Mexico Travel Requirements & Documents

Minors Travel in Mexico | Drinking Water in Mexico | Mexico Money

IMPORTANT - There will be NEW Mexico travel requirements for travels to Mexico and all Travelers Between the United States and the Western Hemisphere

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States.

This is a change from prior Mexico travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement.

The proposed timeline will be as follows:

If you are preparing to embark on your Mexico travels for the first time, you probably have some questions or uncertainties regarding travel requirements, documents and other matters. Find some tips and advice here!

Heard about, or worried about getting ill and drinking water in México? Find some advice for staying healthy and drinking the water in Mexico.

What to do about currency exchange or getting money while in Mexico? Do you need to send money to Mexico or wire money to Mexico? Find some tips about managing Mexico money on your Mexico vacation.

Need to get in touch with folks back home while on your Mexico vacation? Use a pre-paid Mexico phone card or internet e-mail when communicating home.

Worried about diseases such as Bird Flu. Find out the facts here.

CURRENT Mexico travel requirements -

1. A valid PASSPORT. - U.S travelers can find full information at U.S. Passport Home.
 
OR, A valid PHOTO I.D. (such as a Driver's License) and valid PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP (such as a birth certificate). These are required for Mexico travel, (until the newly established Mexico travel requirements take effect) for U.S. and Canadian citizens. 

Travel Tip - This must be an original birth certificate, a hospital copy is not acceptable; the copy you present, must have an official stamp (usually the embossed type) from the state of birth.

Travel Tip - One of the Mexico travel requirements is that married partners with a last name different than the one on their birth certificate, need to have their marriage license (again, the official one with official stamp, not a copy). Canadian Citizens, Canadian versions of the above documents are acceptable.

When you arrive in Mexico you will receive your...

TOURIST CARD This ‘green card’ is one of the Mexico travel requirements you'll receive once in Mexico, your "permission" from the Mexican government for Mexico travel. Typically the airlines and cruise ships pass these out prior to landing or going ashore and provide instruction for filling them out properly. They will then be processed by the immigration official at the entry point and you will be given your copy.

Travel Tip – Do not lose the copy returned to you after the immigration inspection (at the destination airport). It must be returned upon departure. It is a Mexico travel requirement that you must carry it with you at all times while on your Mexico travel adventures. We have never been asked by anyone to see it, but, you never know… While on vacation, it might be advisable to write down your tourist card number and keep it with your travel documents back at the hotel should something happen to the card and you need a replacement.

Mexico Travel Requirements for minors to travel in Mexico

MINORS entering Mexico - Any person under 18 years of age is considered a minor. There are some regulations governing travel requirements for minors to Mexico that you should know about.

* If traveling with only one parent, a minor must have a notarized letter of consent signed by the parent not traveling.
* If the minor has only one legal parent or guardian, a notarized statement must be obtained as proof.
* If traveling alone, a minor must have a notarized consent form signed by both parents.

Upon entering Mexico on your vacation, you will be given a baggage declaration form and asked to itemize what you're bringing into the country.

Mexico has instituted a $15 visitor fee that applies to all visitors except those entering by sea at Mexican ports who stay less than 72 hours. For visitors arriving by air, the fee, is usually included in the airline-ticket price. You must pay the fee each time you extend your 30-day tourist visa.

You are allowed to bring in any of the following:

* Personal items, e.g. clothing, footwear, toiletries, all in reasonable quantities according to trip duration.

* Books and magazines

* Medicine for personal use, with medical prescription in the case of psychotropic substances

* Personal sporting equipment

* One portable T.V. set, one portable typewriter, and one VCR.

* Up to 20 records or cassettes

* A musical instrument

* Fishing equipment

* Three liters of alcohol or wine, if carrier is over 18 years old

* 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars, if carrier is over 18 years old

* One movie camera and one regular camera, and up to 12 rolls of film

Returning from Mexico travels to the U.S. and Canada

You are allowed to enter duty-free, any purchases with a combined value of up to USD $400.00 For Canada the amount is CD $500.00 If travelers have been outside of Canada at least seven days.

This allowance may be claimed every 30 days. With a verbal declaration, a returning Canadian resident can claim duty-free entry for articles (excluding tobacco products or alcoholic beverages) that do not exceed a total value of CD $20.00 upon return from each trip of more than 24 hours.

Web www.travels-to-mexico.com