My Wife Is Being Deported to Mexico. As a Canadian, How Can We Start a New Life Together?

Posted by Andres Molina

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Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice about relocating to Mexico with my wife after her deportation from the United States.

I'm a Canadian citizen, and my wife is a Mexican citizen. She was brought to the US when she was just two years old, so she's spent almost her entire life there and knows very little about actually living in Mexico.

Unfortunately, she's now facing deportation to Mexico, and I've decided that I want to move there to be with her.

We're both 25 years old, have no children, and are trying to figure out how to start over in a country neither of us is particularly familiar with.

A little background on our situation

My wife applied for DACA approximately 10 years ago, but according to the information we have, her application was never approved or denied.

She was recently encountered by ICE and is now facing deportation.

We've already applied for her to obtain legal status in Canada, but that process could take some time, and we're not certain about the outcome.

For now, we're planning to build a temporary life in Mexico while exploring our long-term options.

My wife speaks both English and Spanish fluently. I can communicate in Spanish, but I'm not fluent yet.

Our immediate plans

When my wife first arrives in Mexico, she'll stay with an aunt who lives near the US-Mexico border.

However, we have several questions about getting established.

Employment and documents in Mexico

Since my wife was born in Mexico and has her Mexican birth certificate and passport, I'm assuming she should be able to work legally.

But we're unsure about the administrative requirements.

Does she need to obtain a CURP, RFC, or Mexican Social Security Number (NSS) before she can start working?

Where does she apply for these documents, and can she complete the process online?

She also has a valid American driver's license. Can she exchange it for a Mexican license, or would she need to complete another driving test?

Our financial plan

Since I'm Canadian, I have a potential job opportunity back in Canada.

One idea is to return to Canada for approximately three or four months every summer, work during that period, and save around CAD $20,000.

I would then return to Mexico and use those savings to cover our living expenses for the remaining eight or nine months of the year.

I'm wondering whether this would be financially realistic for a couple living in Mexico, especially after considering rent, groceries, healthcare, transportation, and unexpected expenses.

I'd also need to figure out the appropriate Mexican immigration status that would allow me to live there legally.

Considering Mérida, Yucatán

We're particularly interested in moving to Mérida because we've heard positive things about its safety, lifestyle, and cost of living.

Since my wife speaks English and Spanish fluently, we're hoping she might be able to find work in hospitality, tourism, resorts, customer service, or a similar industry.

However, we're unsure how competitive the job market is and what salaries typically look like.

We're also open to other cities where we could live safely and where my wife would have reasonable employment opportunities.

My main questions are:

What documents does a Mexican citizen returning after growing up in the US need to start working?
How can my wife obtain her CURP, RFC, NSS, and Mexican driver's license?
As a Canadian married to a Mexican citizen, what immigration or residency options would allow me to live in Mexico legally?
Is saving CAD $20,000 during a few months of work in Canada enough to support two people in Mexico for the rest of the year?
Is Mérida a realistic option for employment, affordable housing, and long-term living?
Are there other safe Mexican cities with good job opportunities for bilingual workers?
Would it be better for us to rent initially rather than commit to one city?
Has anyone experienced deportation-related relocation or moved to Mexico with a spouse while waiting for Canadian immigration processing?

This situation has been stressful, and I'm honestly nervous about how everything will work out.

I want to make sure we're making sensible decisions, especially when it comes to finances, legal residency, and finding a safe place to live.

If you've relocated to Mexico, returned after growing up abroad, or moved there with a Mexican spouse, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences.

Any practical advice about paperwork, employment, living costs, or cities to consider would be extremely helpful.

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Replies (10)

0
Jakub Novak
One question about your summer plan: would your Canadian employer genuinely be able to give you three or four months of work every year? If that's guaranteed, your plan has a much stronger foundation. If it's only a possibility, I'd keep a larger emergency fund and avoid depending entirely on seasonal earnings. You'll also want cross-border tax advice because spending most of the year in Mexico while earning Canadian income can create tax-residency questions.
0
Hiroshi Tanaka
Personally, I'd compare Mérida with Querétaro and Guadalajara before making a decision. Mérida might appeal more for lifestyle and a quieter environment, but Guadalajara has a larger business and technology job market, while Querétaro has industrial and international companies. The best city really depends on what kind of work your wife wants, not just the reputation for safety.
0
Giorgi Beridze
Don't overlook the driving license question. Mexican driving license rules vary by state. In Yucatán, a valid foreign license can be recognized, but there are registration requirements for people staying longer than 60 days. That isn't the same as automatically exchanging it for a Mexican license. I'd check the current Yucatán requirements before spending money on tests or paperwork.
0
David Cohen
Have you checked whether the pending Canadian immigration application could be affected by her removal proceedings or any possible criminal or immigration history? Deportation from the US doesn't automatically mean Canada will refuse her, but the circumstances matter. I'd have a Canadian immigration lawyer review the application and make sure any change in her country of residence and contact details is properly reported.
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Ingrid Berg
One thing I'd really encourage you to think about is the emotional side of this move. Your wife might be legally Mexican, but after growing up almost entirely in the US, moving there could feel like immigrating to a foreign country. Having family nearby at first is a huge advantage. I wouldn't put too much pressure on either of you to find the perfect city or job immediately.
0
Ethan Clarke
Your wife's bilingual skills could be useful for customer support, hotel reservations, tourism companies and international businesses. I'd actually look into remote customer service positions that require English before limiting the search to resorts. Just be careful with companies advertising American salaries, because many jobs based in Mexico pay according to the local market.
0
Diego Vargas
I wouldn't rush into signing a year-long lease in Mérida. Stay somewhere temporary for a month or two and see how you both feel about the city. Mérida can be extremely hot and humid, and electricity bills can become a big expense if you're using air conditioning constantly. Visiting a neighborhood is very different from living there.
0
Ryan Nguyen
CAD $20,000 sounds like a reasonable starting point, but I'd be careful about assuming it will cover nine months without knowing your actual expenses. That's around CAD $2,222 per month over nine months. Rent, air conditioning, healthcare, flights and emergencies could eat into that quickly. Also, make sure the $20,000 is what you can actually save after taxes and living expenses in Canada, not just what you'd earn.
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Javier Garcia
Andres, being married to a Mexican citizen gives you a possible route to temporary residency through family unity. You don't necessarily need to qualify based on savings alone. I'd contact Mexico's INM and ask about changing from visitor status to temporary resident based on your marriage. If your marriage certificate was issued outside Mexico, you'll also want to check the apostille and Spanish translation requirements.
0
Mateo Fernandez
Since your wife is a Mexican citizen with a valid passport and birth certificate, she doesn't need a work visa to get a job in Mexico. I'd start by checking whether she already has a CURP at gob.mx/curp. She can then arrange her RFC through SAT and obtain or locate her NSS through IMSS. The RFC is particularly important for getting onto a company's payroll. She may already have a CURP even if she has never lived independently in Mexico.

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