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Start by identifying which situation applies
“Hiring a contractor in Mexico” can mean different things, and the paperwork follows the facts—not just the label used in a contract. First establish where the person will physically work, their nationality and immigration status, whether they invoice as an individual or through a company, and whether your business is buying services from abroad or establishing a presence in Mexico.
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| Situation | Documents or checks to focus on | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Mexican provider serving a foreign customer | Services agreement, provider’s RFC information, applicable CFDI, and ordinary payment and delivery records | Commercial terms and Mexican tax invoicing |
| Foreign national performing paid work in Mexico | Immigration status and work authorization; requirements depend on whether the person is already a resident or is seeking entry based on a job offer | Authorization to perform paid work in Mexico |
| Foreign business establishing in Mexico | Foreign-entity establishment application and supporting corporate documents | Corporate establishment, a separate process from buying services |
Documents for a Mexican contractor providing services
Services agreement
Use a signed agreement that identifies the parties and records the services, deliverables, fees, schedule, payment terms, confidentiality and intellectual-property provisions, and termination terms. This is sound commercial documentation, but the SAT materials cited here do not establish a particular written contract as a universal prerequisite to issuing a CFDI.
RFC details and CFDI
Collect the provider’s legal name and the RFC information needed for your records and the applicable CFDI process. SAT explains that a provider who is required to invoice must issue a digital tax invoice, and describes an acquirer-assisted route to RFC registration. That registration route calls for the provider’s name, CURP or a copy of the birth certificate, principal activity, fiscal address, and signed express consent. See SAT’s RFC registration information for service acquirers.
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For a required invoice, SAT identifies the CFDI as the valid fiscal proof and describes XML and a printable representation. Retain the XML as well as the printable copy. SAT’s CFDI guidance for individuals covers invoice-generation methods and the files obtained.
Do not automatically make a Constancia de Situación Fiscal a condition for issuing a CFDI. SAT’s invoice guidance warns against conditioning issuance on presentation of a taxpayer identity card or tax-status certificate. The correct recipient information still needs to be provided under the applicable CFDI rules. SAT materials for 2024 discuss treatment of foreign recipients, but confirm the current-year rules and the required customer fields with current SAT guidance or a Mexican tax professional rather than relying on an older rule compilation.
Payment and delivery records
Keep payment evidence and records showing delivery and acceptance of the agreed work as part of your normal business audit trail. These are prudent records practices; the SAT sources cited here do not establish them as universal onboarding documents.
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When the contractor is a foreign national working in Mexico
If a foreign national will perform paid work while physically in Mexico, check their immigration condition and permission to work before the work begins. The applicable route depends on whether the person already has a qualifying residence status or is applying to enter Mexico based on a job offer. These immigration steps do not apply merely because a foreign business pays a Mexican provider.
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Resident applying for work permission
INM’s work-permit FAQ lists a current temporary-resident or student-resident card, applicable fee payment, and an offer stating the activity, duration, work location, and employer-registration details for a resident’s work-permit application. For independent activities, it calls for a truthful written statement of occupation and location and, where applicable, proof of RFC registration. Review the current INM work-permit FAQ for the live procedure.
Visa based on a job offer
For a visa application based on a job offer, INM lists an application form, valid identification for the offeror or its legal representative, an employment offer on letterhead, current employer registration, and a copy of the worker’s valid passport or travel document. Current official procedure text asks the offer to specify occupation, duration, work location or locations, work modality (in-person, remote, or hybrid), and remuneration amount and frequency. Check the live INM job-offer visa procedure because forms and requirements can change.
INM says a person or entity hiring foreign personnel or issuing an offer to a foreign national must obtain employer registration first. That requirement belongs to the foreign-worker and job-offer process; the sources do not show that a foreign company needs an INM employer registration certificate solely to pay a Mexican contractor.
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Establishing a Mexican legal entity or representative office is a separate corporate procedure, not a routine document requirement for every foreign customer of Mexican services. The Ministry of Economy’s procedure for foreign legal entities lists formation documents, a power of attorney, a written submission, and payment evidence. It says foreign-origin documents should be legalized or apostilled where applicable, and documents in another language should be accompanied by a qualified Spanish translation. See the Ministry of Economy’s foreign-entity establishment procedure.
Confirm these facts before onboarding
- Where the individual will physically perform the work.
- The individual’s nationality and current Mexican immigration status.
- Whether your business is purchasing services from abroad or has a Mexican entity or other local establishment.
- The services’ nature and duration, and whether the provider invoices as an individual or through a company.
- Whether the work involves a regulated profession or an industry-specific permit.
Worker classification also needs a separate labor-law analysis. Calling someone a contractor in an agreement does not, by itself, establish that classification. The sources cited here do not determine the applicable classification test or whether a particular arrangement creates Mexican tax presence, permanent establishment, or other local registration obligations. Get fact-specific Mexican labor and tax advice where those issues may arise.
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