Consulates

Making a will at a Mexican consulate: US$225.50 for Mexican nationals

Open public will (testamento público abierto) at a Mexican consulate in the US: US$225.50 for Mexican nationals (50% by law; US$451 for foreigners), documents, private interview, witnesses, ejido-land limit.

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Making a will at a Mexican consulate: cost, requirements and limits

A Mexican national living in the United States can make an open public will (testamento público abierto) before a Mexican consulate, which acts in a notarial capacity for this procedure. The Mexican consulate in Los Angeles describes it as a personal, revocable and free act covering the assets the person owns in Mexico. For Mexican nationals it costs US$225.50; for foreigners, US$451.00 (2026 fee table of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles, checked October 3, 2026). The difference comes from the law: Mexico’s Federal Law of Fees charges Mexicans 50% of the fee. One important limit: ejido parcels are not inherited by will, but through the list of successors (Lista de Sucesores) before the National Agrarian Registry.

Versión en español

Fees (2026 consular fees)

Item	Cost	Source
Open public will — Mexican nationals	US$225.50	Los Angeles 2026 table, checked October 3, 2026
Open public will — foreigners	US$451.00	Los Angeles 2026 table; Chicago lists US$451.00 with “50% de descuento a mexicanos para testamentos”
Subsequent testimonios (certified copies), per page	US$12.00	Los Angeles 2026 table

The 50% rule: article 23 of the Ley Federal de Derechos says “los mexicanos que deseen obtener testamento público abierto en una oficina consular en el extranjero, pagarán el 50% de la cuota establecida en la fracción III” — Mexicans who obtain an open public will at a consular office abroad pay 50% of the fee. That is why the two consular tables agree: US$451.00 is the full fee and US$225.50 the fee for Mexican nationals.

Payment methods in Los Angeles: cash in US dollars, Visa and MasterCard debit or credit cards, and money orders.

What a consular open public will is

According to the Los Angeles consulate page (updated April 11, 2025):

It is a personal, revocable and free act by which a capable person disposes of their assets and rights for after their death, under article 1295 of the Civil Code for the Federal District (Código Civil para el Distrito Federal), with respect to the assets they own in Mexico.
Revocable: when a new will is issued, the previous one is revoked, and the last one granted is the valid one.
Free: the testator must not be pressured or coerced. The consular officer verifies this personally in a private interview with the testator. A will made under threats against the testator, their property, their spouse or relatives is void.
Clear intent: wishes must be expressed clearly and decisively, not by gestures or one-word answers.

The ejido-parcel limit (RAN)

The Los Angeles page is explicit: “No se pueden heredar las parcelas que se rigen por el Registro Agrario Nacional (RAN), sino a través de la Lista de Sucesores, misma que se realiza de manera personal ante el RAN” — parcels governed by the National Agrarian Registry (RAN) cannot be inherited by will, only through the list of successors, done in person before the RAN. If part of your estate in Mexico is an ejido parcel, the consular will does not cover it; the Lista de Sucesores is a separate, in-person procedure before the RAN.

Documents (in the original)

Document	When
Valid official ID, with names and surnames as they appear on the birth certificate	Always
Birth certificate	Always
Marriage record	If applicable
Spouse’s death record	If applicable
Divorce record or judgment	If applicable
Naturalization certificate	If applicable
Declaratoria de nacionalidad	If applicable
Property deeds	Copy or original

Information to provide in writing

Full names of your parents.
Name of your spouse, date and place of the civil marriage and/or divorce.
Full names of all your children, with place and date of birth for each.
Full name of the executor (albacea) — the person who will handle the will’s procedures.
Full names of the heirs and the share each receives.

Interpreter and witnesses

If the testator cannot read and write Spanish, cannot see well or cannot sign, they must bring an interpreter and/or 2 attesting witnesses with valid official ID, in particular when:

they cannot or do not know how to read and/or sign; or
they are deaf and/or blind.

Witnesses and the interpreter can NOT be the testator’s relatives.

