Is it safe to travel to Mexico right now?

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Mexico set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Mexican Embassy in the UK.

Passport validity requirements

To enter Mexico, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.

The Mexican Embassy in the UK recommends passports be valid for at least 180 days because this is the longest you can stay in Mexico as a tourist.

If you’re travelling through another country on your way to or from Mexico, check the entry requirements for that country. Many countries will only allow entry if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

Visa requirements

If you’re visiting Mexico as a tourist, you do not need a visa. You’ll get a stamp in your passport with the number of days you are allowed to stay.

British nationals entering Mexico by land must fill in an immigration form online.

Applying for a visa

The Mexican Embassy has information on applying for a visa in the UK.

See information on applying for a visa in Mexico (in Spanish).

Ebola

As a public health measure, Mexico may introduce temporary border measures for travellers arriving from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared this a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Travelling through the USA

If you are travelling or transiting through the USA to or from Mexico, see entry requirements in USA travel advice or contact the US Embassy in London. If you do not have an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver or the correct visa, you will not be allowed to travel to the USA.

Employment, voluntary work, research and eco activities

Tourists cannot do any type of voluntary or paid work or activity, including human rights work. To work or volunteer, you must get the correct visa from the Mexican Embassy before you travel.

You may need a visa for some adventure or ecotourism activities like caving, potholing or entomology, especially if they involve any scientific or technological research. The Mexican authorities may define scientific or technological research activities far more broadly than other countries. If in doubt, ask the Mexican Embassy in UK well before you travel and ask for written confirmation if necessary.

Airport e-gates for tourists

If you are a tourist aged 18 or over, you can use e-gates in some of the main international airports in Mexico. You must show the printed e-gate ticket when you leave the country, so be sure to collect it.

You can download digital proof of entry and how long you are allowed to stay in Mexico from Portal de Servicios del INM (in Spanish) within the first 60 days of your visit.

Checks at border control

At Mexican border control, you may need to:

• show a return or onward ticket
• show proof of your accommodation, for example, a hotel booking confirmation
• prove that you have enough money for your stay

If you’re staying in someone’s home, immigration officials may also ask for a ‘letter of invitation’ from the person you’re visiting. This should include as much information as possible, including the host and travellers’:

• full names
• contact details
• address while in Mexico
• reason for visit

Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit.

If you’re entering Mexico from the USA, and there is no immigration officer to stamp your passport, find the nearest immigration office before continuing. Immigration offices are usually near the border, and customs officials should be able to direct you. It is often more complicated to correct immigration issues once you leave the border area.

Travelling with children

If you are travelling with a child, you may be asked for:

• evidence of your relationship with them – for example, a birth or adoption certificate, divorce or marriage certificates, or a parental responsibility order
• the reason you are travelling with them

Children with dual nationality

Children with dual nationality of Mexico who are travelling without a parent or legal guardian must apply for a permit to leave the country.

Vaccine requirements

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Mexico guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can bring into and take out of Mexico. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Check whether you will need to declare anything to customs officials. If you have goods to declare, you must submit a customs form online before travelling to Mexico. If you do not declare goods, customs officials may seize them and you could get a fine.

Entry tax for the state of Quintana Roo

You must pay an entry tax to visit the state of Quintana Roo – you can pay the entry tax online before or during your stay. You can get help paying online at Cancun Airport. You must show proof of payment at the airport before leaving.

Leaving Mexico

To leave Mexico, you must show your passport with the entry stamp showing how many days you were allowed to stay.

If you lose your passport, you must pay a fee to replace the entry stamp. The fee is about 700 Mexican pesos, to be paid at the immigration office by card or in a bank with cash. Migration officers do not accept cash. You can replace the stamp at the immigration office at any international airport in Mexico or start the entry stamp replacement process online. Updated fees should be displayed at the immigration offices.

Fake immigration officers can operate in international airports. Always refuse offers of help and head directly to the immigration office.

Departure tax

You may need to pay a departure tax when leaving Mexico by air or land. The cost can vary, and some airports or border crossings only accept cash. Most airlines include the cost within the ticket price. If in doubt, check with your airline or tour operator.

Some countries have imposed measures in response to the Ebola disease outbreak. These can include restrictions on entry and health screening measures for travellers having recently visited an affected country. If you are suspected of having symptoms, you may be subject to isolation, quarantine and/or travel restrictions. Contact the authorities of the country you are travelling to for more details.

