It is important that residents keep their residency card in a safe place. Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged residency card (temporary or permanent) in Mexico costs $1,780 MXN and with all things in Mexico requires a lot of paperwork.
Official Office
The official state headquarters for immigration services in Morelos is the Oficina de Representación del INM en Morelos, located right in Cuernavaca.
Address: Av. San Diego Esquina con Florencia No. 101, Col. Delicias, C.P. 62330, Cuernavaca, Morelos.
Local Phone Number: +52 (777) 315-7464.
National Support Line: 800-00-46-264 (The INM’s national Centro de Atención Migratoria for general inquiries).
Public Operating Hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
For Theft or Loss
The replacement procedure is handled by the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM). If you are replacing a lost card, you generally cannot leave Mexico while your replacement application is processing. The process generally requires the following:
To file your official report for a lost or stolen residency card, you must visit the Unidad de Atencion Temprana (Early Attention Unit), which is the branch of the Fiscalía General del Estado de Morelos that handles these cases.
Police Report: Ensure you have a certified copy of your police report (acta de hechos) from the Ministerio Público before stepping into the INM office, as they cannot initiate a replacement without it. The primary office for processing these reports in the Cuernavaca area is located at:
Address: Av. Emiliano Zapata No. 803, Colonia Buena Vista, C.P. 62130, Cuernavaca, Morelos.
Operating Hours: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for reporting lost or stolen documents.
Phone Number: +52 (777) 329-1500.
Online Application: Fill out the replacement application form via the INM Official Website.
Appointment: Schedule an appointment to visit your local INM office in person.
Required Documents: Bring the police report, passport, copies of your passport, and the residency card if it was only damaged. You may also be required to provide a written letter explaining how the loss occurred.
Payment Form: You will need to generate a payment sheet (hoja de ayuda) online, pay the $1,780 MXN fee at a local bank, and bring the physical bank receipt to this office.
Important Tips for Your Visit
What to Request: Inform the clerk at the entrance that you need to file an Acta de Extravío (Report of Lost Property/Documents) or an Acta de Hechos (Report of Facts) specifically for an immigration document.
What to Bring: Take your physical valid passport, a printed copy of your passport’s information page, and your current address details.
The Final Document: Ensure the final copy they give you is certified and stamped, as the Instituto Nacional de Migración requires a formal stamped document to complete your residency card replacement.
Alternative Sede Central (Central Headquarters)
If you are directed to the main state judicial installations, the general headquarters is located just south of Cuernavaca in the neighboring metropolitan municipality of Temixco:
Address: Boulevard Apatlaco No. 165, Colonia Campo del Rayo, C.P. 62590, Temixco, Morelos.
To draft the descriptive letter of loss (often referred to as a Carta bajo protesta de decir verdad), you must write it in Spanish and address it directly to the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM). It can be neatly typed or handwritten, and it must contain explicit details about your identity, your residency status, and how the loss or theft occurred. You may want to hire a local certified translator to write this letter if your Spanish is poor or lacking.
Certified Translation Services: Daniel Gonzalez, phone +52 777 328 3916
Key Information to Include
The Formal Statement: You must explicitly use the phrase “bajo protesta de decir verdad” (under oath/solicmn promise to tell the truth).
Personal Data: Your full name, nationality, passport number, current address, and phone number.
Residency Details: State whether you are a Residente Temporal or Residente Permanente, and provide your card’s NUT or NIE number if you have a photo copy or record of it.
The Narrative: A brief summary of when, where, and how you lost the card.
Police Report Reference: Mention the file/act number of the official report (Acta de Extravío / Hechos) you obtained from the Ministerio Público.
Tips for Submission
Signature Match: Ensure your physical signature on this letter precisely matches the signature inside your physical passport.
Keep a Copy: Print two copies of this letter. Have the INM front desk stamp your extra copy as a receipt (acuse de recibo) for your personal files.
Author: G. William Hood
Author, Columnist, Educator, Epistemologist, and Publisher
