Requirements to enter Mexico are subject to change. Please visit the U.S. Department of State for details>>

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For the latest entry requirements, contact the Embassy of Mexico web site at http://portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/ or contact the Embassy of Mexico at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC  20006, telephone (202) 736-1000 or any Mexican consulate in the United States for the most current information.

All Americans traveling by air outside the United States are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States .  This requirement will be extended to sea travel (except closed loop cruises), including ferry service, by the summer of 2009.  Until then, U.S. citizens traveling by sea must have government-issued photo identification and a document showing their U.S. citizenship (for example, a birth certificate or certificate of nationalization), or other WHTI compliant document such as a passport card for entry or re-entry to the U.S.   Sea travelers should also check with their cruise line and countries of destination for any foreign entry requirements.

U.S. legal permanent residents in possession of their I-551 Permanent Resident card may board flights to the U.S. from Mexico.

Minors: Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age of 18 departing Mexico must carry notarized written permission from any parent or guardian not traveling with the child to or from Mexico.  This permission 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).  The State Department recommends that the permission should include travel dates, destinations, airlines and a brief summary of the circumstances surrounding the travel.  The child must be carrying 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.  Travelers should contact the Mexican Embassy or closest Mexican Consulate for current information.

Tourist Travel:   U.S. citizens do not require a visa or a tourist card for tourist stays of 72 hours or less within "the border zone," defined as an area between 20 to 30 kilometers of the border with the U.S., depending on the location.  U.S. citizens traveling as tourists beyond the border zone or entering Mexico by air must pay a fee to obtain a tourist card, also known as an FM-T, available from Mexican consulates, Mexican border crossing points, Mexican tourism offices, airports within the border zone and most airlines serving Mexico.  The fee for the tourist card is generally included in the price of a plane ticket for travelers arriving by air.

Business Travel:  Upon arrival in Mexico, business travelers must complete and submit a form (Form FM-N) authorizing the conduct of business, but not employment, for a 30-day period.  Travelers entering Mexico for purposes other than tourism or business or for stays of longer than 180 days require a visa and must carry a valid U.S. passport.  U.S. citizens planning to work or live in Mexico should apply for the appropriate Mexican visa at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C., or nearest Mexican consulate in the United States.

Vehicle Permits: Tourists wishing to travel beyond the border zone with their vehicle must obtain a temporary import permit or risk having their vehicle confiscated by Mexican customs officials.  At present the only exceptions to the requirement are travel in the Baja Peninsula and in the state of Sonora only for vehicles entering through the Nogales port of entry.  Travelers are advised that the “Sonora Only” exception through the Nogales port of entry will expire at the end of 2007.  To acquire a permit, one must submit evidence of citizenship, title for the vehicle, a vehicle registration certificate, a driver's license, and a processing fee to either a Banjercito (Mexican Army Bank) branch located at a Mexican Customs (Aduanas) office at the port of entry, or at one of the Mexican Consulates located in the U.S.  Mexican law also requires the posting of a bond at a Banjercito office to guarantee the export of the car from Mexico within a time period determined at the time of the application.  For this purpose, American Express, Visa or MasterCard credit card holders will be asked to provide credit card information; others will need to make a cash deposit of between $200 and $400, depending on the make/model/year of the vehicle.  In order to recover this bond or avoid credit card charges, travelers must go to any Mexican Customs office immediately prior to departing Mexico.  Despite any advice, official or unofficial, to the contrary, vehicle permits cannot be obtained at checkpoints in the interior of Mexico.

Travelers should avoid individuals outside vehicle permit offices offering to obtain the permits without waiting in line, even if they appear to be government officials.  There have been reports of fraudulent or counterfeit permits being issued adjacent to the vehicle import permit office in Nuevo Laredo and other border areas.  If the proper permit is not obtained before entering Mexico and cannot be obtained at the Banjercito branch at the port of entry, do not proceed to the interior.  Travelers without the proper permit may be incarcerated, fined and/or have their vehicle seized at immigration/customs checkpoints.  For further information, contact Mexican Customs about appropriate vehicle permits.

DUAL NATIONALITY: Mexican law recognizes dual nationality for Mexicans by birth, meaning those born in Mexico or born abroad to Mexican parents.  U.S. citizens who are also Mexican nationals are considered to be Mexican by local authorities.  Dual-nationality status could hamper U.S. Government efforts to provide consular protection.  Dual nationals are not subject to compulsory military service in Mexico.  Travelers possessing both U.S. and Mexican nationalities must carry with them proof of their citizenship of both countries.  Under Mexican law, dual nationals entering or departing Mexico must identify themselves as Mexican.  For additional information, read our information on dual nationality and prevention of international child abduction. 

See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on Name of Country and other countries.  Visit the Embassy of Mexico web site at Internet site: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/ or contact the Embassy of Mexico at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, telephone (202) 736-1000, Internet site: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/, or any Mexican consulate in the United States for the most current visa information.

Source: U.S. Department of State