Did I lose my Afore by moving to the US?

No. It's still yours and still earning. AforeMóvil and e-SAR locate it with your CURP from the US.

Do I have to go back to Mexico to collect?

No — you can grant power of attorney to a trusted relative, issued at your consulate, no apostille needed.

What if I didn't reach the pension weeks?

The negativa de pensión releases your full balance in one payment (from age 60; SAR 92 at 65).

Did You Lose Your Afore by Emigrating? How to Claim It From the US

Moving to the US did not forfeit your Afore. The money is still yours, still earning, and collectible from the United States — without going back. Here's how it works in 2026.

Your Afore is still yours

An Afore is your individual retirement account in Mexico. Leaving the country doesn't erase it: the balance stays in your name and keeps earning returns. CONSAR (the regulator) has official channels for Mexicans abroad to locate and claim it.

Short answer: you did not lose it. Use the AforeMóvil app (it works in the US) or the e-SAR portal with your CURP to locate the account, then claim it in person or through a power of attorney issued at your consulate — no apostille needed.

Which regime are you? It decides everything

Regime	First contribution	Weeks to pension (2026)
Ley 73	Before July 1, 1997	500 weeks
Ley 97	After July 1, 1997	875 weeks (rising to 900 in 2027)

Many sites still show 2025's figure of 850 weeks — for 2026 it's 875, and it climbs 25 per year toward 1,000 in 2031.

If you don't have the weeks: the negativa de pensión

If you didn't reach the required weeks, you're not stuck. The negativa de pensión is a CONSAR procedure that releases your full accumulated balance in one payment (the SAR 92 subaccount is available at 65). You claim it from the US the same way — via a trusted relative with a consular power of attorney.

How much tax? Often little or none

ISR exemption: the law exempts 90 UMA per year you contributed — about MX$10,558 per year in 2026. With several years worked and a moderate balance, the withdrawal is frequently fully or mostly exempt. On any excess the Afore withholds up to an effective 20%, and over-withholding is refundable on your annual return.

One caution: if you're a US tax resident, the US-side treatment of a lump-sum withdrawal is a cross-border question worth professional advice. And always confirm the current SARTEL USA number with your consulate.

Check what your Afore owes you → Free tool: your regime, the 2026 weeks, pension vs negativa, and the ISR-exempt part of your balance.

Did you lose your Afore by emigrating? No — here's how to claim it