JDiver

Mexico changed some requirements and the new visitor form (actually "Forma Migratoria Múltiple para Extranjeros", abbreviated "FMM" - replaces the "FMN" and "FMT" forms) for tourists in 2011, so this thread will attempt to provide the most recent information (written July 7 2012 and updated 17 Feb 2013). Your additions, corrections, etc. are of course welcome. I will attempt to add further information (e.g. vehicles, firearms, etc.) as I have time.

This information is for those visiting Mexico as a TOURIST only; it does not apply for those travelling to Mexico for remunerative business or resident status (Residente Inmigrado) as these are beyond the scope of the post (though at this time, those who are pursuing business interests but not remunerated in Mexico fall under the same rubric). Also, please do perform due diligence - I am not posting in any official capacity, so please check for more current or superseding information.


RESOURCES:

Extensive LIST of those countries whose nationals do not need a visa to visit México for tourism, transit or business purposes. (Those from El Salvador, Jamaica or Malaysia do not need visas but DO need a "consular seal" from a Mexican Consulate or Embassy prior to arrival - beyond scope here.)

TIMATIC via United Airlines

IATA TIMATIC (more comprehensive input, less comprehensive output).

INM Instituto Nacional de Migración, México's National Institute of Immigration. English version, though not consistent throughout site.

Link to PDF color instructions in English for FMM and FEM (for Americans and Mexicans).

Programa Viajero Confiable (Mexico's Trusted Traveler program, available to Mexican citizens and U. S. members of Global Entry)


DEFINITIONS:

INM states a tourist is visiting for


REQUIREMENTS:

Citizens and permanent, legal residents of the US and Canada:

● As January 8th 2007 all US and Canadian citizens will need a passport for their Mexico visit; if a USA resident, your resident (so-called "Green Card" in US) card and passport will be required. (A drivers license and birth certificate are no longer valid forms of identification for a visit to Mexico when travelling by air.) If you arrive at your departure airport without a current valid passport with at least 6 months remaining from your date of entry, to match the 180 day maximum period your FMM is normally valid for, your airline may deny boarding. (Those arriving by ground may use a birth certificate with raised seal of authentication AND photo identification), but if by air passport only.

● Prior to or during your flight you should be given given two forms to fill out - one for Immigration (FMM or "Tourist Card" - be sure to fill out both sides) and another for Customs (Customs Declaration Form). The ~$20 fee is normally paid by your airline if you are flying on and is included in your ticket price. It will speed up everyone's passage if you complete these before you land. However, if you don't receive the forms on the flight, extra copies are always available in the Mexican port of entry (POE) airport (they may be in Spanish).

● Alternatively, one an print out the online version of the FMM and take it with you. NOTE: You MUST print the form's two pages back-to-back. Printing the form as two pages will invalidate your existing form and require you to fill out a new form on arrival.

English language version of the form:
https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html

Overview page (in Spanish):
https://www.gob.mx/inm/articulos/fmm...aerea?idiom=es

● This FMM is valid for up to 180 days, multiple entries (a major change form the old FM-T). The FMM is occasionally made out for 90 days, but you may request and be granted 180 days. If you receive less than the time you expect to stay in Mexico at your POE, you can usually extend it at a local government office, but it can be a hassle. You must depart Mexico by the end of the 180th day unless you secure an extension in Mexico.

I recommend proactively asking for the 180 day stamp when arriving at the POE if you think there is a chance you might need it, regardless of the length of intended stay - nobody can predict... and though normally the tourist document is to be collected on departure, it's actually difficult to turn in if you are returning by cruise or land, yet there seem to be no repercussions for it. (However, do NOT lose the paper slip - if departing by air, if you do not have it you will likely be required to take a delay and pay some money before being allowed to proceed.)

Land entry / northern border areas under 72 hours: You are required to have an FMM ("Tourist Card" to enter Mexico other than remaining within designated border areas (within 20 miles of the border) for less than 72 hours, OR within that area longer than 72 hours or travel beyond the border areas for any length of time. If you are crossing in car, foot, etc. you must pay a bank (usually Banjército) the fee, have the form stamped and then take it to Migración for a final stamp activating the FMM.

● On arrival in Mexico, the authorities will retain half of the form. Do not misplace the portion of the FMM returned to you; you will need to produce this again for on your departure from Mexico and if you lose it it can cause problems*, fines (~$25) and delays. (In fact, authorities at borders you cross by vehicle or foot may not request the form, but you are required to have it in your possession.)

● The authorities may request proof of solvency - this may be cash, credit card, return or onward ticket, etc. and though it not usually requested, they may legally require it - or / and a return or onward ticket (see below TimaticWeb quote).



