Second Amendment To The General Rules Of Foreign Trade For 2026: Key Changes And Practical Implications For Businesses

Mexico's comprehensive anti-money laundering framework has undergone a sweeping transformation through Acuerdo 115/2026, introducing mandatory risk-based methodologies, enhanced client due diligence protocols, and automated monitoring requirements. With implementation deadlines beginning March 1, 2027, obligated parties conducting vulnerable activities face compressed timelines to overhaul their compliance infrastructure while navigating heightened enforcement risks and stricter beneficial ownership thresho

Una de las preguntas más comunes que recibimos cuando extranjeros, ya sean personas físicas o morales...

On January 27, 2026, the Trump administration announced what it called "a historic expansion" of the Mexico City Policy...

One of the most common questions we receive when foreigners—whether individuals or legal entities—want to start business operations in Mexico is whether any restrictions...

El 29 de abril de 2026, la presidenta, Claudia Sheinbaum, firmó el Acuerdo para el Fomento de la Industria Siderúrgica Mexicana como parte del Plan México. Este acuerdo...

Mexico's Federal Official Gazette published significant amendments to Anti-Money Laundering Law regulations affecting entities conducting Vulnerable Activities, including real estate, vehicle sales...

The United States has expanded its list of Mexican criminal organizations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, adding the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras to six previously designated cartels. This development significantly impacts compliance and risk management for companies operating in Mexico with U.S. connections, as U.S. law prohibits providing material support to designated organizations and restricts transactions with blocked entities.

Organized crime groups across Latin America are rapidly adopting cheap commercial drones, retrofitting them with explosives, surveillance equipment, and trafficking payloads to enhance their illicit operations. As cartels and guerrilla groups innovate faster than governments can respond, this technological shift is creating unprecedented security challenges, forcing regional authorities to collaborate with the US and import advanced counter-drone systems. The weaponization of unmanned aerial systems is acce

15 September 2024 was a landmark day for Mexico as President López Obrador's controversial judicial reform (the "Judicial Reform") was signed into law, making Mexico one of the few countries...

FinCEN has issued a new alert detailing how Mexican cartels are exploiting U.S. financial institutions to smuggle fuel across the southern border, evade Mexican import taxes, and launder billions in illicit proceeds. The alert outlines red flags for financial institutions and announces new OFAC sanctions targeting key operatives in the fiscal fuel theft scheme.

Companies registered in Mexico's REPSE (Registry of Specialized Service Providers) face critical compliance deadlines for the first four-month period of 2026. Understanding the mandatory reporting requirements to IMSS and INFONAVIT, along with the potential consequences of non-compliance, is essential for maintaining valid registration and avoiding tax exposure.

Foreign nationals entering Mexico with a residence visa must complete an exchange procedure within 30 days to obtain their official Temporary or Permanent Resident Card from the National Migration Institute. This critical administrative process involves biometric data collection, documentation review, and strict compliance with immigration regulations to maintain legal status in the country.

Mexico's Federal Official Gazette published significant amendments to Anti-Money Laundering Law regulations affecting entities conducting Vulnerable Activities, including real estate, vehicle sales...

The United States has expanded its list of Mexican criminal organizations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, adding the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras to six previously designated cartels. This development significantly impacts compliance and risk management for companies operating in Mexico with U.S. connections, as U.S. law prohibits providing material support to designated organizations and restricts transactions with blocked entities.

Companies registered under Mexico's Certified Companies Scheme Registry (RECE) face significant challenges in tracking authorized tariff classifications for temporary imports. The 2026 renewal resolutions issued by Mexico's Tax Administration Service now provide enhanced documentation that helps certified companies reconcile their authorized tariff classifications with actual customs operations, offering a clearer framework for compliance and identifying potential regulatory gaps.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare has published new simplification measures for REPSE registration procedures in Mexico, significantly reducing administrative burdens and processing times for companies providing specialized services. These changes consolidate multiple procedures into a single process, eliminate certain documentation requirements, and cut resolution times by up to 75% for smaller companies.

Mexico's Federal Labor Law has been amended to gradually reduce the standard workweek from 48 to 40 hours by 2030, with the first reduction taking effect in 2027. The decree introduces new overtime limits, electronic time-tracking requirements, and adjusted daily working hour maximums across different shift types. Employers must prepare to adapt their operational processes and compliance systems to accommodate these phased changes over the next four years.

A March 2026 decree amends Mexico's Anti-Money Laundering Law regulations, requiring trusts and legal vehicles conducting vulnerable activities to register with the Federal Taxpayers Registry and obtain e-signatures. These changes significantly impact real estate development structuring, as many projects utilize trusts to optimize tax management and allocate functions, assets, and risks across multiple legal vehicles.

Mexico's National Energy Commission has established a temporary registration program allowing individuals and legal entities currently operating fuel dispensing facilities for self-consumption without proper permits to regularize their operations. The program provides a pathway for non-compliant operators to obtain temporary registration certificates while awaiting the development of permanent regulatory frameworks and permitting requirements.

A recent USMCA Rapid Response Mechanism panel determination against a Canadian mining company in Mexico signals a shift toward holding corporations accountable not just for direct violations...