What are the passport requirements for moving to Mexico or visiting Mexico?

To come and visit to Mexico, the visitor’s passport must be current and there must be at least 2 months before it expires. If you go 3 weeks before it expires maybe the Mexican immigration office will not allow you to enter. But if it’s 2 months before, that’s fine. Also, right now the Mexican system has made some agreements with the US security system or the police that if a foreigner has some type of record of child abuse, even though if that person already has...

To come and visit to Mexico, the visitor’s passport must be current and there must be at least 2 months before it expires. If you go 3 weeks before it expires maybe the Mexican immigration office will not allow you to enter. But if it’s 2 months before, that’s fine. Also, right now the Mexican system has made some agreements with the US security system or the police that if a foreigner has some type of record of child abuse, even though if that person already has been in jail, it would be very difficult to enter to Mexico. 

 

The majority of immigration officers work the same way. Even though the consulate may give the approval, it’s up to the immigration officers once you get to the Immigration booth in Mexican territory, to determine whether you can enter or not. Even though the Mexican consulate has issued the paper for you to enter and as soon as you get to the Mexican territory there is an alert like a trial or some criminal activity, they may say, “No, you cannot enter” even though the person has a tourist approval from the Mexican consulate. 

 

If you show up with a passport that’s going to expire in 3 months, they may not give you a 6 month visitor visa. If that happens, for example here in Jalisco, you can go to the American consulate and get your passport renewed and then if they only gave 3 months, you can extend it here in Mexico up to the 6 months and not the 3 months.   

 

(Map that shows the state of Jalisco, Mexico, pictured.)

To come to Mexico, you need to have a valid US (or whatever country you’re coming from) passport. If you’re visiting as an American or Canadian citizen, you are allowed to come in as a tourist for 180 days. If you would like to live here temporarily or permanently, you have to get a visa and your passport booklet at the Mexican consulate or embassy that’s closest to you or you’ll be asked to leave Mexico after the 180 and go to the nearest consulate.

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To come to Mexico, you need to have a valid US (or whatever country you’re coming from) passport. If you’re visiting as an American or Canadian citizen, you are allowed to come in as a tourist for 180 days. If you would like to live here temporarily or permanently, you have to get a visa and your passport booklet at the Mexican consulate or embassy that’s closest to you or you’ll be asked to leave Mexico after the 180 and go to the nearest consulate.

 

Mexico is very friendly. I believe there are African countries for which you have to apply for a visa (and I believe Turkey is another country) to come in as a tourist. If you’re coming from the Philippines also, they have to ask for a visa. We have a list. Americans do not; Americans just need their US passport.

 

 

It used to be acceptable with your birth certificate but that changed many years ago. You can get the blue passport book at the post office and I believe it takes less than a week to have it. Or you can get it expedited in the United States for 24 hours.

 

If you’re a US citizen you have to come in with your passport and your visa is good for 180 days once you come in.  They’ll stamp your passport and say, “Welcome to Mexico.”  It’s the same thing for Canadian citizens.

 

(​Mural at the Mexican consulate, Los Angeles, California, pictured. )