What can I use as proof of citizenship to enter Mexico?
Travel with your passport
The following information is only provided as a general reference, you need to confirm with your local travel authorities and with your airline before any travel plans are done.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For the latest entry requirements:
National Institute of Migration’s (INM) website,
Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism Manual on tourist entry
Embassy of Mexico:
1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006,
Phone: (202) 736-1600
or any Mexican consulate in the United States.
For information on Passports:
USA: Travel.state.gov
Canada: Passports in Canada
Since March 1, 2010, all U.S. citizens, this includes children, are required to present a valid passport or passport card when travelling beyond the “border zone” into Mexico. The “border zone” is normally established as an area within 20 to 30 kilometers of the border with the U.S., depending on the location in the country.
Regardless of the destination in Mexico, however, all U.S. citizens of 16 or more years of age will be required to present a valid U.S. passport book or a passport card to re-enter the United States of America by land. A passport book is required when returning to the USA on an international flight.
All U.S. citizens traveling outside of the United States by air, land or sea (except closed-loop cruises) are required to present a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document such as a passport book or a passport card to return to the US.
Note that travelers with passports that are found to be washed, mutilated or damaged may be refused entry into Mexico and may be returned to the United States of America.
U.S. citizen travelers are encouraged to apply for their passports well in advance of their travel dates. U.S. citizens can visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs website or call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply.
Even though passport cards and enhanced driver’s licenses are sufficient for re-entry into the USA by land and sea, do take into account that they may not be accepted by a particular country you are planning to visit, so be sure you take the time to inquire with your cruise company and the countries you are planning to visit if they have any special requirements.
Mexican Immigration regulations do allow the use of passport cards for entry into Mexico by air but do take into account that you can not use the card to board international flights in the U.S. or to return to the U.S. from abroad by air. The passport card is available only to U.S. citizens (for more information).
Legal permanent residents in possession of their I-551 Permanent Resident card may board flights to the United States from Mexico.
When traveling with children (Citizens from USA and Canada), if your children are not included in your family passport, depending on your case you may need one of the following:
- Affidavit of Sole Custody (in case of a divorced couple);
- Affidavit of Parental Consent for Unaccompanied Minor (minor traveling alone without either parent); and
- Affidavit for Other Parental Custody (minor traveling with only one parent, but parents still married).
Minors traveling alone (Citizens from USA and Canada – under 18 years of age) need:
- Passport
- Two affidavits, one from each parent authorizing him/her to leave the country, where the minor is traveling from and who will pick the minor up at the airport.
Citizens of other countries please contact your local Embassy or Consulate for Passport and visa requirements.
Multiple Immigration Form (Forma Migratoria Múltiple)
Forma Migratoria Multiple de México / Mexican Migratory Form (FMM)
On May 1st, 2010, the INM (the Mexican National Immigration Institute) changed its immigration procedures. The prior FMT entry form for tourists has now been replaced by a new form called Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM – Multiple Immigration Form).
You normally have to pay a fee to obtain your FMM, when arriving by plane the fee is usually included in the cost of the ticket. When arriving by land, at the border, the fee is not paid there but paid at a bank before departing Mexico. The fee is always paid no matter the length of the stay.
Be sure to save the FMM, as you must present this copy when leaving Mexico. You can get another, but the process is complicated, and you’ll spend too much of your vacation in government offices and line-ups. Keep it in a safe place until you leave. Along with your passport and other documentation, preferably a hotel security box.
Do you need a visa to get into Mexico?
Countries that need a visa (in Spanish) to enter Mexico, those that don’t (in Spanish).
Countries and regions that DO NOT require a visa to enter Mexico
Non-official reference material (June 2022)
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Cyprus
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curacao (Netherlands)
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
French Polynesia
Germany
Greece
Guam
Guernsey
Hong Kong
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Monaco
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Norway
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Romania
San Marino
Singapore
Saint Martin (Netherlands)
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
Countries and regions that REQUIRE a visa to enter Mexico
Unofficial reference only material (June 2022)
Afghanistan
Albania
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Algeria
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Benin
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cape Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
China
Comoros
Congo
Cuba
Democratic Republic of Congo
Dijibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Equatorial Guinea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Fiji
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Grenade
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Holy See
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Kiribati
Kuwait
Lao
Lesotho
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Morocco
Mauricio
Mauritania
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Qatar
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbian
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Lucia
Sudan
South Sudan
Surinam
Syria
Thailand
Taiwan
Tanzania
Tajikistan
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turkey
Tuvaluan
Ukraine
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
References
- Emergency Resources While Traveling Abroad travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/emergencies.html
- John Hopkins Medicine: What To Do If You are Sick when Traveling
- CDC: Getting Health Care Abroad
- Medicare for Travelers Outside the United States
Last Updated on 11/08/2023 by Puerto Vallarta Net
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