The authorities of a country or territory decide who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from local authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you're travelling with.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for the expected duration of your stay in Mexico.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

You should also be aware that current systems used by some countries and travel companies may not recognize the “X” gender identifier. You may still be asked to provide your sex/gender information as either male or female when travelling.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics
• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports and other travel documents

Visas

Tourist visa: not required for stays of up to 180 days
Business visa: not required for stays of up to 180 days
Work visa: required
Student visa: not required for stays of up to 180 days

Work visa

Canadians travelling to the northern border zone (within 21 km of the U.S. border) for work don’t need a visa for stays of less than 72 hours.

If your employer is processing your visa for you:

• obtain copies of all correspondence between the employer and the Mexican immigration authorities
• verify that these copies are stamped by the immigration authorities
• request a receipt from your employer for any document that you provide for the purposes of obtaining the visa
• do not surrender your passport to your employer

Activities requiring a visa

You may not be able to undertake the following activities while visiting as a tourist:

• volunteer work
• religious/missionary work
• research
• certain types of eco-tourism
• adoption

For information on the type of visa required for these activities, contact the Embassy of Mexico or the closest Mexican consulate.

Visas and services for foreigners – Embassy of Mexico to Canada

Entering as a tourist

If you enter Mexico by air, either:

• an immigration official will stamp your passport and note the number of days you are allowed to stay in Mexico
• you may be directed to an E-gate kiosk where you will scan your passport, self-register your entry and receive a printed receipt with the number of days you are allowed to stay in Mexico

In both cases, you will need to complete a Multiple Digital Migratory Form (FMMD) online upon arrival. You should download the completed form and keep a copy with you at all times.

If you enter Mexico by land, you must complete a Multiple Immigration Form (FMM) and provide it to an immigration official, unless you stay in Mexico for less than 72 hours within the northern border zone (within 21 km of the U.S. border). The immigration official will write down in your FMM the number of days you are authorized to stay.

You can complete the FMM online before your arrival, print the form and present it to the immigration official at the port of entry, or complete it upon arrival.

Always carry your FMMD or FMM with you as proof of your legal status in Mexico. You may be asked to show it to Mexican officials:

• at an immigration checkpoint
• when departing the country

Upon departure, if you’re unable to show your FMMD or FMM or your passport with the entry stamp, you may have to pay for a replacement.

Useful links

• Travelling to Mexico by Land – Embassy of Mexico in Canada
• Multiple Digital Migratory Form (FMMD) by Air – Government of Mexico
• Multiple Immigration Form (FMM) – Government of Mexico

Length of stay

The maximum stay for tourism purposes is 180 days. This maximum is not granted automatically. The immigration officer will determine the exact length of your authorized stay. If you’re seeking the maximum number of days, you may be required to:

• explain the purpose of your trip to the immigration official
• provide details about your trip (accommodations, funds, return or onward flight, etc.)
• provide a letter of invitation if staying in someone’s home

You must leave Mexico before your authorized stay ends. You won’t be able to request an extension or change the condition of your stay from inside the country.

If you overstay, you may face:

• fines
• detention
• deportation

Migratory entry fee

Most foreign visitors must pay a migratory entry fee.

This fee is normally included in airline and cruise ship tickets. Foreign visitors arriving by land will have to pay this fee at the migration entry booth with a credit or debit card, at a bank following entry, or online prior to arrival. The receipt must be attached to your FMM for submission at departure.

You don’t have to pay this fee if you’re entering by land for tourism purposes and your stay will not exceed 7 days.

Dual citizenship

If you enter and leave Mexico as a dual citizen, you must identify yourself as a Mexican citizen and carry valid passports for both countries.

If you are a dual citizen of Canada and Mexico, you must use your valid Canadian passport to return to Canada by air, as you are not eligible for a Special Authorization or an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Laws about dual citizenship

Criminal record

Canadians with a criminal record or a warrant for arrest may be refused entry and returned to Canada or to a third country on the next available flight.

Children and travel

To leave Mexico, children under 18 who are a citizen or resident of Mexico must carry one of the following:

• a Mexican Minor Travel Consent Form
• a notarized consent form if travelling without a legal guardian

Useful links

• Mexican Minor Travel Consent Form – Government of Mexico (in Spanish)
• Children and travel

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).