If you intend to travel to Mexico to reside there, you may consider getting a CURP number. Besides, without it, you cannot buy a car or house in Mexico.
Once you stay in Mexico and do administrative or business activities, you will be requested to provide your CURP number. For instance, if you want to pay taxes or open a bank account in Mexico, you will need a CURP number.
Maybe you don’t know what a CURP number is. Don’t worry; I will tell you what you need to know about the CURP number and how to get it in Mexico.
Page Contents
What is a CURP Number?
CURP is a Spanish term for “Clave Única de Registro de Población” or ‘Unique Population Registration Code‘ when translated into English. The CURP is a unique number used to identify all Mexican citizens and residents.
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Mexico is not the only country that uses this system to identify its subjects. The Social Security Number (SSN) is used in the United States, whereas the Social Insurance Number is used in Canada. The CURP number is unique for every individual. Hence, when you receive your CURP, it is yours for life; you cannot change it or adopt it for another. The CURP is created with the holder’s information, including their name, date of birth, and other personal information.
CURP can also be called ‘Clave Única de Registro Poblacional (CUURP)’ because it serves as a unique form of identification. Therefore, no two persons can share the same CURP. As a Mexican citizen or resident, it is important to have a CURP. It is used to identify you in Mexico or anywhere in the world.
The Presidential Agreement for the Adoption and Use of the Population Registry Unique Code by the Federal Government (Acuerdo Presidencial para la adopción y uso de la Clave nica de Registro de Población por la Administración Pblica Federal) was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on October 23, 1996. Everyone living in Mexico and Mexicans living abroad will be assigned a CURP number under the terms of this agreement.
The CURP is an alphanumeric code made up of 18 characters. It is used on government-issued documents such as driver’s licenses, passports, and other identification cards so that no one can forge or impersonate someone else using a fake CURP number. You will need a CURP number if you want to do things like voter registration and immigration paperwork. Additionally, if your children are enrolled in public schools in Monterrey or Mexico City, they will need a CURP number too.
CURP is currently required for tax filings, company and school records, membership in government-run health care, passport applications, and other government services. All Civil Registry individual records (birth and death certificates) and certified copies of those records now include a CURP number.
In Mexico, the CURP number is required for various governmental operations. For example, you need a CURP number when you want to:
Open a bank account with any bank.
Purchase and register a vehicle.
Pay taxes.
Enjoy certain government benefits.
Obtain a driver’s license in Mexico (without relinquishing your foreign one).
Enroll in the IMSS’s national healthcare program (Mexican Institute for Social Security).
You can also be exempted from paying capital gains tax on the future sale of a Mexican property if you’re the homeowner.
How Does CURP Card Look Like?
The CURP card measures 5.4 cm wide by 8.6 cm long, fits in a wallet, and can be laminated for long-term storage. The CURP 18-character string, given names and surnames, as well as the date of registration and a folio number, is all printed on the front of the card. The back has a barcode and information on the document that was used as proof to assign the CURP code (if it was a birth certificate, the folio number and issuing Municipio are given).
Below is a detailed sample of the structure of a CURP card:
The first four letters of the person’s legal name.
The first letter of your father’s surname
If the first letter of your father’s surname starts with Ñ, the letter X is used.
The first internal vowel of your father’s surname
The letter X is used if your father’s-p52zc surname does not have a first internal vowel.
The first letter of your mother’s surname
The letter X is used if the person does not have a second surname.
The first letter of the surname
The person’s six-digit birthday is in the YYMMDD format.
A single letter identifying the gender of the individual: “H” for male (hombre) and “M” for female (mujer)
The two-letter abbreviation of the individual’s birth state.
“NE” (Nacido en el Extranjero) is used if the person was born outside of Mexico.
The first three letters of the person’s legal name:
The paternal surname’s first internal consonant
The letter X is used if the paternal surname’s initial internal consonant is or does not exist.
The maternal surname’s first internal consonant
The letter X is used if the maternal surname’s initial internal consonant is or does not exist.
If no maternal surname is given, the letter X is used.
The given name’s first internal consonant
The letter X is used if the given name’s initial internal consonant is or does not exist.
To avoid duplicating CURPs, use only one character.
People born before 2000 are given a number between zero and nine.
People born after 2000 are assigned letters ranging from A to Z.
A checksum of one digit
Identifying a CURP based on Personal Information
Consider the example below to have a clear understanding of the CURP:
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Name: Juan Carlos Hernandez Garcia.
Gender: Male.
Place of Birth: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Date of Birth: May 6, 1982.
The Mexican government assigned the final two digits of CURP: 09. Hernandez’s CURP will be HEGJ820506HBCRRN09 based on his personally identifiable information (PII).
Where Can I Get a CURP Number In Mexico?
You can apply for a CURP number from Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT), which is the Mexican Tax Administration Service.
To do this, you will be required to provide the following documents:
You must meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply for a CURP number in Mexico:
Be over 18 years old.
Be a Mexican citizen or resident. (You can contact your nearest local government if you are not sure of your residency status).
Provide a valid proof of identity and address in Mexico. (You can get an official document like a bank statement that shows where you reside or shows your address in Mexico).
How Do I Get a Mexican CURP Card?
To apply for a CURP number, you must first visit the immigration office. They will provide you with the following forms:
Application for Registration of Foreigner.
Ficha de Datos Personales (Personal Data Form).
Apart from that, you will be required to present the following documents:
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A passport with valid visa (if applicable). This will not be needed if you’ve already submitted your visa and passport when you applied for Mexican residency.
A documemt showing your Mexican address such as a property deed or utility bill with your name on it.
If you’ve duly completed all these steps and paid the fee attached, you should get your CURP number within a period of 2 weeks.
If you live in Mexico and have a Permanent Resident Card or Temporary Resident Card, you will still have to apply for CURP. Besides, CURP eases the immigration process for you and fortunately, you will not make additional payments to get your CURP.
Non-Mexican citizens can only get a CURP from the INM. In Playa del Carmen, you can request the CURP letter and instructions at the Immigration office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., or you can call your immigration consultant.
Your CURP will be generated once you have obtained temporary or permanent residency in Mexico. Unless you are a resident or citizen, you will not obtain one. All new resident cards have them printed on them. If you have an older resident card and need to consult your CURP at a different location, go to https://consultas.curp.gob.mx/CurpSP/inicio2 2.jsp. Print it off and save a duplicate or two for further use.
The immigration service will require the following documents:
Your resident card.
Your passport (original and copy).
The CURP request letter.
Applying for the CURP card is super easy and quick, and since it is a photocopy of a card, you may want to laminate it for future reference. Even if you lose your original CURP card, you can still print another copy from this URL: https://consultas.curp.gob.mx/CurpSP/inicio2_2.jsp
Conclusion
Want to get your CURP number in Mexico? No problem. This guide is what you need to do that. If you or anyone in your family is planning on traveling to Mexico and will be staying for a significant period of time, it would be best to get a Mexican CURP number.
Hi there, I'm Heaven. I'm an entrepreneur, blogger, and digital marketing enthusiast. When I'm not watching anime or learning something new from TikTok, I post and vlog about my incredible life experiences as a digital entrepreneur.
