Annual Update of the Employer Registration Certificate Before the INM

March 17, 2026
3 min read

A Key Requirement to Maintain Benefits in Immigration Procedures

Companies that hire foreign personnel in Mexico must keep their Employer Registration Certificate (Constancia de Inscripción de Empleador – “CIE”) valid before the National Immigration Institute (“INM”). Based on recent INM criteria, the importance of the annual update of the CIE has been reinforced, which must be completed during the month of April. Compliance with this annual obligation will be essential for companies to preserve certain benefits in immigration procedures.

What is the CIE?

The CIE is the official registration that every company or individual engaged in business activities hiring foreign personnel within Mexico must keep valid before the INM.

  1. This document authorizes the employer to:
  2. Issue job offers to foreign nationals.
  3. Process visas and work permits for foreign nationals.
  4. Renew residency permits for foreign personnel.
  5. Submit employer update notifications before the INM.
  6. How often must the CIE be updated?

The CIE must be updated annually, generally during the month of April, once the company has filed its annual tax return. During this process, the company’s corporate and tax information is updated before the INM.

Additionally, the CIE must be updated at any other time during the year whenever there are changes to the company’s name or corporate denomination, tax domicile, corporate purpose, or legal representatives. In such cases, the update must be completed within 30 calendar days following the date on which the change occurred.

Why is the annual update important?

The update allows the INM to maintain current information regarding the company’s tax and operational status, which is essential to continue carrying out immigration procedures without setbacks, in compliance with the Migration Law and its Regulations.

What changes under the new INM criteria?

According to the new administrative criteria issued by the INM, companies must have their CIE updated with the 2025 annual tax return in order to qualify for the 50% reduction in government fees applicable to various immigration procedures.

Although all government fees payable to the INM underwent the annual increase, among the most relevant adjustments are those related to the receipt and review of the application and, where applicable, the issuance of the immigration document evidencing immigration status, due to an increase of 100% compared to the previous year’s cost.

  1. For fiscal year 2026, the applicable fees are as follows:
  2. Temporary Resident: One year — $11,140.74
  3. Temporary Resident: Two years — $16,693.36
  4. Temporary Resident: Three years — $21,142.58
  5. Temporary Resident: Four years — $25,057.82
  6. Permanent Resident — $13,578.96

However, a 50% reduction in government fees may apply to foreign nationals who qualify under certain circumstances, including:

  1. Job offer from an individual or legal entity holding a valid employer registration certificate;
  2. Family unity.

What happens if the CIE is not updated?

Companies that do not maintain their CIE updated may face several operational and administrative implications in their procedures before the INM. The main consequences include:

  1. Loss of eligibility for the 50% reduction in immigration fees.
  2. Inability to process visas or residency applications.
  3. Inability to renew residency permits and obtain work permits for foreign personnel.
  4. Risk of administrative sanctions.
  5. Exposure to immigration verification visits by the INM.
  6. Delays in international hiring processes.

Conclusion

The annual update of the CIE during the month of April has become a key step for companies employing foreign personnel. In addition to maintaining their employer registration in force, having the CIE updated with the 2025 annual tax return will allow companies to preserve significant economic benefits, such as the 50% reduction in the payment of immigration government fees.

Our specialist lawyers

Our team of lawyers is ready to help you understand how to apply these new rules to your company or investment project.

Elías-Fernández, Edmundo

Senior Partner

Ripoll-González, Alejandro

Senior Partner

González Gascón, Adriana

Associate

Castillo Carrasco, Jair

Junior Associate

Sandoval Aguirre, Areli

Junior Associate

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