From the Editorial
La Jornada Newspaper
Monday, October 13, 2025, p. 4
Mexican men and women who live and work in the United States and decide to join the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), can now do so through Financiera del Bienestar (Finabien), thereby avoiding the payment of high commissions charged by remittance companies.
The above is possible thanks to the alliance between the two organizations to facilitate the payment of fees for compatriots, which began operating on September 10.
Rocío Mejía Flores, general director of Finabien, explained that those interested in joining Social Security must request their card at the consulates closest to their place of residence and can come without an appointment. The person receives two cards, one corresponding to the United States and the other to Mexico.
Subsequently, the user downloads the Financiera del Bienestar application on their cell phone to carry out the enrollment process of the two cards, deposits funds to their Finabien card in the United States and makes a self-remittance (transfer) to the Finabien Mexico card and from there the payment of fees to the IMSS is made.
Decrease in the commission for self-remittances
Mejía Flores pointed out that currently the commission for self-remittance was reduced from 3.99 to 2.99 dollars, while remittance companies can charge up to 15 dollars for this operation.
Additionally, a fee payment commission of 50 pesos is covered.
The head of the IMSS Incorporation and Collection Directorate, Luisa Obrador Garrido Cuesta, reported that 15,375 nationals have joined Social Security and enjoy five insurance policies that include medical care, surgery, studies and medications; disability payment, disability pension, retirement savings and daycare services, among other benefits.
On the IMSS page it is added that the benefits include, as the case may be, wife, husband, spouse and children.
To affiliate with the IMSS, the microsite http://www.imss.gob.mx/personas-trabajadoras-independientes/mexicanos-en-el-extranjero. It is required to have the CURP and an email address as contact information.
Users decide the frequency with which they wish to pay their contributions, which can be monthly, bimonthly, semiannual or an annual payment.
