🇲🇽 My Mexico TR Entry Experience｜I Proactively Said “Canje”

ZENG QI

4 days ago

2 min read

This is my personal experience exchanging my Mexico TR visa for a residency card. I do not recommend any agency, and this is not an advertisement. I’m sharing my

experience on my business Xiaohongshu account in hopes that it can help more people.

I previously obtained my Mexico TR (Temporary Resident) visa. The next step was to enter Mexico within the visa’s six-month validity period and exchange the visa for my TR Card.

I chose Los Cabos for the card exchange because TR-to-PR can reportedly be completed within three days there. I contacted a local agency in advance, and they arranged the appointments ahead of time.

However, the three-day TR-to-PR process feels like somewhat of a gray area to me. (For more details, see my previous Mexico post attached below. The three-day PR process seems to be becoming increasingly risky.) Everyone should make their own decision.

1️⃣ My Experience Going Through Immigration

Yesterday, I arrived at Los Cabos Airport in Mexico and prepared to complete the process of exchanging my Temporary Resident Visa for a residency card, known as Canje.

The entire entry process went much more smoothly than I expected. Here are a few details from my experience that may be helpful for anyone planning to do the same.

📍 Tell the Immigration Staff Up Front That You’re There for “Canje”

After getting off the plane, everyone headed toward immigration inspection, where staff members were directing passengers into different lines.

I directly told a staff member:

“Canje.”

He immediately understood what I meant and directed me to a counter on the left.

When I arrived, there was only one person ahead of me. Once that person finished, it was my turn.

🛂 The Immigration Officer Mainly Asked Me Two Questions

When it was my turn, the immigration officer asked:

“What are you coming here for?”“Which hotel are you staying at?”

I explained that I was there to complete my Canje and provided my hotel information.

I wasn't asked any other questions.

The officer then stamped my passport and reminded me that I needed to complete the card exchange within 30 days after entering Mexico.

After that step was completed, I continued toward the baggage inspection area.

📍 Baggage Inspection: Press the Button—Red Means Inspection

When I went through baggage inspection that day, passengers had to line up and press a button:

🟢 Green light: Proceed directly.

🔴 Red light: Your luggage will be inspected.

There was a passenger ahead of me who was selected for inspection. They had a pear in their carry-on bag and were pulled aside by the staff.

I saw the staff member write a note documenting the fruit that had been brought into Mexico before allowing the passenger to proceed.

(Figure 4: Baggage inspection area)

After seeing this firsthand, I really think it’s worth checking your carry-on before leaving for the airport—especially fruit you brought along to eat during the trip but didn’t finish. It’s surprisingly easy to forget about it.

In my next post, I’ll share the TR card exchange process and timeline, so stay tuned! 🇲🇽✈️