Buying a Cellphone in Mexico? You Need a National ID. Here’s How to Get A CURP

You will soon need to first get a CURP when purchasing SIM cards, as part of upcoming reforms to the country’s security and telecommunications laws. 

The announcement comes as President Claudia Sheinbaum recently fell victim to a cybersecurity breach, highlighting Mexico’s growing digital security challenges.

The CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población) serves as Mexico’s equivalent to a Social Security number. It is an 18-character alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies every person living in Mexico, whether a Mexican national or a foreign resident.

The CURP is generated from personal information like name, date of birth, and sex, and it remains the same throughout a person’s life.

Under the proposed changes, anyone buying a mobile device SIM card must register their CURP with telecommunications providers, creating a clear paper trail for all active phone numbers in Mexico.

The new requirement aims to strengthen national security by making it harder for criminals to use anonymous phone lines for extortion, kidnapping, and fraud schemes that frequently rely on untraceable mobile communications. The measure represents a significant shift in Mexico’s approach to telecommunications security, requiring all mobile users to be linked to the national identity system.

How to get a CURP as a foreigner

If you reside in Mexico and hold a Temporary or Permanent Resident Card, you will need to apply for your CURP. There is no added cost to receiving the CURP.

The CURP is now automatically generated and printed on your residency card as part of the residency application process. You no longer need to apply separately to get a CURP. This streamlined approach requires this essential identification for daily life in Mexico.

The CURP is indispensable for various activities, including applying for a Mexican driver’s license, registering vehicles, seeking employment, and accessing banking services. Foreigners living in Mexico have been accredited as having initiated the procedure to remain in national territory, under the conditions for legal residence determined by the corresponding immigration authority, are eligible for CURP assignment.

Some agencies may require a CURP in PDF format for those who already have one, which can be downloaded here.

Sheinbaum’s own cybersecurity challenges

The telecommunications security reforms come at a particularly relevant time, as President Sheinbaum recently experienced firsthand the vulnerabilities of digital communications. During her March 17 press conference, she confirmed that hackers had compromised one of her cellphones and an email account.

“Yes, they hacked my phone… They hacked my phone and my email account. Apple immediately called the Digital Transformation Agency (Mexico’s Department of Telecommunications), who quickly realized the hack, took appropriate action, and reviewed it promptly,” she told reporters.

The attack took place sometime around Feb. 28, when Mexican authorities announced the extraditions of 29 prisoners requested by the U.S. government as part of the deal to halt the 25% tariffs on all Mexican imports suggested by President Donald Trump. The extradited individuals included high-profile names such as Rafael Caro Quintero and the Treviño Morales brothers.

However, Sheinbaum downplayed the security implications of the breach. The hacked cellphone was an old phone she no longer uses for “more personal” communication. She also said a Yahoo Mail account she opened years ago was hacked. The phone number dated back to her time as a local delegate in Mexico City’s Tlalpan neighborhood, long before her rise to national politics.

Sheinbaum stressed that she has an official email account with “all the cybersecurity conditions of the government and all the rest.”

Mexican authorities launched an immediate investigation into the presidential security breach, though the hackers’ identities and motives remain unknown. “Who hacked it? We do not know. They are investigating; it is difficult to know,” Sheinbaum admitted.

An investigation was launched when the computer giant Apple “immediately” informed the Mexican government about the event.

The fact that even the president’s phone got hacked probably makes these new phone registration rules feel even more urgent. Mexico is trying to beef up its digital security while still working closely with the U.S. on bigger issues like fighting drug cartels and managing immigration.