IF YOU ARE NOT AMERICAN CITIZEN OR RESIDENT, BUT HAVE A VISA FOR THE USA:

From the website of the Mexican Consul General in Miami:


TIMATIC :

ALSO NOTE that return / onward ticketing is technically required by 1) Airline ticket agents (who can be fined if you are returned because you are refused admittance), and 2) Mexican immigration / migración, though they rarely check.

The issue used to be addressable by purchasing an airline MCO (Miscellaneous Charges Order), which was also refundable; MCOs are not generally offered by airlines for those purposes any longer.

IMO your best bet is a fully refundable ticket back, but of course, it means a significant investment.

Mexico immigration officials are generally not the problem. Airline ticket counter agents, however, can be personally fined and the airline fined, iirc, $10,000 and required to provide transport back to the country of origin - and most airline agents do not want to have one of these "stick" to them and their personnel record. So, they will often be sticklers rather than risk the issue.

● CHILDREN: "Minors Traveling Alone: Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age of 18 traveling to or from Mexico must carry notarized written permission from any parent or legal guardian not traveling with the child in addition to their passport. In part, this is to prevent international child abductions. Minors traveling without their parents, or with only one parent, must present proof that they have their parents' authorization for travel. This document must include the name of the parent, the name of the child, the name of anyone traveling with the child, and the notarized signature(s) of the absent parent(s). It should also include travel dates, destinations, airlines and a brief summary of the circumstances surrounding the travel. The child must have possession of the original letter – not a facsimile or scanned copy – as well as proof of the parent/child relationship (usually a birth certificate or court document) – and an original custody decree if applicable. If traveling by air, travelers should also contact their airline for additional requirements." (JaltembaBayLife)

FIREARMS: Mexico is very strict about firearms. Handguns are rarely admitted; hunting weapons (long arms) may be admitted, but they require an extensive procedure. (Under Article 10 of the Constitution, Mexicans are allowed private ownership of firearms; the importation of firearms is governed by Title III, Chapter III, Article 55 of the Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (Federal Law of Firearms and Explosives). Mexican citizens, residents and visitors may import firearms only after obtaining the proper permits from the Secretariat of defense (Army); "Under these articles, those who intend to engage in hunting and shooting sport activities in Mexico, must first obtain the required temporary import permit from the Secretariat of National Defense prior to traveling to Mexico." Contact your nearest Consulate or Embassy for current information.

"It is illegal and punishable by law to enter Mexican territory with any firearm as well as to keep and carry any firearm on your person or vehicle at any time, anywhere. These permits cannot be obtained at Mexican customs and immigration when entering Mexico. They must be obtained in advance and in possession of the bearer before any gun enters Mexico. Once entering Mexico with a gun without previous authorization from the Mexican government, a crime has been committed."

● ARRIVALS AND FORMALITIES: If your baggage is checked through to your final Mexico destination, though you will have to process through immigration (MIGRACIÓN) you will probably not see your baggage until you get there - but it will have a tag indicating you have arrived internationally and it may be inspected by an agent of Aduana / Customs at your destination airport.


If you have arrived at your destination (direct flight from the US or elsewhere) the process is you follow the queues to MIGRACION (immigration) where you will present your passport and FMM. These minor officials can be officious and can plod; if you look sufficiently scruffy to them, they can demand proof of onward ticketing out of Mexico or proof of self-sufficiency (credit card usually serves the latter purpose), but you'll get through eventually, proceed following the signs to the carousels and collect your baggage - many airports offer the free use of baggage carts.

Once you recover your baggage proceed to the queue for ADUANA (Customs). Proceed to the “nothing to declare” or “items to declare” exit queues (most places) or to the Customs kiosk, where you’ll normally be asked if you have anything to declare. If you have hand your Customs declaration, give it to the agent. Continue with your bags and proceed landsude - you may have to also pass your baggage through an x-ray machine prior to arriving landside in some airports, such as MEX.

Prohibited items on arrival in Mexico include:
BTW, you're allowed to bring three liters of alcoholic beverages into México.

OK, now into the arrivals scrum landside and find your transport, etc. Beware of very pesky time share touts at resort airports. ¡Bienvenido a México!

MORE TRAVEL INFORMATION

CASH - NEW MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS: A new Mexican law limits the amount of foreign currency a business can accept each month. This means foreign currency is not as well accepted as before. (That having been said, I got a 20% cash discount in a well-established jewelry store in México City for USD cash April 2014.) Many businesses that previously accepted foreign currency (restaurants, bars, shops, taxis, etc.) may ask you to pay in Mexican pesos. You will need to have Mexican pesos at one time or another. Cash machines / ATMs are a good source of Mexican pesos, and banks exchange dollars readily.

CASH MACHINES and ATMs are common, and have badges showing which card affiliations are acceptable (Maestro, Cirrus, Visa, etc.) Use your cash / ATM card, not your credit card, which will incur cash advance fees in addition to any foreign bank withdrawal and forec (foreign exchange fees). Take precautions and be aware of others in the vicinity - preferably, use ATMs inside a bank. Be aware of common ATM frauds.

CREDIT CARDS: Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, American Express is not accepted at a number of businesses or may incur a ~3% fee. (OTOH, it may be a wash as AMEX Centurion and Platinum do not incur the 3% forex fee many cards do.) Know where your cards are at all times and watch for the usual credit card scams - credit card theft is not unheard of.

Note: My most recent experiences were in April 2014, and I was issued an FMM in Spanish; though I declared for 8 days, my form was ticked for up to 180 days. The fine for not turning in the right hand third tear off seemed to be USD $70 at MEX airport. In addition, each family was required to fill in and turn into Customs / Aduana a Customs declaration.

In August 2012 we crossed the border southbound at San Ysidro and had to fil out FMM and a Customs form - most staff was gone and our baggage was not taken from the bus and searched. On the return at Otay Mesa, CA (instead of the more crowded San Ysidro) crossing into the USA, there was a SENTRI queue (nearly no queue at all) and a normal line. We did not stop at Mexico immigration to turn in the right hand tear off (we were granted 8 days instead of 180 on this entry) and at the US we did not have to fill out a U S Customs form; however all baggage was x-rayed.

RETURNING TO USA: Of course, have your passport / documents to prove admissibility. As well, US Customs currently authorize tourists:

From Mexico, if you have not used your customs exemption within the last thirty days, you are allowed a personal exemption (per person) of USD $800 value of items you have purchased for your own consumption or gifts, including repairs to goods you took with you. The items must be in your possession, and you must declare them - if you do not you may forfeit them. You may not bring back goods that are originally Cuban (e.g. Cuban cigars purchased in Mexico are prohibited.) (If you have used your personal exemption within the last 30 days, you are allowed a $200 exemption.)

Under NAFTA (1994), your goods from Mexico made in Mexico may be exempt from duty; see here. This may change if the Trump administration abandons NAFTA or makes relevant regulatory changes.

Alcohol and Tobacco: You are allowed to import one liter / 33.8 fl oz of Alcoholic Beverages per adult 21 years of age or over, the alcohol is for your own use and the state you reside in allows importation of alcoholic beverages. You may import not more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars (none of Cuban origin). You may be able to bring back more than that in both categories, but at dutiable rates.

For further information, including information on pets, medication, etc. download and read the PDF brochure "KNOW BEFORE YOU GO" available here. You may also visit the U.S. Customs & Border Protection INFO Center at https://help.cbp.gov. (Fireworks and alcohol exceeding 70% / 140 proof / 70 ABV are prohibited to in checked luggage by US TSA hazardous materials regulations; you are allowed by the TSA to have "up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if it’s packaged in a sealable bottle or flask". "Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations.")

For Canadian customs requirements click here.

*IF YOU LOSE the FMM half you are supposed to retain and return on departure, the proper procedure is to fill out a form at the Instituto Nacional de Migración kiosk, pay MXN 295 (about USD $23) and present the receipt from the bank and substitute immigration departure form to Migración authorities. This is time consuming but should not take longer than thirty minutes - though if the banks are closed or the authorities are not working (work hours are Terminal 1: 10 am - 10 pm and Terminal 2: 10 am - 8 pm, two hours less evenings weekends and holidays) one can miss one's flight. AICM (Mexico City International Airport) states about fifty visitors a day have lost their FMM form departure half. You could be forced to stay overnight in the airport (can not go out, can not go airside) until you can get your airline to reticket you - it's up to you if you as to what you can negotiate for a price.

SCAMS in Immigration: Some unscrupulous immigration officers will lay into you and tell you how "they can help" - and for a bit more than the official fine, about MXN 300, will place a stamp into a new form and let you out of the country. It is estimated (June 2013) crooked immigration authorities currently are raking in MXN 15,000 (over USD $1,200) a day from bribes taken in this way. (Reforma newspaper, 15 Jun 2013 - link)

JDiver

Some citizens of other countries will require a valid visa in their passport. Some may be available n arrival, others will have to be arranged in advance of travel.

One fairly decent source for sorting these out is Timatic, used by the airlines themselves. Delta Airlines offers this useful service to their flyers, and you can use it here. Merely enter Citizenship or Alien Residency status, type of Passport, Destination County and Connecting Country (ir appropriate) and you have the same information the airlines will offer (if they are on the ball).

Mexico's Secretaría de Gobernación (basically the secretariat of internal affairs) offers this page with a listing of those countries whose citizens need a visa.

This page lists countries whose nationals do NOT need a visa to visit Mexico, and it states "Persons from the following countries do not need a visa to enter Mexico as Tourists, Transmigrators and Business Visitors. Tourists' and Business Visitors' stay may not exceed 180 days; transmigrators may remain in Mexico for up to 30 days..." (Transmigrators are those with another ultimate destination but will be transiting Mexico en route.)

Not knowing how assiduous SecGob is about maintaining their website, I'd double check with TimaticWeb.

TWOV / TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA: is allowed for those connecting in Mexico to an onward international flight - but TimaticWeb does warn a minimum of three hours should be provided at CUN / Cancún International Airport.

JDiver

http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/washingt...inors_2014.pdf

Away from YYZ

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca...as.aspx?view=d

JDiver

Mexico has areas with Malaria, Dengue and / or Zika virus. Check with your travel health professional. Also see the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here. Read their Health Information for Travelers to Mexico here.

Food and water basics (CDC) see here.

Water: Though some hotels and resorts do pipe potable water throughout, in most places do not assume water is safe to drink. In Mexico City, earth movement and pipe bursts mean the water is subject to cross contamination with sewerage, ground water, etc.

Martinis at 8

If driving, you can also get the vehicle import permit via internet. It comes to your house via Fedex or DHL. This will save the hassle of having to get the permit at the border, which sometimes involves a long line depending on where you cross.

If you get it, take the full 180 days.

Read the instructions carefully and be advised the only place you can cancel the permit is at the border with the vehicle.

I also always get the tourist card stamped upon exit at the border.

https://www.banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos/

JDiver

¡Muchas gracias! Martinis at 8 - very useful information.

BRQuestioner

I am travelling to Mexico City for a 2 day business trip in early July 2013. My passport expires in November 2013. My flight is with United. Do you think I will have problems because I am less than 6 months before expiration? Everything I am reading on the Internet says for Mexico you just need a valid passport, not 6 months. Should I try for an expedited renewal with CIBT, but then there is a risk they won't get it back to me in time?

skyline101

Does anyone know where I can apply for the FMM - Tourist Card in advance?

Besides doing it at the border? Can I get one at the Mexico Counsulate General's office or at a tourist office?

JDiver

Your query has been merged into the existing thread on this topic. I suggest you read the first post; you can also follow the link to TIMATIC provided to run your own case - TIMATIC is what the airlines use to decide if you can fly or not. There is no six month requirement stated - Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) officers will not give you a visa validity that exceeds the validity of your passport, that's all. Tell them you are visiting for 5 - 30 days ("buffer" time in case anything goes wrong) and Bob's your uncle, or is that Beto es tu tío?


Why do you ask? If you are flying, the airline will issue you one; at the border, you will have one issued. The approval is actually done at your Mexican port of entry (POE) my the Migración officer (who can override and amend the length of time one might get on a Consulate issued form). You can probably get one earlier if you have a local Mexican consulate you can visit.

skyline101

Where exactly at the border will I apply for the FMM? Is it at the border control office (on the mexican side)?

JDiver

On the Mexican side you will see signs for the "MIGRACIÓN" offices; they usually have stacks of them there. Some of the pens may be quirky or in use, so bring a decent black (or blue) pen.

For baggage checks, there is a separate area marked "ADUANA" (Customs) where you will write up a customs declaration form (illustrated in the OP) and turn it in, and may be asked to place baggage on a platform for inspection. You may be asked to push a large button on what looks like a small traffic light - Green means you are clear, Red means you get an inspection.

If you are driving, you may stop at an inland facility where they will check your paperwork.

For those who can read it in Castilian / Spanish, there is an illustrated PDF manual for those driving into Mexico.

BRQuestioner

Regarding my previous post, one of the other secretaries at my work knew that CIBT does it fast and she took care of it for me. CIBT returned my passport to me in 6 days, so I'm good for another 10 years.

JDiver

Good to know; a big ¡gracias! for sharing.

I've used TDS. With the Passport Agency expedite fees, the TDS or CBIT fees, it's not the cheapest option, but then again sometimes one has to bite the bullet and get it done. At least it's every ten years, so it's less galling that way.

As a contrast, my niece (Mexico citizen) needed more passport pages to get her visa for India. "Sorry we do not add pages - you need to get a new passport, pay full fees, and we can expedite it for <muchos pesos>." For another slim-Jim passport with insufficient pages. They made her retake her passport pictures because of some hair covering her ears in the original ones submitted.

tangey

I'm coming from Britain on a UK passport, first into Mia, and then onwards to CUN by air, and finally going back to the UK direct from CUN. its a 2 week vacation in total.

I'm entering the US on the US Visa Waiver program. (i.e. I won't have a visa)

I'm assuming I just fill in the relevant customs/ immigration forms on the AA flight to CUN ?

Is it really a requirement to have a prescription for standard meds such as BP tabs and statins ?