SAT Lists 7 Ways to Get the Constancia de Situación Fiscal

The Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT, Mexico’s tax agency) has widened the ways taxpayers can get their Constancia de Situación Fiscal (CSF, the tax status certificate), with 7 options now available. Five of them work online, so most people can download the document without going to an office, El Universal and Puente Libre reported on Nov. 5.

The CSF is required for many administrative, work and tax procedures. Foreign residents who are registered with SAT and work, rent or invoice in Mexico are often asked for it by employers, landlords and banks.

Which online options are there?

SAT lists five digital channels. On the SAT Portal, you click the owl icon on the right side, choose Constancia de Situación Fiscal, then Obtén la Constancia, log in with your 13-character RFC (tax ID) and your password or e.firma (the electronic signature), and click Generar Constancia.

Mi espacio SAT, reached from the same portal, is quicker: after you enter the 13-character RFC and password and click Constancia de Situación Fiscal, the file downloads automatically. The SAT Móvil app for Android and iOS works in a similar way. You log in and tap Constancia.

The other two online routes are SAT ID and the Oficina Virtual (virtual office), which suit people who do not have a password or e.firma at hand.

How does SAT ID work?

SAT ID asks you to accept the terms and privacy notice, enter your RFC and a personal email address, and type in a confirmation code sent to that email. You then photograph both sides of a valid official ID, record a video showing your face and the ID while saying a phrase the system gives you, and sign the request as closely as possible to the signature on your ID.

SAT says it reviews these requests within five business days at most. If approved, the certificate arrives by email as a PDF with the CIF (Cédula de Identificación Fiscal, the tax ID card). If rejected, you have to start again and correct the errors. SAT ID can also send you the certificate periodically if you tick that box. People with a disability that stops them from completing the steps can get help from another person, who must explain on the video why they are helping; both have to appear on camera.

What about the virtual office?

The Oficina Virtual works by appointment. You book a slot under Entrega de constancias within Servicios Generales, pick a date and time, and before the call upload a color, legible PDF scan of both sides of a valid official ID, or email it to [email protected]. The confirmation email contains the video call link. SAT suggests testing your internet connection at least 10 minutes before the appointment, and the camera and microphone must be on during the call. The certificate is then emailed as a PDF.

Can I still get it in person?

Yes, and no appointment is needed. Any SAT office will print the CSF after you show an original, valid official ID; people with an e.firma can confirm their identity by fingerprint instead. The same walk-in service runs at SAT’s Oficina Móvil (mobile office) units, whose location by municipality or alcaldía (Mexico City borough) is listed on the SAT Portal.

What does this mean for foreign residents in Mexico City?

For anyone with an RFC, the CSF can now usually be obtained from a phone or laptop in minutes through the portal, Mi espacio SAT or the app, as long as the password is active. SAT says the extra channels cut travel and waiting times. Those without a password or e.firma can use SAT ID, with a wait of up to five business days, or book a video appointment instead of queuing at an office.

Sources: El Universal, Noventa Grados, Puente Libre