Step by step

Prepare the written information about your family, executor and heirs.
Gather the original documents and a copy or original of property deeds.
Check for ejido parcels: those go through the Lista de Sucesores before the RAN.
Request your appointment. In Los Angeles, inquiries are made by email. Find your consulate in the Mexican consulate directory or the list by state; the consulate appointment tracker helps follow availability.
First appointment and private interview with the consular officer. The fee for Mexican nationals is US$225.50 (2026 table); ask your consulate when it is paid.
Delivery on another date. The document is not delivered the same day; the date is given at the first appointment, with two delivery times (7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.), and it is delivered only to the testator or a person the testator authorizes.

What this page does not cover

Assets in the United States. The consular page refers to assets the person owns in Mexico. It does not address homes, accounts or other assets in the US; for those, consult an estate attorney in your state.
Advice on how to divide your assets. The consulate formalizes your wishes; decisions about heirs and shares are yours. For complex situations, consult an attorney in Mexico.

If what you need is for someone to act for you in Mexico while you are alive (sell, collect, handle paperwork), that is a different instrument: the power of attorney.

Your US immigration status

The Los Angeles consulate’s document list asks for Civil Registry documents and official ID; it does not ask for US immigration documents.

Official sources

Mexican consulate in Los Angeles — Testamento (updated April 11, 2025): https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/index.php/es/regcivil-podnotariales-menu2020/testamento
Los Angeles consulate — 2026 fees and payment methods: https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/index.php/es/consul-general/tarifas-y-formas-de-pago
Chicago consulate — 2026 fees: https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/chicago/index.php/preguntas/costos
Ley Federal de Derechos, art. 23 (consular notarial services): https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFD.pdf

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. Consular will requirements may vary by consulate and change. Verify directly with the Mexican consulate that serves you and, for decisions about your estate, consult an attorney. Not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a will cost at a Mexican consulate?

US$225.50 for Mexican nationals and US$451.00 for foreigners, according to the 2026 fee table of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles (checked October 3, 2026). Chicago’s table lists the open public will at US$451.00 with a 50% discount for Mexicans. Mexico’s Federal Law of Fees (art. 23) says Mexicans who obtain an open public will at a consular office abroad pay 50% of the fee.

Does a consular will cover property in Mexico?

The Los Angeles consulate page describes the open public will under article 1295 of the Civil Code for the Federal District with respect to the assets the person owns in Mexico. The page does not address assets located in the United States; for those, consult an estate attorney in your state.

Can I leave my ejido parcel through a consular will?

No, according to the Los Angeles consulate: parcels governed by the National Agrarian Registry (RAN) cannot be inherited by will, only through the Lista de Sucesores (list of successors), which is done in person before the RAN.

What documents do I need for a will at the consulate?

In the original: valid official ID with names as they appear on your birth certificate; birth certificate; and, if applicable, marriage record, spouse’s death record, divorce record or judgment, naturalization certificate and declaratoria de nacionalidad. Also a written list of parents, spouse, children, executor and heirs with their shares, and a copy or original of property deeds.

Do I need witnesses to make a will at the consulate?

According to the Los Angeles consulate, an interpreter and/or 2 attesting witnesses with valid official ID are needed when the testator cannot or does not know how to read and/or sign, or is deaf and/or blind; also if the testator cannot read and write Spanish. Witnesses and the interpreter cannot be the testator’s relatives.

Do I get the will the same day?

No. The Los Angeles consulate says delivery does not happen the same day the document is drafted; the date is given at the first appointment, with two delivery times (7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.), and it is delivered only to the testator or a person the testator authorizes.

Can I change my will later?

Yes. The Los Angeles consulate explains that the will is revocable: when a new will is issued, the previous one is revoked, and the last one granted is the valid one.

How much do copies of the will cost?

The 2026 fee table of the Los Angeles consulate lists US$12.00 per page for issuing subsequent testimonios (certified copies).

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General information, not legal advice. MigrantUSA is an independent publisher and is not a law firm; using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship, and this content is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. US federal, state, and local government procedures, fees, and forms change. Always verify current details directly with the relevant agency before acting. For immigration, tax, or other legal matters specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative.