Mexico power of attorney (poder notarial) at a US consulate

A power of attorney (poder notarial) is a legal document that authorizes another person — your apoderado — to act on your behalf in Mexico. You sign the document in front of the Mexico consul in the US, and the consul’s signature and seal makes it valid for use in Mexico without further notarization there.

As of 2026-10-03 the Philadelphia consulate lists requirements for powers covering, among others, divorce, marriage by proxy, property, inheritance, agrarian succession, release of an INFONAVIT or ISSSTE mortgage, and bank or savings-cooperative accounts.

Types of power of attorney (poder)

Common types (the Philadelphia consulate’s page names, among others, a poder especial, a poder general de actos de administración o de dominio and a poder general para pleitos y cobranzas):

  • General power (poder general) — broad authority covering most matters except specific listed acts
  • Special power (poder especial) — limited to specific transactions (e.g., “to sell the property at [address]”)
  • Power for litigation (poder para pleitos) — authorizes a Mexico lawyer to represent you in court
  • Power for inheritance (poder para sucesión) — authorizes an apoderado to handle your share of an estate

The narrower the better legally — only grant the powers the apoderado actually needs.

Required documents

Based on the Philadelphia consulate’s list, you need:

  • Valid official ID — the Philadelphia consulate accepts only a Mexican passport, matrícula consular or voter card (credencial de elector)
  • Your birth certificate, and your marriage certificate if you are married (Philadelphia)
  • Copy of the ID of the apoderado — the person who will represent you (Philadelphia)
  • Description of powers to be granted — what specifically the apoderado may do
  • US proof of address in your name showing where you currently live (as listed by the Philadelphia consulate)
  • Draft text or clause from your Mexico lawyer, if you have one — Philadelphia asks for the clause for divorce, inheritance and agrarian powers
  • Fee — US$177 for an individual poder notarial (US$264 for a business / persona moral poder), per the 2026 tables of the Los Angeles and Chicago consulates; the Chicago fee sheet says it accepts cash and Visa or Mastercard cards (confirm the current amount)

Step-by-step process

  1. Decide what powers you need to grant. If complex (litigation, inheritance, property), consult a Mexico lawyer who can prepare a draft.
  2. Schedule appointment at your local Mexico consulate
  3. Gather documents per checklist above
  4. Attend appointment in person — you sign in front of the consul
  5. Pay fee — US$177 for an individual poder notarial (US$264 for a business / persona moral poder)
  6. Receive the notarized document — ask the consulate when it will be ready (the Philadelphia consulate, for example, says the first certified copy, the Primer Testimonio, is ready 5 business days after signing)
  7. Send the original to Mexico via courier or hand-carry on your next trip

Revoking a poder

Ask the consulate or a Mexico lawyer how to revoke a poder (revocación), and tell the apoderado directly. We have not verified an official consular page describing the revocation procedure, so we do not describe one here.

Witnesses and additional requirements

As of 2026-10-03 the Philadelphia consulate says that if you cannot read and write Spanish, cannot see well or cannot sign, you must bring an interpreter and/or two witnesses with valid official ID. Check whether you will need an interpreter or witnesses before the appointment. For some powers your spouse must come with you: Philadelphia lists this for property powers when you married in the US, are married under sociedad conyugal, or your marriage certificate does not state the regime.

Tell the consulate what the power is for — some collect this before the appointment: Philadelphia asks you to email your documents for review first (it answers in 2 to 3 business days) and, for divorce or inheritance powers, to bring your Mexican lawyer’s answers on the type of power and the clause it will carry.

Apostille — not needed for a consular poder

A poder signed before a Mexican consul in the US does not need an apostille to be used in Mexico: under its Article 1, the Hague Apostille Convention does not apply to documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents.

The apostille process applies when you need to send a US-issued document (US birth certificate, US marriage certificate, US court document) to Mexico.

Authoritative sources

Last verified: 2026-10-08. General procedural information for educational purposes. Power-of-attorney requirements vary by country, by transaction type, and change periodically. Verify directly with the Mexico consulate and, for complex matters, consult a Mexico lawyer. Not legal advice.