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Check Mexico’s visa policy for all foreign travelers wanting to visit the country.
Visa policy for Mexico
The Mexico visa policy determines whether a foreign citizen needs a visa or entry authorization to travel to the country.
Mexico offers different types of visas and travel documents depending on the applicant’s nationality, the duration of the intended stay, and the purpose of the trip.
Nationals of less than 70 countries are able to gain visa-free access to Mexico for short stays, either up to 30 days for transit or 180 days for business or tourism stays.
All visitors to Mexico are required to obtain an FMM tourist card to enter the country by land, whether they need a visa or not.
The FMM is an electronic entry authorization that must be obtained by all citizens arriving by land whose intention is to travel to Mexico for tourism, leisure, or business purposes, regardless of nationality, if they are entering the country by land or air.
The Mexican government recently removed the requirement of an FMM (tourist card) for visitors arriving by air. FMM tourist cards for Mexico are still essential for people arriving via land, rather than by air.
Travelers who need to obtain a visa in order to visit Mexico will still need an FMM Tourist card.
Some travelers to Mexico also need to obtain a Mexican visa or other authorization in addition to an FMM.
This may either be a SAE authorization, required for citizens of 3 nationalities, which can be applied for online, or a consular visa by submitting an application at the nearest Mexican embassy or consulate. The latter application method must be initiated well in advance of travel.
All foreign travelers whose purpose is to travel to Mexico for long-term stays or for work or to study must apply for a Mexican embassy visa.
There are currently no Mexican visa bans in place for any foreign nationalities.
Tourist Visa Policy for Mexico
The Mexican tourist visa policy states that Mexico offers different types of visa for tourism depending on the applicant’s nationality.
All visitors who arrive in the country by land are required to apply for and receive an approved FMM online tourist card before they can gain access to the country at Mexican land border checkpoints.
Citizens of 3 countries are required to register with the Electronic Authorization System (SAE in Spanish), to receive an approved eVisa waiver that allows entry into the country for tourism by air, in addition to an FMM.
Citizens of roughly 170 additional countries are required to apply for a Mexican embassy visa for tourism well in advance of travel, from the nearest government diplomatic office of Mexico.
All tourist travelers who wish to enter the country must have a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months from their date of entry to Mexico.
Find below further information about the types of authorization or visa foreign travelers need to visit Mexico for tourism.
FMM Tourist Card
The visa policy of Mexico establishes that all foreign citizens traveling to the country by land for tourism must have an approved FMM tourist card. All travelers are able to apply and pay for this document online.
The FMM Mexican tourist card may be obtained online using a simple electronic application form, which must be completed with basic personal and passport information and some details about the intended stay in Mexico.
In order to successfully submit the FMM application, it is necessary to have a current valid passport, a working email address, and a credit or debit card in order to make the FMM fee payment.
Once the FMM has been processed, the applicant will receive the approved travel document at the email address provided at the moment of the application.
An approved Mexican FMM tourist card is valid for a total of 180 days from the moment an immigration stamp is applied to the document (upon arrival in Mexico).
Tourists from all countries around the world need to apply for this electronic entry document as it is a mandatory requirement to enter Mexico by land.
However, the FMM is not a visa. Visa required citizens for Mexico will have to obtain both, an approved tourist card and a valid visa to enter the country.
FMM Tourist Card: Country list
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
- Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
- Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
- Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
- India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Italy
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
Nicaragua
Niger
- Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestinian Territory
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of Cyprus
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
- South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Swaziland
Sweden
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
United States Virgin Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Sistema de Autorización Electrónica SAE
The Mexican Electronic Authorization System or SAE (Sistema de Autorización Electrónica) is an online application system designed to provide electronic authorization for travelers arriving by air from eligible countries.
Eligible countries include:
- Russia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
An approved SAE authorization for Mexico allows foreign citizens from a select few countries who are traveling by plane to Mexico to enter the country for transit, tourism, or business purposes without a consular visa.
This electronic visa has a validity of 30 days from the date of issue to enter Mexico and is valid for a single entry to the country. Upon arrival, travelers are allowed to stay in Mexico as tourists with a SAE for a maximum of 180 days.
SAE does not apply to travelers entering Mexico by land or sea, or passengers traveling with a non-participating airline. These visitors must have a valid Mexican visa or a valid third-country visa to enter the country.
Mexico Embassy or Consular Visa Required
Mexico’s visa laws state that travelers from around 170 countries need a consular visa to enter the country no matter the purpose and duration of the trip, meaning that they must complete the process of obtaining a travel document at their nearest embassy or consulate.
The process of obtaining a consular visa usually involves making an appointment at the nearest diplomatic government office of Mexico.
Different types of Mexican embassy visa are issued depending on the purpose of the intended travel, whether as a tourist visa, business visa, study or work visa, or other visa type. This must indicated when completing the Mexico embassy visa application.
Depending on the Mexico visa option the applicant chooses, it is necessary to provide different supporting documents such as the details of their trip (accommodation reservation, round trip flight), as well as a bank statement confirming sufficient economic stability to cover a stay in the country.
Those traveling to Mexico for tourism or business will need an FMM Tourist Card as well as the appropriate visa.
Applicants are advised to make a consular appointment well in advance of the intended arrival date in Mexico, to ensure sufficient processing time to receive visa approval.
Mexico Embassy or Consular Visa Required: Country list
American Samoa
Antarctica
Bonaire
Curacao
Isle of Man
Jersey
Sint Maarten
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Tuvalu
Visa Not Required for Mexico
Travelers from roughly 70 visa-exempt countries for Mexico do not need to apply for an electronic or consular visa for tourism, business or transit purposes.
In addition, visa-free travel to Mexico applies to foreign nationals, regardless of their nationality, if they are holding valid visitor visas for multiple entries that continue to be valid during the intended period of stay in Mexico for the following countries:
- Canada
- European Union
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- United States
or who have permanent residence status in:
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- European Union
- Japan
- Peru
- United Kingdom
- United States
Visa-exempt travelers who come to Mexico for tourism or business can stay for a maximum of 180 days without a visa, while travelers who want to transit through the country can stay for a maximum of 30 days visa-free.
For longer periods of intended stay, visa not required nationalities must apply for the relevant embassy visa from the nearest Mexican diplomatic government office.
Additionally, travelers of all nationalities who have a valid visa or permanent residence for select countries (Canada, any country in the Schengen area, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the United States) do not need a Mexican visa to be able to enter the country.
Although a visa is not necessary, all foreign citizens entering Mexico for tourism by land need to obtain an approved FMM tourist card before arrival. This process can be easily completed online.
This content has been reviewed by
Ekaterina Powell
US Immigration Attorney
Ekaterina Powell is a U.S. attorney licensed in the State of California, working in the area of U.S. immigration law for over 12 years. She has been featured as one of the top immigration lawyers in her state and city several times and has contributed to notable industry publications.
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