have residency and an RFC.
Source: blog.nu.com.mx — Cuenta Nu preguntas y respuestas (checked 2026-10-15).
After the account is open
Frequently asked questions
Which Mexican bank opens an account with a tourist (FMM) permit?
Among the large banks, HSBC lists the Forma Migratoria Múltiple as an accepted migratory document for its Producto Básico General, and Scotiabank lists visitors with a visa or permit for stays of up to 180 days for its accounts for foreigners. Both require you to go in person with your passport and proof of address. BBVA, Banamex, Santander and Nu ask for a residency document.
Can I open a BBVA account as a foreigner from the app?
Yes, if you have a residency document. BBVA says foreigners can choose the foreign-nationality option under "Quiero una cuenta" in the BBVA México app with a passport, FM2/FM3 residency form, CURP, a Mexican mobile number and recent proof of address, then pick up the physical card at any branch at no cost.
What are FM2 and FM3?
They were the immigration booklets used before Mexico's 2011 Migration Law took effect in November 2012. Today they correspond to the Residente Permanente and Residente Temporal cards, which is what banks mean when their pages still say FM2 or FM3.
Do I need an RFC to open a bank account in Mexico?
It depends on the bank. Nu requires an RFC validated with the SAT. BBVA, Banamex, HSBC and Scotiabank do not list it on the pages we checked, although branches often ask for it. Getting the RFC before your bank visit avoids a second trip.
Which of these accounts has no monthly fee or minimum-balance penalty?
HSBC's fee schedule for the Producto Básico General (December 2025) lists no opening amount, no monthly fee and no minimum-balance penalty; you only need an average balance of MXN 60, and HSBC charges MXN 0 for withdrawals at ATMs abroad and for international transfers. Banamex's Cuenta Base page also lists no account fee and no minimum-balance penalty. Fees are quoted before VAT.
Which bank has English-speaking service for foreigners?
Scotiabank publishes an English page for foreigners, lists 30 bilingual branches and offers an English option on its phone line (55 5728 1900, option 9).
Requirements change and are applied branch by branch. We summarize what each bank publishes; confirm with the bank before you go. We are not affiliated with any of these banks.