Recover Mexican nationality: declaratoria at a consulate, US$24

The Declaratoria de Nacionalidad Mexicana por Nacimiento (declaration of Mexican nationality by birth) is the document through which a Mexican-born person who acquired another nationality, such as US citizenship, recovers Mexican nationality. You apply in person at a Mexican consulate. The key date is March 20, 1998: according to the Los Angeles consulate, the declaratoria “will be issued to Mexicans who acquired another nationality before MARCH 20, 1998,” while those who acquired it afterward “automatically retain Mexican nationality, so it is NOT NECESSARY to request this procedure.” The consular fee is US$24.00 (2026 fee tables of the Los Angeles and Chicago consulates, checked October 3, 2026). The key US document is the certified copy of your naturalization certificate (G-24), apostilled by the US Department of State.

Versión en español

Does it apply? What the consulate says

If you acquired another nationality…What the Los Angeles consulate says
Before March 20, 1998The declaratoria “will be issued” to those who “wish to recover Mexican nationality”
After March 20, 1998They “automatically retain Mexican nationality, so it is not necessary to request this procedure”

This is what the consulate publishes, not an assessment of your case. If your situation is complicated (several nationalities, late registration, name changes), confirm with the consulate.

Key facts

ItemDetail (checked October 3, 2026)
DocumentDeclaratoria de Nacionalidad Mexicana por Nacimiento
WhereIn person at a Mexican consulate
Consular feeUS$24.00 (“Por la expedición de la Declaratoria de Nacionalidad Mexicana,” Los Angeles 2026 table; “Declaratoria de nacionalidad,” Chicago 2026 table)
When you payOnce the application is approved (Los Angeles consulate)
AgeOver 18 and in full exercise of your rights
RepresentativeNo: “the procedure is personal”
Key US documentCertified copy of the naturalization certificate (G-24), apostilled by the US Department of State

About the fee. The Los Angeles consulate’s procedure page (updated July 24, 2026) still shows a lower dollar amount, but both 2026 fee tables, in force since January 1, 2026, list US$24.00. The fee is charged under Mexico’s Ley Federal de Derechos, in dollars.

Documents the Los Angeles consulate requires (originals)

  1. Mexican birth certificate: certified copy issued by the Registro Civil. If you don’t have it, see Mexican birth certificate from the US.
  2. If the birth certificate is late (registered “more than one year after the date of birth”), a supplementary document, which may be:
    • the original baptism certificate, checked by a notary public against the parish archive books and recorded within the first year of birth;
    • a certified copy of the parents’ marriage certificate, if they married in Mexico before the birth;
    • a certified copy of the Mexican father’s or mother’s birth certificate, registered within their first year of life;
    • a certified copy of the birth certificate of an older brother or sister born in Mexico and registered within their first year. Half-siblings are not accepted.
  3. Certified copy of the naturalization certificate, “also known as Forma USCI G-24 / Certification of Documents.” According to the consulate, it is requested from the local USCIS office by appointment.
  4. Apostille of that certified copy (G-24), issued by the US Department of State.
  5. Current official ID with photo and signature.
  6. Two recent photos (no older than 6 months), color, passport size: white background, front-facing, no glasses, head uncovered, ears visible.

Names that don’t match. If you changed your name or surname, bring documents proving it, or ask USCIS for the G-24 to include an “Also known as (aka)” with the name as it appears on the Mexican birth certificate. If you use your spouse’s surname, bring the marriage certificate; widows bring the death certificate. If married more than once, the consulate asks for the marriage certificate and the certified dissolution of the marriage for each case (the page marks this “solo mujeres,” women only).

The consulate adds that the consular officer “may request supplementary documents if your case warrants it.”

Apostilling the G-24

The Los Angeles consulate requires the certified copy of the naturalization certificate to be apostilled by the US Department of State (Office of Authentications). Its page explains the mail-in process, with payment made out to the U.S. Department of State and a return envelope. The amount and processing time are set by the State Department and change; confirm them directly with that office before mailing. For how apostilles work in general, see how to apostille a US document.

Step by step

  1. Check the date you acquired the other nationality (before or after March 20, 1998).
  2. Request the G-24 from USCIS and get it apostilled by the State Department.
  3. Gather your Mexican birth certificate (plus the supplementary document if registered late), your ID and the two photos.
  4. Book the appointment. In Los Angeles: by phone at (213) 351-6800, ext. 2204, or by email; appointments are scheduled on Tuesdays or Thursdays. For other consulates, see the consulate appointment tracker or consulates by state.
  5. Attend in person with all documents in original.
  6. Pay US$24.00 once the consulate approves the application.

What it’s used for afterward

The declaratoria works as proof of Mexican nationality in other consular procedures. The Chicago consulate lists it among the nationality documents for a marriage at the consulate, and the Los Angeles consulate accepts it as proof of a deceased person’s Mexican nationality for death registration.

If you have US-born children, registering them as Mexican is a separate procedure: see registering a US-born child at the consulate.

Your US immigration status

This procedure is for people who are already citizens of another country; for a naturalized US citizen, the central document is the naturalization certificate. The pages reviewed say nothing about the declaratoria’s effect on US citizenship; if you have questions about that, consult an attorney (see find pro bono legal help).

Official sources

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. Requirements and the fee are set by Mexico’s Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores and can change. Verify directly with your Mexican consulate before your appointment. Not legal advice.